Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1834-06-26

they did not insist on his answering,
that they examined him chiefly TO ena
bic him, il he pleased, TO exculpate him
self. This committee did not confin'
their examinations 10 the officers Of tn
bank. They examined the teller Of th
bank Of North America, and perhap
other persons. This circumstance, ant
the others Mentioned, sufficiently SHOW
that no Question as TO the extent Of th'
powers of the committee was raised du
ring the visitation; that the witness ap
'peared voluntarily: that the banl
deemed il for its interest TO submit IL
the examination of the committee, il
any form in which the committee tho'l
proper to conduct it and that conse
quently the whole investigation assum-
ed the form Of parliamentary inquiry
conducted by the assent of the parties.
and without any appeal to their rights.
The examination of 1882 assumed
substantially the same character. The
was raised, consisted, as originally mo
we'd, Of large detail Of alleged abuses
several Of which imported no violation
Of the charter. The house adopted an
amendment proposed 10 this resolution
by member from Massachusetts, (Mr.
Adams,) in the following terms.
"Resolved, That select committee
be appointed to inspect the books and
examine into The proceedings of the
bank, and report thereon, and to report
whether the provisions Of the charter
have been violated or not" This phra
seology appears to have been derived
from the commencing words of the re
port Of the committee Of 1919, which is
IT, the same terms and not from the res
olution by which that committee was
created, and which provides that Sc
lect committee be appointed, "to inspect
the books aud examine into the proceed
ings Of the bank, and report whether
the provisions Of its charter have been
violated or not, and particularly TO re
port" as to several matters, all or near
ly all, Of which were alleged violations
Of the charter. The amendment offer
ed by the member from Massachusetts,
(Mr. Adams,) and adopted by the house,
was offered on the ground that "the orr
ginal resolution presented objects Of in
quiry not authorized by the charter Of
the bank, nor within the legitimate pow
ers Of the house," But as it directed
the committee to report generally on
the proceedings Of the bank, as well a.
on violations of the charter, it was con
sidered by its mover, and by many OF
those who supported the amendments AS
authorizing an inquiry extending beyond
violations Of the charter. The righi to
Constitute an inquiry Of this kind was
put upon the ground that the bank was
applying for "a recharter and could not
reasonably decline it. Al that time, as
in 1871 8, neither house Of congress had
assumed hostile position, 10 the hank.
It's directors, as the event proved, fell
that they could rely upon the nati onal
legislature to do them justice against
any efforts which might he made to i'm
peach their character or arraign their
conduct. Applicants Tor recharter,
they felt that they could not with pro-
pricty object to any latitude Of inquiry
which might he demanded by house Of
congress willing to grant iecharter.
provided the result of the examination
should be satisfactory. Accordingly.
the resolution, as amended, was under
stood TO extend not merely TO alleged
violations of the charter, hut TO all ale
ged cases Of official misconduct; and
on the arrival of the committee in Phil
adelphia. the directors Of the bank in.
stead Of placing themselves upon thei'
rights, ordered the presiden, of the in
stitution to submit all its books and pa
pers to the unconditional inspection o
She committee, and yield himself to az
unreserved examination. The inquiry
was pushed into every matter Of alleged
xhuse, where it was supposed the BAH
was most vulnerable. Nothing was spa
ed; nothing was held back. Bnok'
.no papers were submitted, and persons
81 80. mutations on oath endured, al
thon~h vowedly for the purpose OF
6nd;,n 80. e it existed, matter Of in
...,".s;. o''' It the directors. The
1870 "s"'"' ,,lected were sprt ad
before congress aud Il. &c fe"p.r, anu
majority Of both houses >, e. -.
ted in the passage Of biz. " e
tering the bank.