Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1834-05-29

From the National flBseiifgenceI OF Sa'uiosy
Report of The Bank Committee. 1t
was announced in our report Of the
proceedings Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives of Thursday, that the malo-
rity of the Committee for investigating
the affairs Of the Bank of the United
States on that day made report; but,
as the document was not read, and no
opportunity occurred for a perusal OF
it during the day, we were unable TO
state to our readers its purport, or the
measures, if any, which it recommend
cd for the adoption Of the House. The
report was ordered to be printed; but
as late as last night it had not reached
the Office Of the public printers, nor
had they, we understand, been able to
obtain from the officers of the House
any tidings Of it. We mention these
circumstances only to account to our
readers for our inability, even yet, to
present to them any other information
Of the contents of document which
many Of them are doubtless eager to
see, than that derived from hearsay.
From that source we understand that
the Report consists chiefly of a discus
sion of the powers of the Committee,
and recital of the several attempts
made by them to subject the books OF
the Bank to an unqualified inspection,
first, at the banking house, and then
at the hotel where the Committee lodg.
ed. 1t charges the Bank with disobe.
dience to law, violation of the charter
and contempt of the authority of the
House in resisting these attempts; and
closes with sundry resolutions, of which
the most important is one to this effect
"That the Speaker of the House issue
his Warrant TO the Sergeant-at- Arms
directing him to proceed to Philadel.
phia and arrest the Directors of the
Bank residing in that city, and bring
them to the bar of the House, to an.
swer to the charge of contempt of its
authority"
The Report of the Minority of the
Committee, (Messrs. E. EVERETT
and ELLswoRTH,) was, as our read.
ers are apprised, presented to the
House at the same time with that oil
the majority. 1t was also ordered TO
be printed, and we have enjoyed the
pleasure of hasty perusal of it. 1t.
in like manner, contains discussion
of the powers of the committee. as un.
derstood by the minority, and the rea.
sons which led them to dissent from
their colleagues, in their demand to
have the books of the Bank carried
out of the banking house, or there
submitted to inspection, except accord
ing to the requirement of the charter.
The minority Of the Committee have
urged that, under the circumstances Of
the case, they did not feel themselves
warranted in calling upon the Bank.
voluntarily to cooperate in an inouisi.
ton, of which the object was directly
or eventually to criminate its Directors
and officers; and that, in insisting that
the inspection of the books should be
confined within the limits of the char.
ter, the Committee of the Board of Di.
rectors was guilty of no contempt OF
the House. The paper is one of great
ability, and will we are sure carry con.
viction to every mind capable of con-
sidering the subject dispassionately.
1t is our design, at as early period
as possible, to spread these two docu-
ments before the public. We forbear
all comment, till their deliberate peru.
sal IN entenso shall make us fully ac-
quainted with their contents. Mean.
time it strikes us as somewhat singular
if the Directors of the Bank have, as is
alleged by the majority, been guilty o.
a violation of the charter on the sub.
ject Of the inspection of the books, that
the committee did not recommend q
scire facias, the process prescribed by
law when the charter is alleged to be
violated, and which would have given
the parties implicated, the benefit of a
trial By jury; and would on that ground
have been more in conformity with the
spirit Of our institutions, than the sum.
mary arrest and Imprisonment of the
Directors.