Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-23
IegN'U.gEt Y 23, 1858.


The other point which he wished now and always 10
urge, Twas. that il his opinion that however desra
bic it might be- imagined il, TO have gold and
silver for Government use long there paper
circulation in The country is not possible in the nature
Of things, that Government conduct its transac-
tons with the People, OF keep itself SAFE and keep them
sale, white the general currency OF the county depre-
claed or derangrd. In other words there can be no
safety there can be security confidence even 10
transactions with Government excet by reforming and
restoring The whole currency of The country, and esla
b!ishlng general aud uniform medium of payment
II Is not Pnssbe for Government With nry practical
utility, To have snund currency oniy for itself there
must be such currency for the People. and for the
country generally. 1t will mol be possible for the CO.
vernmen To stand apErt, and strengthen ITSELF and take
care OF itself. and tbse WIN deal with IT, and secure lis
saiiy and theirs while it neglecls 10 provide for
the safety, security and well being Of the whole country.
He wund add nothing 10 these REMARKS further than
TO say, that in this and IN all similar If loss
should turn out TO have been suffered by individuals IN
consequence Of illegal payments made by officers Of Co
rernmeE or in consequences OF payments made III de-
prrciard medium. il the officers themselves not liza.
bic To make good he for one should vote To make good
every src deficiency, 10 the utmost laring out Of The
Treasury.
The following is copy of of the letters referred
10 BY Nj Webster in tie nr his remarks, when
he uiso in referring To It, said That was al The service
Of every Senator To and examine it We conceive
that the present mode will be the most convenient way
of submitting ii to general considerations
"sIn Y"u will, am satisfied the liberty take in I'd
ds'in lie" lines" the subject being Of the umo', import
fellow Thc Government have lately paid
to the fishermen Of this TOW" their bounty Money amounting 10
something LIE $2G0U0 Something like s. OD OF this amount
paid in Bank hills the remaining SiOnOO in
bills other banks NUw Sir Look al the distress! that like
Of on:s rhs Commonwealth Bank hns stopped nnd sOO woud
Loaf OF bread The Collector oI Boston solicited by
m"r wr, nnk This. SIR !. hard case for The noor dshermeu
o town. satisfied, YOU will do what lies your
power liz thing be done their relief The widow
Revolutionary sur aI.o for their part in the distress
o
paid Commonwealth Bank bills, nn having full reliance
Government believing that the Government would psy
bad rIcncy. am, dcur sir yuur ohcdi"n scir4nt."
Mr. BaYard inquired if the Senator from hlassachu
sets could say what Won there was,
any between the Commonwealth Bank and the Govern.
ne and whether the collector at Boston, any o! the
other officers Of the Government, were directors OF This
bank, or had any particular c"nnex"n with IL
Mr. Webster replied thai iro,u recollection, he should
think himself Justified saying that The local officers Of
The Government had, or 7s, been connected with
the bank for j grcut while. He dd not know that the
collector director; but he believed The deputy COL
rctor Of the DIRECTORS he recently and the
District Attorney was also one "! the directors THIS
bank selected early AZ depository OF the public
money The gentlemen connected with 1t were very
respectable and very much dstlng pr Their poll
teal attachment to the last aud present Administrations;
and Nj w. believed they among the first who ap.
peared here against the renewal OF the charter OF the late
Bank Of The u s.; and geallrnen connected with The
bank had llle TO do with the removal oil the depo-
sites from the Bank OF the u s. lHiS luweyer, Slf.
w said from recollection.
Mr.. Hubbard said he had no Oh lection 10 the resolu
tcn; but he wished understand distinctly whether the
Senator from Massachusetts, intended To represent on th!s
floor that the Secretary Of the Treasury had any
Germ in the nunrer and mode Of paying the fishermen
and pensioners al Boston.
Nj Webster replied thai he had designed 70 infinite
nothing this point he did not know and had, there.
fore, proposed this inquiry. II was however, an import.
an, duty, (payng b"unes and pensions,) and either
was or ought be- directed by the superior Of those who
did it, But whatever the Secretary of The Treasury had
determined, that Tie law should be broken or whether
he knew il was broken, whether it dDnc by his
delermination Mr.. w. did not know and gave OPT.
non But if he might avail himself Of The characters.
tic privilege oil that community and guess little, he
would conjecture that the honorable mcmbrr from New
Hampshire was already informed this point; and MIR.
w. inclined to inquire we her II %re not So Mr.
W. would also inquire whether there hud not been, since
Nav 1887 hundreds of instances OF The payment nt mo-
new hy the Srcetary but by his subordinate officers,
in bank NOTES Whether they had been made with The
knowledge of the Secretary. Mr. w. dd mol know; but
he knew the fac, ha, his constituents Ind been So paid
Mr. Hubbard said there doubt the Senator was
yankee; hr had made reply ny putting other inerro-
Enlnres. Mr.. H. however, dIsavDwfd all knowledge OF
Ibis subject TIE Senator he thought, not only this,
but former occasion, had been very severe in his
administrations on the s. creary Of The Treasury, and
had made several lhrus's at hun.
MIR r. arnued ut cunsdr rahle length that the law had
not been violated because all The paper money that had
been received by the creditors Of the Governmen nj must
have been received Voluntarily He argued, also, that
the collector al Bnslon could not have known that the
Commonwealth Bark vas in danger OF Iaiiure
Mr. H. in continuation, said that he did not think il
was the collector duty to pay The pensions. MIR. II.
knew nothing nf the business; thing, however, aP.
prarrd Ia be certain and that was, that the Common-
wealth Bank had fned! There dispute as TO
that. lie did not know whether lis notes would ever
be paid; all he Dir H. wished say was, that The col
rclor was not 10 be blamed for distributing this bad
money payment of bounrs and pensions, unless Mr.
.bsIrr a
knew ccrlaiuIy and beyond n doubt, that The paper
which hp paid away snc masses Was worthless paper
Mr. Webster hnwever, had made the insnnaton that
this public officer had paid out this bad money, knowing
rMr Webster said it the genteman's own in
situation. lie (Mr. W. had merely stated The fact,
and now Mr. II. himself drew the inference, and called
his own inference usnuation
Nh "A. said from what he knew of the excellent cha.
racters high standing, and integrity of the Secretary
and Collector, il not correct to make such an lnsln
nation agans, them. Mir. Webster had M right no au
lrurity 10 make such an insnnaon. tie (alr. hnd
no doubt thai the Secretary had acted quite correcly
thai he had placed the money in the hands OF the pub
lie officer to pay The due according to law, and that
he had directed The money 10 be paid IN accordance WIN
the enactment Of the law Nj H. had doubt otthis,
but a had not heard word from the secretary OH Tue
subject
Mr. H. said that these people had been paid TO their
hearts content, and # they should sustain any loss, MI
II wanted 10 know by what principle OF justice we
ought TO make any remuneration; The reason given by
Mr. Webster is that they ought To be Undermined be-
cause passed of The paper to them Mr.. H. was
GLAD to hear Mr. Webster say that the Government
ought,o pay in nothing but gold and silver:
Mr. Webster said he had said no such thing
Mr. Hubbard had so understood him. II MI webster
held that doctrine, lie ought to 60 with u.s. ('ad n..
and practise the hard money system. MIR. h. himself
was of the opinion That the public creditor ought TO he
paid in hard money; and he hoped the time was not lar
distant when the connection Of Government with banks
would be dissolved, and when every individual wouio
have bis pay gold and silver. AS 10 the Department,
and as to The public money being deposited in that bank
since lie SUSPENSION all Mr.. H. knew was that drait
drawn last winter had found lis way into that bank, and,
if il had not been called for, he (alr. II did not know;
but he presumed That the Secretary had taken good Sc.