Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1837-01-14
8OUSE.-SArcaoAy, Dec. 81, 1850.
DEPOSlTE BANKS.


By Mr.. Garland, Of Virginia:
Rs.s.ed That The sscsetasy Of the Treasssy comsc-
pcats % this House, 6 within h:s power, The divids
and sssPlsses which were declared by and III:
ead sxeot funds srmsning in. the several BANK
which The public money is deposited, fos the yea'
1884, 1896, and 1896, severxlly.
To which resolution the following amend
ment had been heretofore offered by Mr..
Harlan.
Ao that Ia state slso whether the salary compen-
sa1aa q - aseoe NJ Of the Cenera
e.posss pst :f'he e.ps..s. Of saa o1G.s me Zane
1919 ::s"s; sss scs i,' '' ''" ' " '
The pending question was on the motion
Submitted by Mr.. flanagan, when the sub
iect was last under consideration. to lay the
amendments and resolutions on the table; on
which motion the yeas and nays had hereto
fore been ordered, and, having been now IA.
ken, were, yeas %, nays 141.
So the House refused to lay the subject on
The table.
Mr.. Gillett thereupon withdrew his amend
ment; and the question recurring on the pro-
posed amendment Of MIR. Harlan
Mr.. Cushman called for the previous ques-
ton: which tho House refused TO second:
Ayes ~, noes 80.
The question ON the adoption of the amend
ment again recurring,
Mr.. Granger called for the the Yeas and
n1ys, which were ordered.
M. Harlan hoped that tho House would
not oppose the adoption g. lis amendment.
II had been stated aga:n and again, both in
and out Of the House, mat Il certain person
residing in this city occupied room in the
Treasury Department, the rent of which was
paid by the Department; that he communion
ted with these deposite banks, and that thro
hissi. under the frank Of the Secretary OF the
Treasury, the correspondence of the banks
was carried on. Ifthere was such an agent,
the People had right to know it.
He (Mr. Ill., did not pretend 20 assert whe-
,her there was such nm agent or not; but he
did say that the statements which had gone
forth 10 that effect through the public press
and other channels, was sufficient ground on
which 10 institute an inquiry, and to call for
distinct answer from the Secretary of the
Treasury.
The deposte banks, it was said, had rca-
lized large sums by means Of tho public mon
~. Two or three years before the charter
Of the United States Bank expired, these de-
posites were taken from that institution, the
place pointed sSs Rf llax Government mich,
have lost, he could not tell, But it was ne
cessary the People should know what was
done with their money, and whether any con-
fidsntial agent existed, who, under the sane!
ton Of the Secretary Of the Treasury, had
the control Of these institutions.
object in offering the resolution had been to
ascertain what profits had been realized by
these banks out Of moneys deposited there.
for which the Government had no use. As
regarded the amendment proposed by the
gentleman from Kentucky, it would be re.
membered that when the gentleman from Va.
(Mr. Wisc,) at u former period, offered n re-
solution in . more extended form, asking for
an inquiry into alleged abuses in the Treasu-
H. L. a.. ~
inquiry, and he would do so again. But he |
could not regard the amendment now pro.
posed a. pertinent to the resolution. Still, he |
would vote for it. He would ask. however.
were these dcposite banks chartered by the /
Government Of these United States, or did
they owe any responsibility to the Govern.
ment, except so far as they had entered into
contracts! They did not; and if the banks
thought proper 10 expend their money in the
employment Of an agent a, Washington, or
elsewhere, they hac right to do so, 50 long
as they did not expend a dollar Of the public:
money. fit could be shown that there was
any improper connexion between II. NJ
Whitney, the individual so often referred to,
or any other person, and the Treasury De-
Dartment and deposite banks, he (Mr. g. was
willing 10 know the truth, and to correct the
evil. IL it existed. II had been charged that
the friends Of the Administration wished to
conceal hidden fraud and corruption. Lett
them meet the charges coming from a gentle
man politically opposed to them; let him have
AZ full an inquiry as possible; and, a!tho' he I,
mir. C.) could not consider the amendment
as intimately connected with the resolution,
still he would never close his eyes upon any
fraud, corruption, mismanagement, come
from what quarter it would; and he would ne
yer deny any inquiry which might lead to its
detection. He did not believe that fraud or.
corruption could be discovered, but he was
dss;!ous to give the opportunity.
Ssr. Thompson. Of South Carolina, express
sed tho vratifiG alton which he had FOL. =, H.