Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-14
The resolution offered by Mr.. Benton on Fri


ResoIred That the Committee on Finance be
instructed to obtain from the Bank OF the United
States copy of all Instructions, II any, 10 Inc
Branch Banks directing them 10 collect ana re-
nit Spanish milled dollars to the mother bank;
the number of such dollars annually remltted;
the rates at which they sold at different PERIODS,
saw at or about the beginning OF each quarter
of the wear; whether the Bank Of the United
States has sold such dollars to the United States,
and if so, how many, and at what ratesf now
many it has sold to others, or exported 10 Ior-
eign countries Also statement Of the amount
of gold coin of the amount of silver coin; and
the amount of bullion RENTED 10 the mother
bank or elsewhere, by her order annually, since
the first day of Jan. 1892 also statement show
ine the amount Of silver coin and OF gold coin
RENTED by the mother bank to each branch
since that day; also the amounts OF gold coin,
and the amounts of silver coin, annually sold or
annually exported by the Bank since the said
first day of April also statement Of the amount
of gold received from the United States Mint
since the first day of August last, and state
ment of the whole amount of gold on hand in
the Bank and its branches, for each month,
from April 1st 1892, to the present time.
Also a statement Of the gross amounts OF half
yearly profits of the Bank, from the commence
ment of the institution TO the present time.
Mr.. Tyler said he had no objection to the
adoption of the resolution, and he wished It TO
be distinctly understood, that the Committee on
Finance had no hostility whatever, either to the
contemplated inquiry or to the fullest publicity
being given to it. He wished it also to be under
stood that, without being by any means friend
ly to the Bank Of the United States he could,
so far as his investigations on the Committee
extended, pronounce that the charge couched
in the resolution was unfounded That charge
was long since made, was ably rebutted before
the labors Of the Committee of Finance COM
I al tN,III h.tv hpn
strangely forgetlUl Of their duty, if they had not
fully inquired into it. The charge of traf.
fic in gold and silver made against the
Bank, in 1882 and the Committee had fully look
ednto it, and could not sustain it. Mr.. Tyler
said if the honorable Senator from Missouri
wished the reference Of the resolution, he was
ready to vote for it; but he wished it to be un-
dersood that, although he stood in his place as
the constitutional enemy of the Bank Of the U.
States, he as member of the Committee on
Finance, stood there to do justice, not only to
the Bank. but TO the people. He had considered
this subject as already settled by the Report OF
the Committee; but, he repeated, that if the Sc
nator from Missouri wished 10 renew the inves-
tigation, he would vote for it.
Mr.. Benton was glad to hear that the Senator
from Virginia was not disposed to oppose the
passage of the resolution. He (Mr b. might
barely say it would hardly have been right had
the gentleman done So The information which
he possessed might possibly have been errone.
Gus, and the report on the subject might also be;
if however, that should turn out TO he the case,
why then he should have no more TO say. But
the gentleman from Virginia, in the course Of
this investigation, would have to undergo a Sc
we're ordeal, one that was something worse than
walking among burning plouglshares, before he
had done with it.
Mr.. Tyler said, that he thought to be deliver
ed from Jacksonism, and its blighting effects
l. l., u Ill, o.nI
from the bIighting trial which lie (Mr. Tyler,)
had to go through. He thought he had shaken
this incubus from his shoulders; and although
his opinions concerning the United States Bank
were well known, he should pursue this investi-
CATION, actuated by the most impartial motives.
The honorable Senator need not feel the slight.
est apprehension about him, for on his Mr.. T's)
mothers knee he had heard an adage, to which
he had chung from that time. to this, and to which
he should ever cling that in all matters, private
or political" honesty is the best policy"
Mr. Benton said, that as to the principles of
disinterestcdness and integrity, by which the
gentleman had been governed he (Mr b. would
merely remark that he had never heard the no.
norabe Senator terminate one of his speeches
without some asseveraton Of that kind. And
he (Mr. b. believed also in reading his speeches
they always closed with this declaration of his
own honesty of purpose. Every speech he had
read commenced and ended with high-wr ught
encomium upon his own integrity, his dsinter-
estedness, his impartialily and regard for truth.
The gentleman, so far as his (Mr. Bentons) in
formation, went, need not make any further de-
caration on the subject Of his impartiality, and
the honesty with which he always discharged
all his duties, for he (Mr. b. was fully aware of
that. lnregard to the other branch of this mat
ter, he was ready to enter into it when and
where honorable Senators pleased. Mr. B.
here briefly apollo gized to Mr.. Bibb for having
taken the floor on Friday last, he being entirely
unaware that that gentleman was first entitled
to it.
Mr. Tyler said, that though he made declara-
tons ofhonesty, it was not his intention thereby
to intimate that the honorable Senator from Mis-
souri, was bound to follow his example in any
speech he choose to deliver. He (Mr. Tyler)
meant merely to say, that he could protect him
self that he should come out of the ordeal Of
which the gentleman had spoken. unscathed and
unseared. He (Mr. IT, would advise the homo
rable Senator to trim his midnight lamp, or
ne might not fare so well as he i'm
agined in this controversy. For himself he |
Mr.. ID was perfectly ready for the encounter |
Mr.. Benton said he hODed to finish this LITTLE |