Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-05-24

their expenses on a visit OF pleasure to Paris, amount
ing TO between five and six thousand dollars more;-
making in all about eleven thousand dollars. Whose mo-
ney was II out OF which those expenses were paid, Ono
fifth of it belonging to the pubic-The Government owns
one fifth Of the capital stock OF the Bank, and of course one
nth OF the money Of the Bank IL public money, and be-
longs TO the people. So that the Bank without consulting
the Government, and withoutit knowledge, pays upw ards
OF two thousand dollars OF the Governments money, the
money OF the people, TO send a secret agent abroad to
thwart and prevent the Government from concentrating
one Of the most cherished objects of its policy, during the
present administration at least. Have we not all looked
with anxious sohcitude and with pride, TO the day when
this free country should occupy the proud position Of be-
ing the only great nation i'm the world, u"ntrammelled and
unembariAssed by a public debit Has not our venerated
chief magistrate made ii leading-and primary object of
his administrations And is the Bank TO be permitted to
interfere, and TO prevent the Government from consum-
mating this great policy without censure? Is the Bank
the better judge when the debt shall be paid' Or shall
the government determine that question? Is il not enough
that the Bank should have the use of millions of tho pub.
lie money annually, without interest, and ought il not TO
pay it over on demand when the government requires il,
So overwhelming ant. irresistible were the facts develop
ed upon this main matter of the inv sstigation of the com
mittee OF ways and means, that the majority as well as tho
minority Of that committee, were compelled 10 come 10
the conclusion, that the Bank had UNIV srrautaLly inter-
Tered. The majority give none OF the facts in detail, as do
the minority, in their report. But the majority ia their
report expressly state: "it is due, however, to tho go
vernment to express the opinion, that in the arrangement
made by the bank agent in England for the purchase of tho
three per cent. stock, and the detention of the certificates,
(Which measures were afterwards disclaimedby the Bank1
the Bank exceeded its Legitimate authority, and that this
proceeding had no sufficient warrant in the correspondence
OF the Secretary of the Treasury"
We have yet to see what reasons the Bank has assign
ed Tor its conduct in this transaction. The first was, that
given to the Secretary Of the Treasury in March, for the
pos'Ponemeht Then solicited the desire to accommodate
the importing merchants in the eastern cities, TO enable
them 10 meet their duty bonds when they fell due. Bus
from me testimony oil some oil the directors, it appears
thdt uere was no pressure upon that class oil merchants
during tho year 1882; and on looking into the monthly
statements and accounts OF the Bank in the eastern cities,
where the revenue is chiefly payable, 1t appears that tho
discounts were curtailed instead of being increased during
that period. 10 accommodate the importers then, could
not have been the true reason. The next reason as
signed by the Bank was, "the prevalence of The cbo-
icra IN tho country, and "the probability that the
spread oil the cholera may occasion great embarrass-
meht ana dis'fess III the community, makes it expe-
dent Tor the Bank TO keep itself in an attitude TO
anSrd reilei, should lis nnletposlnon be necessary" But
unfortunately ior inc bahk, wheh the hrsi negotiation
Pace, IN Ia mohth oil March, TO effect a secret ar
iahgemehl LOT po'ponemen'. The cholera had no, made
10 apPe",Snoe vi .' A%eileah continent. nos
Y = ia S"u"ua ""o'e ~ nauc us hr'' appearance on
.' En"I !" !, u a."rws,us' "nen me Secret MISSION
~ n"saa"u "" hs' IeSo'vea upon, IL hd not made
w. w. "ppeah"m er"el ~ orr o rhi'adeiPhha'-
~ ~ mpn" WV" JUL "o' nave Deen me true reason
= IL mex reason asIiShean $, nc apprehension that the pub
~ uNu mign' NOT ID 9 'umcieh' TO make me payment. If
mI . VI 'eHsons .e n"nS' ~ would suppose should
"an,;om.I" onSaaUns :, NV auou' ~ ",s'eauoi
RanL,s "yn 's,a"aa ~ , ~ spaeI"meh' ou. me
han money enomgl ON Jeno.;,s ~ mna, ,bo :, :" ,at ay.e
Al, nf 0o,cbo. orI $3.50" W. ,nn , ,e P"S o u ,ho
the Secre,ary Of Tho Trs aS, ~ q" em s omo nov wa
.'ch ,rranas,nnn, - III " g" nu" aSumoiA.ng any
after il had b een made W ~ s"o ''s !, ~, D long
IJnon a viaw IF the whole f,c,, hh at"rs " r., ,' u Ie"son.
~ q ,ro :, Wv WHY oe'rIe uleh, we minority
weatness Of ,hs RI. ,h U ~ :, WI ~ ~ 'i %" ua' ~ was me
Tia h,s;ness az - ~ h., onah,.I go, ar au".t W ron'ae'
nositss' a, the ,i inn ,h h. n. v.r ""P%ta W. u, u PUBIC de-
f 49, ' "h w - ."o my VIE ieq""eu ny ,"e government.
inornason IT, w. ~ ~ '"s .o q ~ nu greatly
and extended its business over the whole country, prol,a-
bly, with d view of securing a re- charter: and in, doing
this, had employed the public moneys on depo.ite. i'm Loans
10 the community to such an extent, that il found IL inn
practicable TO curtail It's business So as 10 meat the nublic
demands.
Yet the whole facts connected with this mnin and prin.
cipal object of the investigation OF the Committee of Ways
aud Means, have not even been alluded 10 by the Nash.
vile committee in their report; nor has the report con-
tanning them ever been published in the National Banner
for the information of it's readers.
The Bank has been charged in various quarters of The
Union, with using lis power for political purposes. That
it may so use il, is certain. And that it has and probably
will continue secretly to exert it, there is every reason 10
believe. The President, in his veto message, returning
tho bank bill, uses the following language
sis there no danger TO our liberty and independence ina
bank, that in its nature, has so little TO bind IL to our
country? The President OF the Bank has told us that mos,
OF the state Banks exist by its forbearsnce. Should its in
nucnce become cOncentered, as il may under the opera
ton oil such an act as this, in the hands Of a self elected
directory, whose interests are Identified with those of the
foreign stakeholder, tciH there not be cause to fretnble for
The purity 9fOW elections in peace, and for The indie
pendence Of oar country in todr? Their power would
be great whenever they might choose 10 exert il; but if
This monopoly were regularly rene ed every fifteen or
twenty years, on terms proposed by themselves, they
might seldom in peace put forth their strength TO inGu-
ence elections, or control the affairs of the nation. But
y any pTiuote citizen on public funcfiOnGry should in
ferPose TO cWfdf ITS P0CeTs, or pTeUent a RENEWAL ofits
PririieSes, ~ cannot be doubfedh0t he tCOuid be made 10
Jeet as influence