Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-01-16
MR.. BINNEY'S SPEECH,
On the RemoraI of The DePostles.
GcoNcLUDED.1

So,or eff addressing it. Had been director
of the Bank of the United States, during the
wears in which it has been its misfortune not 10
have received the appreciation OF the oecIe,a-
rv should have been associated with men WIN Wlo
are an ornament to the city In winch tney nVo,
and an honor to their country. Men, VINO II oli
earliest youth to their present mature nasT
been beloved, respected, ana honoi1u' ~ IL
around them, and who are as mucn 'iie s.anu
ard of all of the virtues private, soclai anu pa
triotic. as the coins of your mint are the stand
ord Of vour currency, and without any OF the
base ALLOW which you mingle in your CONS, 10
make them fit for the use and abuse OF the world
If / had been called upon to act WIN such iue,i
as these in regard to measures OF any klno,
and had differed from them in my Judgment
should have deemed 1t almost an ACT VI .leasoi
AGAINST the authority of superior inteLgehce'
or of arrogance, exposing myself 10 fepfenen-
sion or contempt. | should have followed tnelh
fearlessly wherever they led, and with unsnakeh
confidence that they could not lead me where
either wisdom or virtue would De exposed 70 re-
nroach. But. sir | had not this honor was
not director of the Bank in 1929, 1880 nor IN
1881; and, though chosen director IN 1857,
left Philadelphia in January, to pass my WIN
ter here, and met the Board but once AFTER
nv return to show respect to the Commlttee
of Inquiry appointed by this House. VI the
measnres now to be adverted to- | was not in
formed except as the public and this House
have been informed | can speak OF tneu;
therefore, without the influence arising from
either participation or privity. As to my pro-
fessional relations to the Bank, am PROUD 10
belong to a profession which has many dlstln-
puished members in both Houses of this Con
gress-a profession which the confidence and
affection of this People have raised, In more
than one instance, to the highest once III It's
gift will not degrade this honorable PROBES
sion! | will not degrade my own rank IN It,
however humble, by condescending to inquire
what extent of compensation would induce an
honorable map to sell his conscience, and his
principles, as slaves, TO his client!
Sir. the great accusation against the Bank, is,
that she has endeayored to- obtain political pow
en- and interfered with the election OF the Presl-
dent ofthe United States. Grant the design OF
the Bank. sir; and what then? 1t has not sue
ceeded The letter of the Secretary, is an argu-
ment to shew that it has not succeeded and that
the question of re-charter is settled against the
Bank by the voice of the People at the last cleo
ton. The election of the Presdent-the APP
pointment of the Secretary-the elections for
this House. were all completed before the depo-
sites were removed; and these are held up, to
shew that the design imputed to the Bank, has
failed and fallen to the ground Then ask,
sir, what is the character of that act, which has
removed the deposites?-lS it preventive ot~is
il yindictive sir? 1t is punishment directed q
gainst the Bank for an imputed design, that has
wholly failed in its execution, and the victim OF
the inficton is not the Bank, but the country
Ifit is matter of grave belief, that the purpose
of the Bank was that which is imputed, ana tnat
the elections have given out the answer OF the
People to it, what more triumphant refutauon
can be adduced of the reasons, which hnd elther
a ground Of apprehension, or motive OF pun
shment in acts which have thus failed OF effect! Ii
the premises belong to the case the true con-
clusion is that the people are in no danger from
attempts to gain political power by the devices OF
the Bank, and that she may go nto the conclu-
sion of her charter, performing her constltunon-
al dnties to the country as she has always done
with fidelity and success, leaving the question
of renewing the charter, to settle the extent OF
her punishment
Bat. sir. DENY the charge say the design
was not entertained, and that not particle OF
evidence has been produced to infer the contra
ry The Board have printed and published,
and have assisted in printing and publishing,
g for the purpose of communicating to the peo-
pie information in regard to the nature and
operations of the Bank and to remove unfoun-
ded preiudices, or repel injurious calumnies on
tthe institution entrusted to their care" This
is the declared purpose of all they have done,
and they stand upon the sacred principle OF self
defence in asserting their right to do 1t. That
there was nothing in the Veto Message to justi-
fy the circulation of the Review, which the gen
tleman from Tennessee has noticed is more
than admit; and when the gentleman shall as
sert, upon his own authority, that the Board
have given currency to ScurrllouS pamphlet
against any one, ne VIII Hnu me ready elmer 10
deny the fact, or to admit its improperly. The
Constitution secures to every person, natural
and political, the right of printing and publish
ing, being responsible for the abuse oft 1t pro-
hibits Congress from passing any law abridging
the freedom of the press. If the charter had
inserted provision to restrain the Board OF
Directors from printing or publishing, it would
have been null and void. An Interpretation OF
the charter to restrain it, is equally so. They
have the universal right, subject to the constitu-
tional corrective through the judicial tribunals
of the country; but to condemn, and then to try
them, to punish and then to hear, belongs not
to the tribunals of this earth, nor to the Consti
tuition ofths country.
Sir the change of the deposites is an extra
ordinary mode of preventing their application
to the purposes of political power Before their
removal they were in Bank not possessing
political power, nor capable ofusing it. They
are now welded by those who possess it. and
who are more or less than men if they do not
wish to keep it Then they were in one Bank,
under one direction. Now they will be in fifty
Then they were in Bank which political power
could not lay open TO its inquiries and control
NOV they are in Banks that have given slim
ulaton for submitting all their acts and CON