Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-06-19

Their house of congress-, il must have been
in virtue of its general authority to insti-
tute inquiries and to send for persons and
papers. But had the congress who grant
ed the charter understood that this author
ity to send for persons and papers, extend
led to the inspection of the books of the
bank, they could not have deemed it neces
sary to provide that it should be lawful al
any time for either house of congress &c
appoint committee for such inspection.
The resolution, passed on the 4th Of A.
pril last, under which the committee of in
vestigaion was appointed, is expressed in
the following terms:
The committee, thus appointed, is clo-
Ithed with the power granted to either
house of congress, by the twenty-third sec
ton of the charter, the same being given
to it by the express words of the resolution
which authorizes it to "inspect the books,
and examine into the proceedings of the
said bank and "report whe her the pro-
visions of the charter have been violated
or not"
Had the resolution stopped here, its in
depreciation would have been easy. 1t
would have been (and would SO have me-
cessarily been understood) a resolu--
ton creating committee, under the power
granted by the twenty third section Of the
charter, and for the precise objects, and nc
other, therein provided for. But the reso
luton of the house goes much further. Ii
pnrports to authorize the committee to en-
gage in much wider range of inquiry
than the violation of the charter. tide
clares the object of investigation tobe
threc-fold, viz. lst. the causes Of the com
mercial embarrassment and distress ale
ged to exist; End, violations of the char
ter; 3D., corruptIons and abuses in the man
agement of the bank, of which several are
alluded TO in very general and comprehen-
sive terms, as will be perceived by recur-
renee to the resolution just quoted OF
these three objects, the second only is one
In which committee, raised in pursuance
of the twenty-third section of the charter
is authorized to report.
As the resolution of the house enumer-
ates objects of inquiry not named in The
charter, so it specifies means of attaining
information not provided for in that law l.
1t authorizes the committee "to send for
persons and papers, and to Summon and ex-
anime witnesses on oath, and to examine
into the affairs Of the said bank and bran
ches."
The point of chief question in this mats
ter has been what extension of powers POS
sessed by the committee, in virtue of The
twenty-third section of the law, is effected
by this additional detail of the objects to
be investigated, and of the means for At>
tanning knowledge concerning them.
The subscribers understand their ol-
leagues, the majority of the committee, ito
claim, under the terms of the resolution
an Unlimited power Of inquiry after all the
conceivable corruptions and malpractces
of the bank, and of sending for the persons
of its officers and directors, and for any
and all of its books and papers, in order to
ascertain whether any such corruptions g.
malpractices exist. The subscribers be-
lieve that no such power of general search
is given to the committee by the resolution
and that it was not competent for either
house OF congress to give it. In their diff.
terence of opinion from their bretheren OF
the majority on this head will be found the
chief source of their dissent from most of
The important measures proposed by the
committee.
Before explaining their views more dis
tinctly, they would observe, to avoid all
misconceptions, that it is no part of their
purpose TO maintain that the power of the
committee is confined to an inquiry wheih-
er the charter of the bank has been viola
ted. The undersigned believe it is compe.
tent for the house to inquire into any allie
ged abuse Or corruption whatsoever, to the
utmost latitude required by the public good
and authorized by the principles of justice
and law. They believe that the commit
tee of which they are members, was au
thorized to make such inquiries. They
believed however, that these inquiries
we're to be conducted according to the char
ter, that is, according to law, and accord
ing to those general principles of equit,
and constitutional right which cannot bt
transcribed in virtue Of any resolution o
either house of congress could attempt, o.
wish to transcend.
The undersigned have already, as the,
think, shown, that the provision in tn,
charter is grant Of power, which wouit
not otherwise have been possessed by eli
Their house. So far, therefore, is the gener
al power of sending for persons and pape
from enlarging the charter power, that THU
latter is an addition to the power, of send
ing Tor persons and papers. The power
| theret0re, possessed by the comlnittee In