Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-21
MR. GRUNDY'S BIlJ,

The Federal minority in the Senate, adopted, as
had anticipated, the prudent course Of no, CrbanG
Grundys bill Aware that Mr.. Biddle course n
issuing the notes OF the old bank is entirely ndeti
be- and that any attempt TO sustain him would only
pose the weakness OF the cause they thought II safe
let it go by default
Mr. Claws impetuous temperament did not f'i.
him, however, TO carry this Fabian policy fully mt
feet. In the debate Of Thursday during the very .
effective, and interesting speech of General wa.
Kentucky Senator became excited, lost his sell Pl''
sion, and twice interrupted the gentleman who had
floor. At the second interruption, he spoke as o.o'
"hlr. President IL the gentleman will yield ne
floor for moment, should ike 10 ask han siN.
question. Suppose that Dr. Brockenbrough OF the b
Of Virginia, or MIR. Gallatin, should put out r'
these old notes, would the gentleman send him u
penItentIary for it,
MIR. Clay was promptly called TO order for this %:
corous interruption, and was vIctorousiy answeie-
the spot by General Wall. But in this brief, I'LL
and ill.judged sally, he exposed rs efectuaiy The VT.
Of his if he had made three hours spec
without having the opportunity, az he would nave .
in the other case, OF weaving about 1t web OF soP5
and rhetoric, which would have myslIfed poh'"
the public. -,
Is Mr.. Clay entirely ignorant Of the merits Of i
question, not to know that the offence does mol "
the feet of passing these notes when receiVeG j.
usual course ofbusIness, which would be The oHy u.
done by DR.. Brockenbrough or Mr. GaIIaiIn ~ 'he T.
.
trustee ,cho obtained possession Of than und" nv +,
obligation Of redeemtng and caneeitng Them, an" y
other purpose.
For The farther illustration Of the subject, we p
to the Senator from Kentucky the following qIfS.'.
!. If Mr.. Clay should executor OF a deceased
come into possession OF certain notes gwen by hH
had been paid and returned, would Mr. Clay, ns'!'
destroying these notes, think Of throwing them -
upon the money market, for the purpose OF ra!s!Hs
ney upon them for his own personal benefit
=. If Mr.. Clay were to do this through h;'A5,
such way that the public would have no rT1'.
knowing whether the notes thus relssued had DEE"
or not, would he not be guilty of base ana CIV
fraud, and one which, if brought home to hm' ',
subject him 10 an indictment for swind!iEG, or c-''
ton to Imprisonment in the penitenary:
We leave it TO himself to make an application.
The crminality Of Mr.. Bddles conduct, IN ''',
from his new bank the redeemable notes OF ''e ~
corporation, not, except in the incideh,ai ~,
Mr.. Clay, denied by solitary member Of the EN- Il,
|, On all sides The fraud admitted Inc OH!
ton raised 10 the bill such as an Old bai'1y
would have urged for offender taken IN u" 80
the guilt actually admitted, and the oefence 49,
some technical scruples IN point OF la" WHO" ,rrI
into reouisiton 10 evade punishment. Inc con'"Ii
ality of IegslaDg in regard to notes issued OF :
der an act of Congress, considered ny many o.
tors in itself unconstitutional, was the only prev b
was maintained with any speciousness agains' Of
and this did not support the vote OF Mr.. u, ana SUI"
friends as concurred with him to the const'ur a,
of The bank, in voting against the bill u co. bill
weigh with those gentlemen who opposed u, s55
constitutional grounds: and with two or th'e
il amounted merely to doubt sufficient to .nE n
luc,ant negative. Mr. Clay, and the o'het cato
voting with him, had not even shaco" .. J'n;rer:l,
and simply opposed the bill to suppress ,s uecp:s'
acknowledged fraud because ha. ifa"0