Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-05-05

nations of the Bank it is more thanever my de
Hty to be yigilant i'm guarding the rightSind l
People from the impending dangconfidence
should feelthat ought to forffaive honored me,
with which my countTxffar and full reports Of
if did not requisef seedlings of the Bank, cal
every thing ipc t injurously the public interests
culated t6nblc Directors. And, 1.-THE Directors
frQ}}s15 fail 70 give the information called Tor,
+ wonld he nv imperious duty to exercise the
mower conferred on me by the law, OF removing
them from office, and of appointing others VINO u!
would discharge their duties with more hdeilly
to the nublic. can never suffer any one 10
hold office undersfne who would connlve at cor
ruption. or who should fail to give the alarm,
when he saw the enemies of Liberty, endeavoI-
mo to sap the foundations of our free institutions
and to subject the free People of the United
States to the dominion of great moneyed cor
sporation. -.
miohf be appointed by the Government, would
be requireehto reportto the Executive as fully as
thelate Directors have done, and morefrequent-
lv because the danger is more imminent: and 1t
would be my duty to require OF them lull oe-
tail of every part of the proceedings OF the cor
poration, or any of its officers, in order that-l
might be enabled to decide whether should eX-
ercise the power of ordering scue Jacads,
which is reserved to the President by the char
fer. or adopt such other lawful measures as the
interests ofthe country might require 1t is too
obvious to be doubted that the misconduct OF
the Corporation would never have been brought
to light by the aid of public proceeding at the
Board Of Directors. The Board When cameo
on bv the Government Directors refused to in
stitute an inquiry, or require an account; and
the mode adopted by the latter was the only one
by which the object could be attained 1t would
be absurd to admit the right of the Government
Drectors,to give information, and, at the same
time, deny the means of obtaining it. 1t would
be but another mode of enabling the Bank to
conceal its proceedings, malpractice, with I'M
punity, its corruptons. In the mode OF obtain
ing the information, therefore, and in their eff
forts to put an end to the abuses disclosed, as
well as in reporting them, the conduct of the
late directors was judicious and praise worthy
and the honesty, firmness, and intelligence which
they have displayed entitle them, in my opini
on, to the gratitude of the country.
But, if do not mistake the principles on which
the Senate have recently rejected them, the con
duct which deem worthy OF praise, they trea
as a breach of duty; and, in their judgment, the
measures which they took to obtain the lnforma
ton, and their efforts to put an end to the prac
tees disclosed and the reports they have made
to the Executive, although true in all their parts
are regarded as an offence, and supposed to
require some decisive mark of strong disappro
baton.
supposed, the difficulty Of sending to the Senate
any others names than those OF the late dlrec-
tors, will be atOnce apparent. cannot consent
| to place before the Senate the name of any one
who is not prepared, with frmness and honesty
to discharge the duties of public Director II
the manner they were fulfilled by those whom
the Senate have refused to confirm II, Tor per
forming duty lawfully required of them by the
Executive, they are to be punished by the sub
sequent rejection Of the Senate, it would not on
| ~ be useless but cruel, to place men OF charac
| ter and honorn that situation if even such mer
could be found to accept it. If they failed tc
give the required information, or to take proper
measures to obtain it, they would be removed
by the Executive. Ifthey gave the inform atlor
and took proper measures to obtain 1t, tney
would. upon the next nomination, be rejected
by the Senate 1t would be unjust, in me, tc
place any other citizens in the predicament II
which this unlocked for decision OF the Senate
has placed the estimable and honorable men who
were Directors during the last year
If am not in error in relation to the princl
pies upon which these gentlemen have been re,
jected, the necessary consequence Will be tha
the Bank will hereafter be without Government
Directors, and the people of the United States
must be deprived Of their chief means Of protec.
ton against its abuses: for whatever conflicting
opinions may exist as to the right Of the Direc-
tors, appointed in January, 1893, to hold over
until new appointments shall be made, it is very
obvious that, whilst their rejection by the Senate
remains in force they cannot, with propriety,
attempt, to exercise such power. In the pre-
sent state of things, therefore, the corporation
will be enabled effectually to,accomplish the OBJ
iect it has been SO long endeavoring to obtain
Its exchange committees, and its delegated
powers to its President, may hereafter be dis
pensed with, without mourning the danger OF
exposing its proceedings to the public view
+ The sentinels which the law had placed at its
board can no longer appear there.
Justice to myself and to the faithful officers
by whom the Public has been so well and SO ho-
morally served, without compensation or re-
ward, during the last year, has required from me
this full and frank expositonof my motives for
nominating them again, after their rejection by
the Senate. ] repeat, that do not question the
right Of the Senate to confirm or reject at their
pleasure and if there had been any reason to
suppose that the rejection in this case had not
been produced by the causes to which | have at
trbuted it, or if my views of their duties, and
the present importance, Of their rigid perform
ance were other than they are, should have
cheerfully acquiesced, and attempted to find
others who would accept the unenviable trust
But | cannot consent to appoint directors of the
Bank to be the subservient instruments, or 81