Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-09
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

a communication was received from INC Dehate,
announcing that they had appointed committees 10
act jointly with committees from the fIc!,se of Dele
gate :, in the examination of the 1'reasurcrs accounts,
the Library, The Penilcntiary Institution, and The Ar
mory.
On Nj. EAEnxrr's motion, leave was given 10 bring
in o bill 10 nl'rr the line between The 18TH and lShth Re.
glnlcnts OF Virginia Militia, so thai Tie line between The
counties Of Montgomery and Floyd be made Tho line be-
tween the SAID Regiments; and Il committee was appoint.
ed t. bring III The bill.
On Mr.. WATKiys's motion, so much Of the Govern.
ors Message Us relates la the subject Of Internal In
pro"emeni, vas rclrried 10 lie Committee oi Roads and
Internal Navigation.
On Mr.. lIaRcIso&'s mn,ion, The Committee for Courts
Of Justice was instructed! 10 enquire into The expediency
of amending the act against rmbrZ2hnr records.
On MIR. ElvEss motion, Il resolution was adopted, and
amended on motion Of H!r. Crutchtcld. insiructing the
Committee for Courts Of Justice to enquire into the cx-
pediency of so altering The existing law, as 10 provide
for the final adj udlca.Ion of all contests respecting the
proof Of wills, IN The Court of Probate; AID Of taking
from the parties Interested, The resort now gwen them,
10 a Court vi ChanCery; and 10 this end, instructlng The
Committee further 10 enquire into the ~pTopTie!y OF an-
thoriZing the several Courts in Ills COMMONWEALTH, III
which such contests may arise, TO conreke before them
by summons or publication, all parties interested III line
decision thereof, and III all questions OF sanity or fraud,
affecting the same, 10 direct an issue Of dtrisart eel
non; and into the expcdirncy Of amending the laws IN re-
lation TO the probat Of wills;
THE BANKS.
Mr.. VOOLFOLK rose tU submit the following Rcsolu'
ton:
"Resolred, That the President Of the Farmers Bank
and the President Of the Bank Of Virginia DO required
to communicate 10 this House The reasons lrhy Mfy dtd mol
respond To q resolution Of The last House g Delegates
calling for Information in relation 10 their dealings, pass
ed The 18th Of June, 1857"
This resolution gave rise 10 a short debate.-Mr. Wool.
folk remarked, that the call had been made on the banks
on the 18th OF June, and The Legislature had not 40.
iourncd till the 23d, allowing the banks six days at least
to comply with the resolution Yet no statement was
ever received from them, though he had understood al
49, ,;~o ,j,, ,t,r -, ,rnn,riur IL Flo rOui1 scarce.
Iy help regarding this course as gross a contempt OF this
House, us the refusal Of the Bank of the U. S. had been
some years ago upon the Congress Of the U. S.-Wlth a
view of ascer,aining whether they had been guilty Of
such a contempt Of the Legislature, he had submitted
his present Resolution.
Mr.. YENAELE thought the resolution as rather out OF
time ard place-and that il was best 10 lay ii on lhe Ia
Bile, until the House had prepared itself, by the appoint
nrenl of Committee, to make an investigation into the
conduct of the Banks. lie said he well rrcu!lectcd, that AT
the summer session, when this call had been made, d
Bank officer had asked him rbDut the construction oil The
Rcsululion; and had also informed him, that every oifcer
was employed in making out this voluminous report:
with 4 view Of laying it before the last session. lie could
not doubt, that the Banks had always intended 10 make
q courteous reply; and he could not dnltcrc that any IN.
suit was intended TO be cast upon the Legislature. Mr..
Y. said he wculd 20 as far as he who gncs furlhcsl, IN
probing The condition Of The Banks; but in making this
investigation, he would not commenced by taking a hos
tile attitude towards them. He would do whatever was
necessary in restoring quiet TO the country and conf
! INV "a W. S~f'NS w fo"r s' sS p'NN
dications of their situation existed.-ilc could not help
regarding with some suspicion the quarter from which
this resolution proceeded; and looked upon 1t as an at
tack upon the best system of credit which had been yet
dcvised.-Mr. Y. was inclined 10 believe, that the best
course was to lay the resolution on the table, until a cunl-
mitlce had been appointed. Oar rule for The appoint
mcnt of q j0tnl committee had been suspended; but no
separate cunmlttee Ind yet been appointed. MI. V.
then submitted i resolution for the appointments Of such
a committee by way Of substitute to lie present rcsolu.
tion.-1hc substitute was Hs follows:
"Resoired, That Q Committee be appointed Of not less
than thirteen members, on the subject Of the Banks OF
this Common wealth"
MIR. CEuTcnFIELD was moi surprised 10 sec his friend
from Orange (Mr. WoolIolk) n little sensitive upon this
subject. The original Resolution during the Sum.
nner session was his offspring, and no answer had been
received from the Banks. But MIR. Z. thought he could
give The gentleman the reason of their silence, without
charging it TO any contempt. The Banks really had not
had time to make out their statement FOR the last session;
and such he had understood 10 be the fact. lie though!
the best course then was, to renew the application, and
if not then answered, he was prepared TO charge 1t 10 a
contempt Of the House.
MIR. WoolroLx said, that there were certain gentle
men in this country who were disposed TO run down any
man as opposed 10 The system Of credit, who was nnx.
ious 10 investigate the conduct Of the Banks-and he
was therefore not surprised 10 hear the remarks OF The
gentleman from Prince Edward, (Mr. Vcnab!c)-Fe
himself was not opposed to a sound system of credit
but give him thu! system which dares TO see the light
and not that ~skulking sort Of credit, which the Banks
would adopt. For his own part, he could not help sus.
pecting such a system. lie presumed, that every dero-
ted Bank man was willing, if not to smother, at least to
conceal, the actual condition of the Banks. Let any
man like himself attempt 10 investigate It, and that mo-
ment a cry is raised against him. Are the friends OF the
Banks really afraid TO pass this resolutions? Are they afraid
that the Banks cannot give a satisfactory response: Do
gentlemen think that the people are ignorant OF the facts,
that a call was made the last session, and that It has been
sighted? And will not the people conclude from their
silence, that they are unable 10 return 4 satisfactory an
swer:, To avoid such an irIpulution, it was due 10 the
Banks themselves, TO pass The resolution, and give
them an opportunity Of explaining the reasons OF their
silence. lie begged gentlemen not to suppose, that II
was in their power 10 raise the hue and cry against every
member who calls for nvesiigation.-He hoped the sub.
sli,utc would be rejected, and the original resolution
would be passed.
MIR. PETER trusted The substitute of the gentleman
from Prince Edward would be adopted that we might
have q definite course marked out for the action Of the
House. For himself, be had no doubt that The Banks
were perfectly willing 10 give The information called Tor
but that they had not had time enough TO put lie ne
ccssary means into requisitinnt, and 10 complete their
statement. Indeed, he had been informed by an officer
Of the institution, that such was the fact. lie thought
the true course now was, 10 appoint a Bank Committee,
and to transfer to them all the enquiries which might be
necessary for the information Of The House. But at pre-.
sent, there was no organization-no Committee. We
were all at sea. MIR. 7. deemed j, best TO proceed in
this matter with due delibcration and with all proper re-
gard to the feelings Of the parties concerned. lie did
not think it correct to pass any resolution, which might
imply an indisposition on the part of the Banks, to re-
fuse us all necessary information. In his own county,
there was a branch Of the Bank of the Valley and he
was perfectly willing 10 demand any information from
that institution, which the House might consider neces-
sary. He thought we should harmonic as well as we
could, and take no step which may throw discrcdit on
these institutions, and shake the confidence Of the Peo.
pie in them.
MIR. C~RUTcHrIrLD repeated his reasons for %preferring
the substitute to the resolution. Though he had been
in favor of joint Bank Committee yet lie would cheer
fully agree 10 the appointment of a separate Committee.
Let such a Committee be first nppointed-and let them
go into a full investigation Of The conduct of the Banks
and let them demand Of the Banks the reasons for
their not answering the call. lie should hereafter move
such an amendment 10 the original resolution, if The
cnhsiiInia which hp nreI.rrnd WIS moi nlnnIed.