The North-Carolina standard., 1838-06-27
SPEECH
.Ofthe Hon. JoHN w. ALLEN, of Obi
fco0cI,,oieG from second page.)

fcrtv-four members; that in 1888, 1t loaned three
hundred and seventy four thousand seven hunoreo
and sixty-six dollars to fhy-eight members ana
tbstsin 1884 it loaned two hundred and thirty
eight thousand five hundred ana elgh'y-SlN uol-
lars to fifty-two members.
Thus it was that during the five years OF the
contest, ending with the panic session OF 1884,
the Bank of the United States struggling for
renewal of its charter, distributed In loans, one
million six hundred and five thousand seven
hundred and eighty one dollars, to two hundred
and sixty ememibers of Congress. This enor-
nous sum, greater than the aggregate salaries oil
all the members of both Houses Of Congress du:
ring the same period OF five years-a SUM equal
to one.fheenth part of the whole annual reve
nues and expenditures of the Federal Govern
ment-this sum was thus bestowed, as accom-
modations, by the bank, at a time of pretended
pressure upon the very men OF whom 1t was
asking charter charter, which, If granted
would enable the bank to levy millions in tr-
butte year after year. upon their constituents.
Sir, these things may have all been innocent
Il NAV be that the additional half million of dol
lars thrown as facilities, into the two Houses OF
Congress by the bank, in I832-the very time
when its re-charter pending and passec-lt
NAV be that the large amount, still IN addition,
thrown in whilst the question of restoring the de-
posites was pending, in 1934-it may be, that
thesesereat and well-timed favors, bestowed by
the bank upon men whilst sitting in judgment
upon its life and its claim to the public revenue
it may be- that these things had no other effect
than to make the recipient members better patri-
OTIS, more devoted to the public interests, less in
tent upon their own, and more impartial actors
in the contest between the people and the bank.
These loans may have been harmless these men
uncorrupted l know not one, by name, who re-
ceived these moneys for their names are sup
pressed in the report of the committee. ] speak
not therefore, to criminate or wound the feelings
of anv one But sir | know the nature of man
l know that coming to Congress changes him
not for the better; know that gratitude for IA
vors is principle of that nature; know that
obligations are thus created which the human
heart is bound to acknowledge, and the human
mind finds it hard to disobey. These things l
know; and know, too, that public liberty can
never be safe whilst public men exposed TO
such temptations. 1t is for these reasons sir,
that stand up this day. not only as an Ameri-
can Senator, but in the sill prouder attitude OF
an American citizen, to warn my countrymen OF
a danger which most solemnly believe now
threatens the purity and safety of their Govern
ment.
But, sir, is this all2 Were there no other
influences but the facilities of that bank exerted
upon the members of Congress during the con-
test2 Were there no other relations subsisting
between the members and the bank but those OF
borrower and lender2 How many of its law
yers and stockholders occupied seats in this Cap
itol2 How many men sat here who were the
lawyers stockholders, and borrowers of the nu-
merous local banks which had pettioned for the
re-charter of the Bank of the United States, be-
cause interested as part Of the same syStem?-
How many such men were TO be found in the
several Legislatures, bending the influence of
whole States TO bear upon this cardinal object !?
And now, sir, | put the question, if that insu-
tiun. alone, had pending the struggle, such a
number of lis attorneys, stockholders, and bor-
rowers, in the two Houses af Congress, how ma
ny OF such agents and dependents may this, with
its league of eight hundred local banks, be sup
posed now to have under this roof-now. when
all these corporations are making united effort
10 grasp the public revenues?
Sir, | again say that members standing in
such relations to the banks, even at a time like
this, may still be innocent; they may be unin-
fuenced by bank emoluments, in deciding the
question of rewarding banks with the profitable
use of the public money. All this is possible
but LEAD US no: into temptation" is, nevert heess
part of that prayer, which is the inheritance Of
our race.
IT. in the administration of justice, the slight
est interest in the result disqualfes men to test
fy or sit in Judgment; if the parties litigant
forbidden even to speak in private to Juror
what would be thought of that judge or jury
man, who, pending trial for life, character, or
property, should ask and obtain, from one of the
parties, the private favor of an enormous loan !?
Or ifthe partner attorney of the litigants
were found upon the bench, or in the array of
the jury, would not such offending Judge or Jury
man incur and deserve as well the public odium
as the penalties of public justice2 And if sir,
such securities are necessary to the honest ad-
minstration of law, are they not still more so to
guard the purity of the law-making power?
Sir, members of Legislative bodies should be
the last men in this nation to form private con-
nections, or contract obligations, with banks, be-
cause they are the men of whom these institutions
are constantly asking public favors. If, howev-
er, they will do SO, regardless of the indelicacy
OF incurring such obligations, they have no right
to evade detection, or to complain of exposure
For what is the course which they pursue, to.
wards other citizens less exposed to corruption,
and fully as likely as themselves to resist it o.
What do we hear, in both Houses of Congress
from day to day, through every session. Do
we not hear all officers of Government indiscrim
inately denounced denounced as dishonest par
tizans, corrupted by salaries for which ,hei,
whole time and labor are bestowed in the public
Nservice2 More than eleven thousand citizen.
are employed as postmasters and although ;
large, if not an equal, proportion, OF the number
are known to be hostile 10 to the partv in mower