Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1834-12-18

ca Tor inc repetition OF sn!ar appeal rou the 1ws
by the Bank e. cover It's otter atOicj caius Tor
gcs, account Of the tvnov OF the Dep sites with
2y probable hope o public APPRECIATION in favor of it,
new mode Of aiding the hcal operations the Govern
nent, and not till after those selections which you
refer may. an your op,nn, have tern;naicd disls-
troasy to is hopes, THAT The Bank ptiis,,l n prlct
indifference about the money, aal Willingness t. r.
law.
How suit could still proceed and the money be ars,
released or repaid must be left to the Bank further
explanations AS IT ~ iucoprchensihc this Depart
ent unless effected through fictitious case to be
agreed on IN order to deprive Congress OF lis cans,itu-
ona power over appropriations 70 settle entcsed CLAIMS
against the United States and which ag,ecinent, you
may rest assured, that this Department has as little in
chnaton as IT has legitimate power make.
may be proper then to stlte further and distinctly
that the submission oi the whole the wisdom and
authority of Congress- appears To the Treasury l., be the
only suitable COURSE and that n cannot enter in; any ar
rangement in relation TO the subject cxcrnt Ia r,cc;
as requested IN its communication the Bank i'm JUL
last the dividends due the IT, s. and 20 refer the Bank
az Is done with other claimants in similar cases 10 the ias
tce OF Congress for any damages demanded on the bin of
eNcaange beyond the actuil expenses csis incurred
The acknowledgements of this Department should not
be omitted Tor your kindness in pointing ont more
ii one mode that might lac pursued in the Courts of
law against the Bank but the advice of an opposno
party Is not always safest and Congress is copccni
:" give urections upon the claim of the United States
ana Is considered the proper tribunal for adustins the
claim OF the Bank your benevolent suggestions WILL il
Is fcsred prove unavailng: especially Since The sum-
mary process to which you now alludc beside bcin OMEN
To- other objections in express terms and by decision
Oh inc Courts applicable to the only Of debtors who
unlike the Bank in this instance obtain possession of
tne public money, in their capacity of public officers
what may be the design in making sfcr obtaninr
uecson aproposition, which would doubtless fail if &C
cepted is best known To yourself and smell ..d;st;,
gushcd counsel of the Bank as YOU cite 10 this Dc,r
'neut IN your other published letter of the 25th nit II
must be admitted, that the Bank in the next place
eyinccs great irankncss in proceeding to tisclsc n
yc separate specifications what expects to prove on
uial Whether there is much likelihood that this en-
pec1tion will be realized others must decide Inn,
the righteousness in stating beforehand to the opposit
party what is to be proved against him. should moi mace
Communication. 10. ,i..
under all the circumstances suspcion-i may be an
unjust one-had arisen, that the statement was made
rater with view TO be Immediately laid before tho
community by the Bank either ''inamc the passons'
or TO ioresali public opinion those points before re-
ply was received from this Department
In laying down the first position which the Bank ~,
serts It will always be ready prove" viz that the
p Oh Exchange on the French Government was drawn
without the slightest authority whatever from that o.
vernment, it is feared that the zeal Of the BanL y,
yndicate foreign Government, has led Won TO over
look the treaty. in which that Goycrnmen t
puatcs topay the sum oftwcnty We millions OF francs N
Paris in six annual instalinents of four millions orr bn
bred and sixtysix thousand six hundred and ;y,,,i
francs ana sxty-six confines each into kc hand of scb
person or persons shall be authorized by ne I,rrn
me@ 81 the United states TO reccire IL Thc Bank an
pears moreover to have forgotten the written authority
under seal from the President of the United SSntta
winch accompanied the BILL and empowered the holder
US e person designated under the treaty and in pursi-
ance OF It, to receive the money which had then Lecon,
honestly due from the French Government and sbouJ
Notwithstanding your apology have been promptly paid
uccoruig 10 every principle Of national Sood faith In
your ardent defence OF foreign country for neglect An
fulfil its treaties, and attack upon De1artncnt e.. -
own, ior acting without the slightest nutJ,or;t,, -
evcr II also seems to have escaped notice That tho
treasury acted, not only under the authority bcfr,
named, rom France, OF a solemn stipulation to make
vcrninent of the United States that the hldcrs M
TINS bill were specially authorized by this Denarten
Quo .e lTesden ou That Congress had previously
empowered and required the Secretary the Treasury
by the act of July 18th, 1892 o cause This money -
De received from the French Government and transfer
req 10 tue Ohted States, IN such manner rs he may
IN nfciy
Tor your own country the Bank should be afc 10 sun
port Tie position, that ''the bill was drawn yitjout Ito
slightest authority from France YOU certainly Will, de-
serve her acknowledgements for the aid thus rendered IN
get rd probably OF the whole of claim which she has
appeared not very eager to discharge because frsncc
was not liable, under all the circumstances TO nav n II;
that form, it is difficult discover how she is li.e to
pay II IN any form.
1t is to be regretted that in your professions of reqord
for the credit of the Treasury knowing then as now,
what ITS authority for drawing the bill you did NOT
refuse entirely to take it, the Bank have foreseon
and believed, that the money would not probably bc
pad ON an instrument, if drawn without the sgjaest
authority, and that the affair would probably end in
claim by it for large damages Were it not for the coli
ctnde, SINCE expressed by the Bank to accommodate
me Treasury, and the indifference the Bank now pro-
esses "as to the money, 1t might be infaYfch y some
thai possessing the before mentioned opinions and pnr
suing the before mentioned course it must have medi
tated originally speculation the protest and ex
pected damages.
What seems at first rather inexpicabie is that the
BANK, knowing and being ready to prove that this De-
partment drew the bill 'swthout the slightest our;t
and hence could not require Franco paw any DAMAGES
II the bill procs,cd-should vet insist that In.
claims OF damages by the Bank, san INDISPENSABLE
act OF duty to enable the Treasury claim danarcs of
the French Government This great kindness toSvn rds
the Government of your country, uninved and
voluntarily TO seize its revenue and atcn1D 70 nlnnrn
~ INTO lawsuit at home and controversy abroad TO
enable 1T to obtain large damages another counir
which 1T must If obtained Immediately pay oyer t no
Bank, certainly deserves all due acknowledgements In
hne Willie the Bank IL protesting give all this friendly
ADVICE tor the benefit Of the Treasury and To feel itself
. great indifference about the money its re1ard for
stripped OF all bandshmenls To consist in ,rgino b,,
government to demand, and to hazard n nev onIrrcl
WIN france To obtain large and YndicfYe do,,o,.cs
ny asserting that they much due +as lbe Dy1ci
Pa when IN fact the United States arc entitled from
rance To only the reasonable and actual damages s
tnned and when large and vindictivc ones are 10 he
sought in behalf not Of the Treasury but cf the da;n
terested institution which is urging this indcfn4Ia
measure and when, If such aggravated DAMAGES arc oh
tained they expected to go once and xclusyalv
not INTO the Treasury, but into the vaults of Tie Bank
Or which Is virtually the same to supply thc place
OF te great amount of public the Bank kas al
ready on this account seized and withheld
Bat Notwithstanding this, If now or at any olIer mr.
ROD, the Bank shall alleged be ready to pryc tat
the money paid by the agents Of the Bank t. sgv
te credit OF the Treasury, the favor will he cleerf
acknowledged by this Department. as in that evepf No
night IN the Bank to the aggravated damaoes claimed
against the Treasury and which has led 10 the oofrage
Oh sclzng on the public dividends could well be te,cnd
cd TO exist IL is hoped, you oToigs to coasdcr ,J,
''the claim Of damages by the Bank was an inds,asI
act ofduty, you will also hesitate to perform sno
ther equally indispensable act of daty y Iruisbino
as carly practicable the evidence to prove the pon
just menoned since such evidence is furnished not
only should the aggravated damages be relnonisbed
but the conduct of those agents and Of the RAM in t,
mar ICn lfd d.