Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-06-05

nn Jor'ty ia the Housc, politically attached 10 ia.
Administration, and opposed 70 the Bank, do not
t,cc 81 general impntztiva upon their el.r..t,r.
III ~neth,ng unique siioosbIy 10 due To tie ccoc-
raj rvpu,siion OF the t~o Houses Of Coavrr..-I
u INDIVIDUALS arr, 90 clear grounds, suspected of
oe'ss mus corrupted; IL the Bank, on reasonable
grounds, - suspected Of this highest brcach OF
rr.'ieyc, Let the indi, isusls erim,nat,si be ma
nisd the charge be stated in form the euIprit
brought TO the bar Of the iiouse a,.i the guilty
p''n's'e'. Bat let NOT the Whole body Vi both
honses BE- involved in one in.ii seri intimate and
"''o.'' oesa.'e 'asn. and -no", moas deiatioa.
How was IL natural that such an inquiry
should be metby the Rank, or rather by those
who have been entrusted by the stockbolier,
with ITS direction, The Bank is n legal ,b
str.etion. To charge the Bank. with bribery
aud corruption, - Ia use words which have
no accurate meaning, true or false. The par
" Implicated Is the directory ard officers
men oil character; men known 10 the comuu-
niiy rs some OF It's most useful members and
brightest ornaments; men OF probity, unim-
Peached IN private life. Some Of them arc
merchants, whose word. in the most impor-
tant Transactions, would be dee med n, good
rs their bond; AMI others are Professional
Characters, who adorn tho highest tribunal,
OF the country. These arc the party implica-
ted-charged with n most cruel and perfdi-
Gus design TO bring universal disircss upon
the country, for the sake Of pai,ry selfish
ends; and TO promote these ends, further
charged with corruptius the conductors OF
'he press, corruPting the people in the exer-
ese Ut their elective franchise, and corrupt
ing the members Of Congress. Are honest
and honorable men, charged with these odou.
misdemeanors, TO submit 10 the charge without
murmur; TO acknowledge the reasonable
ness OF making It; the expcjiency Of investi-
eating II, all vague and unspec fled n, il /, ::
The reality OF prinia Iaeia case against the m !,
DOCS conscious innocence require them TO ad-
mit that there - ground Of Suspicion Docs
the strong and indignant feeling that their
Characters are outraged, while their rights
are invaded, call upon them voluntarily TO
take the eulprit's place, and endure the igpo-
miny Of what they deem an uncalled for and
aSexatious inquisition' Or is IL not rather
the natural dictate OF proud and conscious
innocence tot take place themselves upon their
rights, beneath the rgis OF the iawI IfIro
10 my neighbor, as honest n man as myself.
and say, "you arc a swindler and knave, ~
shall he meckly ask ne TO enter his house,
lay open his ledger and his letter book. and
invite me To collect the material, out OF which
! may prejudice the public against him;-
The directors ofthe bank are citizens, as hon
est aud as vir:uous as any Of those in Office or
out o. Il, high or low, who charge them with
corruption. A good name is as dear 10 the m
as 10 their accusers. Their stake in the well
iare OF The country is as great. The success
win which they have conducted Affairs Of the
great institution entrusted to their care h,
not matter Of opinion; il is notorious 10 all the
world At this moment, notwithstanding the
'eariui warfare waged against them BY al
most every branch Of the government of
their own country, their credit Is as good
/ al London and aria sk.s nf AZ. L.. =
England or france. At this moment, in the
remotest East, in the markets Of China, where
The silver coin Of the country, from the pub
lie mint, Is underva iued, the paper of the
bank OF the United States is an acceptable
currency. In the midst OF its career Of use
| tuiness, II has been, unfortunately for the
country, drawn into the field of political con-
troversyi its directors and officers vilified
oy name, their most laudable measures mis-
represented, their most innocent acts calum-
mated, and their slightest errors Of judgment
Tortured into corruptions and crimes above
all, the severe distress, with which the coun-
try has been visited, for the sake Of carrying
on this warfare, has been cruelty imputed
10 the wanton action Of the Bank. though
struggling for its own existence against the
most formidable efforts to crush it, The
calm and dignifed tone which characterize.
the communications OF the Committee of Di-
rectors, under circumstances like these, IL
10 the undersigned, q satisfactory indication
oil their integrity and conscious purity. They
have placed themselves where, As American
citizens, conscious Of their rights, Of their in
JurieS, and Of their innocence, they had n
right to place themselves, under the protection
Of the law
Firmly believing that they arc innocent Of
the crimes and corruptions with which they
have been charged, and that, il guilty, they
ought not to be compelled to criniinate them
selves, the undersigned are clearly Of opinion
that the directors Of the bank have been guilty
OF no contempt Of the authority Of this House,
IN having respectfully declined to submit
their books for inspection, except as required
by the charter.