Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-26
REMARKS OF MIR. HEATH, OF Md.
On Monday, February II.


On Monday, February II.
Mr.. HEATH, in presenting to the House of
Representatives a memorial from numerous
body of citizens in Baltimore, condemning the
removal ofthe public deposites said, he should
avail himself of the opportunity of addressing
few remarks to the House on this subject.
He was well aware Of the nature OF the oath
taken by him as member of that House, and
he was not less aware, that neither that oath, nor
the Constitution of his country, which he had so
solemnly sworn to maintain, recognized any
party feeling or party prejudice. But he could
not help expressing his establishment and regret
to observe that too many honorable gentlemen
VINO had addressed the House upon this vital
question: had manifested a warmth OF party feel
inc little consistent with the character OF the de-
| Lucrative representation of the People. In say
ing thus much, he wished not to be understood
as meaning to reflect, personally, upon the line
| ofconduct any other member might have deem
| ed it his duty to pursue. For himself, he could
soemny and conscientiously aver, that, when
he first entered that Hail. he enteredt Invested OF
the remotest principle of party prejudice. he
enteredit as an American freeman, to exercise
the right bestowed upon free representative
of a free and enlightened People, resolved to
act for his country and his country only. 1t was
these views and these feelings that should alone
bias the course he intended to adopt
It had been said upon that floor, that the Bank
of the United States had been guilty of viola
ton of its charter. If so, the law had provided
an ample remedy, and he thought that remedy
should have been first applied. He would not
that the writ ofscire fdci0S should have been with
held one hour after the delinquency had been
proved. We have been told that the Bank had
made use of their funds for electioneering d 9TH
er illegal purposes. 1t might be SO, but he would
ask was not the same to be apprehended from
the State banks? Had they not the same means,
! the same ability, the same end to answer; ana
what proof was there that they would be more
! immaculate than the chartered institution? He
called upon every member of that House to dl-
vest himself Of party feeling-he called upon
| them in the name Of their constituents and or
| their country to do So and he would ask, II they
| could lay their hands upon their hearts IN the
presence of their God, and reconcile 1T to their
consciences in considering question OF inns mn
portant character upon party principles? Had
| the guilt Of the Bank been established? Were
all the charges brought against that institution
made out? He had not seen them. The public,
| however did know something about the con-
| duct of the Bank, and he would briefly enumer-
ate what that was
The Bank had acted as the faithful agent of
| the Government for period Of seventeen years,
during which time it had paid to that Govern
ment from six to seven per cent annually. 1T
had disbursed all the drafts made upon it by Go
vernment, and distributed the depostes OF the
public money free Of charge and free OF risk
| throughout every State and Territory OF the
Union. Nor had the country been loser to the
amount of one solitary cent in any of these great
! transactions These were facts known to the
! world and in the face Of them he would ask, If
| it were good policy to withdraw the public funds
| from an institution like this, and scatter them
/ over the country scarce any one knew Whefe!
| To take them out of vaults over which the Co.
| vernment had complete control, and place them
where it had none? TO remove them rom a
| Bank in which they appointed directors Of their
own and depOsite them in others, IN not one OF
which they had the power of appointing sim
gle director, or prospect OF receiving one cent
| of interest for the public money.
! Of one thing the country had hitherto been as
sured, that whatever might have been the con-
duct of the United States Bank in regard to 9TH
er matters, the public money was at least safe IN
its vaults, which was more than they could as
sure themselves of at this time. He greatly
feared that it would be found in perhaps not
/ few of them, when the people called Tor their
money, that more than one hole had existed
through which the depostes had escaped, never
more to be recovered. He should be happy If
his fears were groundless but from what ne
knew he could augur nothing better.
Mr.. H. said he had been sent to that House
not as partisan, nor upon party feelings, but
as a free and independent American citizen who
would never bend his neck to the collar nor to
the yoke. He stood before that House with the
proud consciousness of possessing character
! that had never been known to SWerve from du-
ty. This was perhaps much to say, but he would
! appeal to those who had long known him, and
there were some within the sound of his voice,
for the truth of this declaration 1t was the du-
nv he owed his constituents and his country, that
! impeed him to the course he should pursue on
this Question. 1t was with pain that he found
himself arrayed against the course of the pre-
sent Executives for he would say that General
Jackson had not more ardent, Jealous, or SIN