Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1834-03-22
MIR. HEATH'S SPEECH.

| MIR. HEATH'S SPEECH.
! MIR. Heath, In presenting memorial,
T from numerous body of citizens IN Balt-
more, condemnlng the removal of the public
deposites, said, he should avail himself Of the
opportunity OF ADDRESSING few remarks to the
house on this subject.
First with regard to the memorial which
bad been entrusted to his care, 1t was signed
by upwards of three thousand individuals Of
all classes and without distinction of party.
1t included the whole Of the commercial, ira
ding and manufacturing interests of that por-
ton Of the community which he had the honor
10 represent. Among other names OF high
responsibility, were to be found several of the
directors of the Union bank of Maryland, a
bank which had been selected by the admistra-
ton as place Of deposite for the public mo-
ney-tosether with the presidents, cashiers
and directors Of several other banks in Balti-
more That memorial in fact, contained scarce
~ single name that was not well known for
integrity and moral worth He would conf
IDENTITY appeal to his honorable colleague MIR.
Mckim) who, he was sure, would at all times
be found ready to testify to the high standing,
Intelligence, enterprise and talents Of the cit-
zens OF the district which he, Mr.. II had
the honor TO represent. He said it with pride,
and yet confidence, and there was city IN
this great Union, possessed men more ardent
for their country's welfare, more to sustain her
glory and honor, or more free from the tramels
of party prejudice, than the city of Baltimore.
In commercial enterprise and m the rigid fulfil
ment OF engagements, her crizeps yielded %
none, and il was memorial signed by such
men, he now represented to the house.
tie was well aware ofthe nature of the oath
taken by him a member Of that house, and
he was not the less aware that neither that
oath, nor the constitution Of his country,
which he had SO soemnly sworn TO maintain,
recognized any party feeling or party prejudice.
But he could not help expressing his astonish-
ment and regret to observe that too many hon
orable gentlemen who had addressed the house
upon this vital question, had manifested n
warmth O: party feeling little consistent with
tie character of the deliberative representa-
ton OF the people. In saying this much, he
wished not to be understood meaning TO re-
fleet personality, upon the line Of conduct, any
other member might have deemed it his duty
to pursue. For himself, he could solcmnly
and unconsciously aver, that when he first en-
tered the door of that hall, he entered it divest-
ed OF the remotest principle of party feeling
or party prejudice. He entered II as an Amer
ican freeman, to exercise the right bestowed
upon free representative of free and enligh-
tened people, resolved to act for his country
and his country only. 1t was these views and
these feelings that should alone bias the course
he intended to adopt.
1t has been said upon that floor that the bank
Of the United States had been guilty Of a vio-
lation of its charter. IL SO the law had provi-
ded an ample remedy, and he thought that rem
edy should have been first applied. He would
not that the writ Of scirc tacias should have
been withheld one hour after the delinquency
hoo W. 49, Lno tc1I q otA
bank had made use Of their funds for election
eering and other illegal purposes. 1t might
be so, but we would ask, was not the same to
be apprebended from the state banks? Had
they not The same means, the same ability,
the same end to answer, and what proof was
there that they would be more immaculate than
this chartered institution? He called upon ev
cry member Of that house to dvcst himself Of
party feeling-he called upon them IN tho
name of their constituents and Of their coun-
try to do so, and we would ask, if they could
lay their hands upon their hearts in the pres
ence of their God and reconcile it to their con-
science IN considering question OF this i'm
portant character upon party principles? Had
the guilt Of the bank been established? Were
all the charges brought against that institution
made out! He had not seen them. The pub
lie, however, did know something about the
numerate what that was.
The bank had acted as the faithful agent Of
The government for period ofseyen,een years,
during which time it had paid to that govern
nent from six te seven per cent. annually
Il had disbursed all the draughfs made upon it
~ government, and distributed the deposites Of
he public money free of charge and free Of
-isk throughout every state AM territory OF
he union. Nor had the country been loser
o the amount Of one solitary cent in any Of
hese great transactions. These were facts
Known to the world, and in the faceof them be
would ask, if it were good policy to withdraw
he funds from an institution like this, and
scatter them over this country, scarce any one
thew where? To take them out Of vauits O.
yer which the government had completed con
rol, and place them where it had none, To
.emove them from bank in which they ap-
pointed directors Of their own, and deposite
hem in others, in not one Of which they tad