Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1837-01-14

and anv opposition to THIS mvest1gatlon Woui0
come with an i'll grace from those who pro
fessed themselves 10 be the friends OF the
PeopIe. He wished to know what was the
nature of r. NJ. Whitney's connection with
,hese banks. and what compensation he re-
ceived. Let the suspicions which are abroad
s. either fut down or confirmed. Whatever
this individuals connection might turn out to
be with the banks, be (Mr. IT, believed it TO
be an absolute autocracy; be believed that
the asic volo, sic iubeo' OF +. n. Whitney
placed money in the banks and TOOK money
out Of them. He believed such to be the fact.
though he did not know it; and if K. ~. Whit
ney had this power, Was ii not all-important
that the people should know it, He (Mr. IT,
had nothing to say about his character; but
he desired to know whether Il. ~. Whitney
was not influenced by douceurs from these
banks: whether it was true that he received
fiEv thousand dollars year, as had b en
stated. A bank which had a million II the
ING 100000 per nnnum, couIz readily afford
to paw part Of the con. ,,ensation named
He sir. T.) though; his suspicious, that such
q sum was pais!, would be confirmed. Ia
ANY event, he desired 10 submit the case to
the American People, with full knowledge
OF all t!,e circumstances. He hoped the gen.
|tleInen opposed to him would meet him fully
in this instance. If all was fair as it should
|, be. and as he trusted it might prove to be,
lie, the friends of the Administration have all
the benefit which would result from the refu-
tation Of the charges.
Mr.. ID. j. Pearce said he had voted to lay
the resolution and amendment on the table,
because he was opposed both to the one and
the other.
He was in favor of any resolution direct
ling inquiry into any Department Of the Gov
|ernment where in the nature Of things. it was
proper the inquiry should be made. He con-
sidered the whole proposition as a work OF
He would vote for the re-
solution if any gentleman who viewed the
subject in a different light to himself, would
put 1t in proper shape. If the gentleman
from Kentucky (Mr. Harlan) wanted COM
mittee appointed on the part of the House, to
ascertain whether the Secretary of the Urea
sury had assumed banking privileges; wheth-
Ter L. M. Whitney was stationed here as the
agent Of the deposite banks, with a view OF
giving him privileges above other individuals,
and Of receiving from the Secretary Of the
Treasury a projection which the Secretary
co,,ld NJ. e-nrrecfl,. confer upon another man,
nor legally upon him (R. NJ. W. if, in short.
the question was TO resolve itself into one of
malfeasance or malversation in Office, he
(Mr. Ply was willing, for one, that the COM
unItcc SIOulu NC IAJScOS tU0t TIE gentleman
from Kentucky should be at tho head of il,
and that he should fully investigate all char
ges, SO far rs they can be made against tie
Secretary Of the Treasury.
But suppose that Reuben NJ. Whitney was
the agent Of the dcposite banks. He was not
an agent under any act Of Congress, or under
any power which the Secretary of the Trea-
sury could exercise. He was the agent by
virtue Of a contract between him and the de-
posite banks. Whatright had the House or
the Secretary Of the Treasury to ask these
banks it they had an agent, or what compen-
sation was given to him! They might an |
swer the question if they thought proper;
and, il they did not think proper to answer
it. the House would be no wiser by adjoining
this resolution.
1t had been said that X. ". Whitney was
seen in this city. sometimes IN his office, some-
times reading newspapers, and, because he |
was SO seen, the House was to adopt a reso-
luton making these formal inquiries from the
Secretary Of the Treasury. So far as any
thing could be brought to bear on the Secre-
'ary Of the Treasury, showing an improper
between him and X. NJ. Whitney.
or any other individual. he (Mr. Ply was will
ling to go for an inquiry; but rs to these TO-
wing Investigations; these inquisitions. he had
expressed his opinion against them; he beIiev-l
ed that no benefit was to be derived from
them by the American People, and that their ,
only effect would be to agi,ate the public 1
mind. So much (said Mr.. P.) for Reuben
NJ. Whitney, who (Mr. P. apprehended) was
one day to become great man, on the ground |
that those who were great were indebted for
their elevation more to their enemies than /
their friends; and who, but for the fictitious
which he had gathered from the
thousand rumOrs which had been circuotedl
against him, might have glided on to his grave
with the contemplated insensibility of an oys-
ter. SO far as congress would have had any !
thing to Go with him.
But as to the resolution ITSELF When did
the bill bv which these deposites were recula-