The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-10-02

been applied and the pcrsdns TO whom
the mouey had been paid. This reason
able proposition was voted dnwn.
They also offered resolution rescind-
ing the resolutions of November, 1880,
and March, 1881. This also was re-
jected.
Not content with thus refusing to re-
call the obnoxious power, or even to re-
quire such an account ofthe expenditure
as would show whether the money Of the
Bank had in fact been applied to the OBJ
jccts contemplated by those resolutions,
as obnoxious as they were, the Board
renewed tile power already conferred
and even enjoined renewed attention to
It's exercise, by adopting the following
the Government Directors, viz:
ResoiUed, That the Board have conf
dence in the wisdom and integrity Of the
President and in the propriety of the
resolutions of 30th November, 1880 and
1lth March, 1881, and entertain full
conviction of the necessity Of renewed
attention to the object of those resolu-
tions, and that tho President be author
lied and requested 10 continue his exer-
tons for the promotion Of said object"
I Taken in connection with the nature
Of the expenditures heretofore made, as
recently disclosed, which the Board not
only tolerate but approve, this resolution
puts the funds Of the Bank at the dispo-
sition Of the President for the purpose of
employing the whole press ofthe country
in the service ofthe Bank, to hire writer's
and newspapers, and to pay out such
sums as he pleases, to what persons and
for what services he pleases, without the
responsibility Of rendering any specific
account. The Bank is thus converted
into a vast electioneering engine with
means to embroil the country in deadly
feuds, and. under cover of expenditures,
in themselves improper, extend its COR
rupton through all the ramI6cations Of
society.
Some of the items for which accounts
have been rendered show the construc-
tion which has been given to the res0lu-
tions and the way in which the power it
confers has been exerted. The money
has not been expended merely in the
publication and distribution Of speeches,
reports of committees, or articles written
for The purpose of showing the constitu-
tionality or usefulness of the Bank. But
publications have been prepared and ex-
tensively circulated, containing the gros-
sest invectives against the officers of the
Government and the money which be-
longs to the stockholders and, 10 the
pnblic has been freely applied in efforts
to degrade, in public estimation, those
who were supposed to be instrumental
in resisting the wishes Of this grasping
and dangerous institution. A. the Pre-
sid,ut of the Bank has not been requir-
ed TO settle his accounts-no one but
himself ye, knows how much more than
ltbe sum already mentioned may have
been squande reo,-dHd for which cred
il NAV hereafter be ciaimed in his &C
count under this most extraordinary re-
solution With these facts bctore US,
can we be surprised at the tsrreHt OF ,i
abuse necessarily poured out against III
who are supposed to stand in the way Of
the cupidity or ambition of the Bank Of
the Uuited States ?-Can we be sur
prised at sudden and unexpected
changes Of opinion in favor of an insti.
tuition which has millions to lavish, and
ayows its determination not TO spare its
means when they are necessary to ac-
complish its purposes ? The refusal 10
render an account of the manner in
which q part of the money expended
has been applied, gives just cause for
the suspicion that it has been
used for for purposes which it is not
deemed prudent to expose TO the eyes
of an intelligent and virtuons people.
Those who act justly do not shun the
light, nor do they refuse explanations
when the propriety of their conduct is
brought into question.
With these facts before him, in an
official report from the Government
Directors, the President would feel that
he was not only responsible for all the
abuses and corrup,ions the Bank has
committed, or may commit, but almost
all accomplice in conspiracy against
that Government which he has sworn
honestly to administer, if he did not take
every step within his constitutional and
legal power likely to be efficient in put
ting an end to these enormities. If it
be possible, within the scope of human
affairs, to find a reason for removing the
Government deposites and leaving the
Bank to its own resource for the means
of effecting its criminal designs, we have
it here. Was it expected when the
moneys of the United States were direc-
ted to be placed IN that Bank, that they
would be put under the control ef one
man, empowered to spend millions with