The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1834-12-31
IN SENATE-Thmsday Dee. iS.
MR.. BENTON'S SPEECH.
BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.

reading.
A motion being made to print il, MR.. BENTON
rose, not to object to the printing, to go into an
argument in answer to the report, which would
come more properly at another time, but to correct
some errors which claimed his attention. His own
name was made to figure III that report,in very good
company to be sure, that of President Jackson,
Vice President Van Buren, and Senator. Grundy.
Ii seems that we have ALL said MIR. B. been detected
in something that deserves eXposure,-in the offence
of aiding our respective constituents, fellow c
zens in obtaining branch banks to be ocacated in
our respective States upon this detection, the as
sertion is made that these branches not exten
dcd to these States for political effect, when the
charter nearly run out, but in good faith, and
upon our application, to aid the business of the cOun-
trv. Mr. B. said, it true that he had forwarded
q petition from the merchants of ST. Louis, about
1926 or 81, soliciting n branch at that place and
he had accompanied it by letter, as he had been
requested to do, sustaining and supporting their
quest and bearing the testimony to their characters
men of business and property which the occasion
and the truth required. He did this for merchants
who were his political enemies, and he did it readi-
ly and cordially, a representative ought to act
for his constituents, whether they for him, or
against him, i'll the elections. SO far so good but
the allegation Of the report is, that the branch at
St. Louis established upon his petition, and
this letter, and therefore not established with
political views, but purely and simply for business
purposes Now said Mr.. B. | have "A question to
put to the Senator from Virginia, (Mr. Tyler) who
has made the report for the committee: 1t is this ::
whether the President or Directors of the Bank had
informed him that Gen. Cadwallader had been sent
agent to St. Louis to examine the place, and
to report upon its ability to sustain branch
Mr.. TYLER rose, and said, that he had heard
nothing at the Bank upon the subject of Cadwa-
ader having been sent to ~. Louis, or any report
upon the place being made.
Then said Mr.. BENTON, rcsuming his speech,
the committee has been treated unworthily, y,-scurv-
ly,-basely,-by the Bank 1t has been made the
instrument to report untruth to the Senate, and
TO the American People; and neither the Senate,
nor that part of the American People who chance
to be in ths chamber should be permitted to leave
their places until that falsehood was exposed.
Sir, said Mr.. b. addressing the Vice President,
the President and Directors of the Bank of the
United States, upon receiving the merchants pc
tition and my letter, did not send branch 10 81.
Louis They sent agent there, III the person of
General Cadwallader, to examine the place, and to
report upon its mercantile capabilities and wants /;
and upon that report, the decision was made, and
made against the request of the merchants and that
upon the ground that the business of the place would
not justify the establishment ola branch. The pc
tition from the merchants came to Mr.. Ii. while he
was here, in his seat; it forwarded from this
place to Philadelphia the agent made his visit to
st. Louis before he (Mr. b. returned; and when
informed him of wha, had occurred and that they re-
ceved letter from the directory of the Bank, in,
forming them that branch could not be granted
and there the whole affair, so far as the petition and
the latter concerned, died away. But said
Mr.. b. il happened just in that time that first made
my demonstration-sruckm my first blow-against
the Bank andthe neXtnews that had from the mer-
chants was, that another letter had hccn received
from the Bank without any new petition having
been sent, and without any new report upon the
business of the place, informing them that tthc branch
to come And come it did, and Immediately
went to work to gain men and presses, to govern
the politics of the State to exclude him (NIr. b.
from reelection to the Senate, and TO oppose every
candidate from Governor to constable, who was not
for the Bank. The branch had furnished
list to the mother Bank, through of its officer,
of the and residence of the active citizens il
every part of the State, and TO these, and to the
great asonishment at the familiarity and condcsccn
sion of the high directory in Philadelphia, MYRIAD
OF Bank documents were sent with amlnute description
of name and place, postage free. At the Presidential
election of 1882, the State deluged with thes
favors At his own reelection To the Senate the t,y
last, the Branch was in the field against him ever
where, and in every form It's directors trayersin
the State, going TO the houses of the members of tn
General assembly after they were elected in almos
every county, over State of sixty thousand squar
miles; and then attending the legislature, as lobh
members, to oppose him. OF these things MIR. /
had never spoken in public before, nor should h
have done it now, had it not been for the fasehoo
attempted to be palmed upon the Senate throug
the instrumentaty of its committee But kayin
been driven into it, he would mention another eli
cumstance, which also lac had never named i'm pul
lie before, but which would throw light upon il
establishment of the branch in st. Louis, and Il
kind of business which it had to perform. An in
mense edition of a review Of his speech on the We
message, was circulated through his State on IL
of his last election. 1t bore the impress of Il
Bank foundry in Philadelphia, and was intend,
to let the people of Missouri see that he Mr. Il
was very unfit person to represent them and a
terwar,ls it was seen from the report of the Cover
ment Directors TO the President of the United Stat
that SEVENTY-FIVE THOUSAND copics
that review was maid for by tLp Rank nc tho Iu