Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1838-03-22


live simplicity and purity. The eiirci
Of the reiusal on the patronage Of The !
would be great aud deci-
sive. Burke has wisely said hat .be !
revenue Is the state IN modern iimes."
Violence and coercion ate no longer
the Instruments Of Government in civil
izrd communities. Their Teign is past.
Every thing now Is done by money.
II is not only the sinew OF war. but OF
politics; over which. in the form OF
patronage. j, exercises almost unlimited
control. Just as The revenue increases
or diminishes, almost in the same pro-
portion is patronage Increased or di-
minished.
Bat admit, Tor moment, that neither
the separation nor The oonnexion would
have any sensible effect To increase or
diminish the revenue. and that IL would
be Of the same amount. whether The
bill OF substitute should be adopted;
yet, even on tia, suppoSiiion, the pa
ironage OF the latter would DC q hun
dred fold greater than The former. ia
estimating the amount OF patronage of
any measure, three particulars must be
taken into the calculation: The number
OF persons who NAV DC affected by it.
their influence IN the community and
the extent of the control exercised over
them, II will be lomnd, on comparison,
that the substitute combines all these
elements IN faI greater degree than
lie bill. as shall now proceed 10 show.
| begin with the number.
The bill provides. q, has been stated. for
four principal receiver, eight or ten clerks.
and suitable number of agents 10 act a. iu-
speetqts, making. in the whole. say - lodi
'iduals. These would constitute The Only ad.
di,ionai officer to keep aud di,bur.e The ppb-
lic money. The substitute. iu addition to The
officer, now ~ the service. ptOsijes fOr tho
selection of - banks. n be taken from the
most powerful ADD iufluepIiai. and which
you'll have, on an average, nj the least, 100
officers aud stockholders each, making. IA the
aggregate. 300 persons who would be d..
rectiy interested in the banks, and OF course
under the influence OF tic Government.
As 10 the relative Influence OF the officers
and the-seiceied banks over tho community !.
every impartial msn must aeknow ieJge th-t
the prepandersnce would lac grealer on ia.
side oI thcialter. Admitting the respeetabiii.
~ of the receivers and other oilerrs provided
Cor in the bill, and the officers and sioekhoi
dsrs Of the banks e. be ind iVhlually The sane.
still tho meaDs Of control at tho disposition of
tho former would be rs .nolhipg compared
to thai of the. latter. They could not touch
/ ccbt Of public Nancy. Their means would
Le iinned.to their .oiSry. which wolld DC TOO
small 10 be fe!, ia The community. Very dr.
ferebt would re the case With lie officers aid
| stockholders Of the banks. They, OF ali per-
sons, ere by far The most influential IN the
community, A greater bumber depend on
| them for accommodation aLd favor, and the
| success OF their business and prospects an life.
than any other class in society; and ihis would
he especially true Of the banks connected With
the Government.
u only remains now 10 compare the extent
Of the control that may DO exercised by the
Government over tho two in order 90 complete
the comparison. and herr again the prepoa-
dersnre wall be found ~ be strlkingly on the
same side. The whole amount Of expehdi-
1 tares under The bill would not exceed $50, 0uU
or S40.0 annually at the very farihesi; AMI
this constitutes the whole amount Of control
| which the Cove rDment can exercise. There
would be no perquisitrs, M contracts, Jobs,
or incidental gains. The Offices and salaries
| would be all. To that extent, those who NAV
hol6 them would be dePendehI Oa the Govern
n'cni, and thus Ear they may be controlled. -
How stands the account on the other EIDE -
What value shall be put on the public depo-
| sites In the banks' What on the receivahhl-
1 " OF their notes, Is cash. by the Government
What on their conneXion with the Govern
ment as their fiscal agent, which would gave
so great i conirGi ssef the exchanges and bu-
siness OF the eouatry' How many million,
shall these DC estimated OF, and how insisnii
cant must the paIry sum Of $50 600 or $40
600 appear 10 those countless millions he q
under the provisions OF the substitute st thI
pleasure of The Government
| Having now flashed the comparison az e
The relative patronage Of tho two measures.
shall next compare them rs fiscal agents Of
the Government; aud here let me say. al thS
outset, that the discussion has corrected o.
error which once entertained. I had sup
posed that the haE1rd Of keeping the publ,
! money under the custody of officers OF the TO
sermrent would be GREATER Iban 10 banks
The Senators from New Hsmp,hire aud ton
neeiicta (MsssTs. Hubbard and Nilesl hsV,
proved. from the record. That The hSZard - OF
the other sIde. aad that We have lost more bl
the bspks Than by the collecting ant disturs
ing officers combined. what can be doae q
increase tie security hy judicIous selection %
officers. and proper orgs,nzaiion. IL siroagl,
illustrated by the fact stated By tie charms At
(Nlr. NTigbt) 81 his opening speech, ttai i,
the War Department there has been no 10.
Tor iitseu years from III 90 &c on sn OK
Expenditure certainly not less than one huudre,
millions Of dollars. take some PRIZE ~ iht
result Of an Organization which originate,
and established hen Secretary Of War, .
gains1 the most formidable opposition.
As TO the relai,ye expense of Ibe two agen
eies, that ofibs bill, az small as il Is, " ".
were 60 judge by sPpea, ane''. ~ tho grssiss'
b., ifby fats, TIE substitute would bs muc.
the m0st so, provided VIC charge Il with az
The advantages wLich the b1nts wouid drfiy'
from their connection with tbs Govrrnns o {
~ ought 10 fairDess to be done, a. The whql,
ultimately comes out Of The pockets Of VI,
People.
n sirgle particular the hanks have a.,
advantage - hseal sgeBts. they would b,
the moIe Convenient. To tIiS they are coli
tied. aud Wi,h 90 Withhold from them %
credit, wi,cb they mty justly clam.
J. The senator from ttfgrns Me- Rivesl 10
Pesrsd % have great apprehension ihst a.,
collection 81 She public dues IN specie nigh
lad a. hgaflfuu IHr rn.v dis.f.ts. ia L.