Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-01-23
Tsyezsty-aifail ongress-.-2d sess.
Fsdnesdau, January
LAY cEkI a'rtS
commemorative BANK AT BOSTON.

ME Webster TO submit the following resolution
RtSorfd, That the Secretary of the Treasury be re-
quescd TO obtain information, and lay The same before
Tie Srnsle With little delay possible, respecting
any payments OF pensions, BY the late pension agent OF
Boston, Of fishing bountics, recently made by the COL
lector OF Boston, in bills Of The Commonwealth Bank OF
that City; and The whole amount OF such payments;
and that he further inform the Senate by what authority
or direction payment of such pensions and bounes has
been made in such bills; aad that he further inform the
Senate whether airy. and it any how much OF the pub.
lie money Of the u Suites is depose ct said bank
and il any Of such money be therein drpoSited al what
lime Times such drpositcs we're made.
In p!csr ung this resolution, MIR w. said he teni 10
be his duty call the attention Of the SENATE TO Tie cir
alluded TO- at the earliest opportunity,
in order 10 The institution Of official inquiry into The
facts of the case and obtain Information with respect
to the manner in which the duty Of public officers bad
been discharged in reference 10 the causes by which
severe nss had been made TO fall upon large number Of
industrious and merItnrous citizens MIR. w. did not
submit this resolution for inquiry the ground OF mere
newspaper runur. He had received letters from highly
respectable private Sources informing him of The gene
raj facts of The Hp understand The to be- that
at the period when the fishing bounps became due
money well and hardly earned by labnrous, ndustr-
GUS and worthy class Of cltIzens-appicatGn inr pay
nrnt was made to the Collector at Boston, he being the
officer charged OH The part Of the Government with the
duty and business of paying this money That officer
paid the fishermen, not the law directs IN Specie or
bills equivalent To specie but in the bills oil tins now bro
ken bank in checks upnn It, which checks OF course,
il was known wVli moi be paid in specie Mr.. w. hid
been given 10 understand that this officer refused In pay
the bounty due in Treasury noes, when asked to 10 So
and that he refused also 10 pay the money in specie, al
though requested and that, substantially and in effect
the parties entitled TO payment put to the option OF
taking the paper o! this bank. OF taking nothing al
all This, he said, was his information.
Mr. w. held ia his hand n letter from one OF The mns
considerable fishing in the State, namely MARBLE
head and he thereby informed that very shortly be-
fore this bank failed, that is, within week or two,
some such period the money due from Government to
these fishermen had been paid in the manner described,
large amount Of it entirely in the bills and notes ct this
bank The whole amount Of bills of this bank paid out
by The Government officer on The part OF Government,
Mr. w could rot tell. In Marblrhcad alone his letter
mentioned ten thousand dollars and he had heard ct
other similar payments in other towns report said The
whole amounting 10 fifty hundred Thousand dollars,
and paid nut when the bank on the eve OF total
crash, and within II few days Of its failure
Well. Sir, Eco, ] ned Mr.. wy when the money in
these large quantities bad bren paid out The bank tned
end all that these poor fishermen had received IN pay
ment from the 5. is dead on their hands
Mr. W wished that proper inquiry should be made
hy Congress into such state Of things and Tor this OBJ
1c he had drawn The attention of the Senate to The cir.
cuuslacas Of the case, with view TO the obtaining oil
information on two points lst AS 10 the facts how far
the public officer of The Government had been engaged
in "a wing out the notes of this bank for the dues oil The
o. States; and 2dly, AS 10 the authority; that 49, by
what legal authority the officer al the U. 3. Govern
men had made such payments, and whether it was done
By The direction Of the Secretary Of The Treasury,
whether il had been permitted and allowed by him.
Mir. w. thought that however much gentlemen might
differ in opinion 10 the resolution OF 1910, wirther
that resolution was the law Of The land, or whether II
were mere recommendation or udmontion, as some had
maintained. Though Mr.. W himself had always consl.
defeii, to Sc law however that question might be
settleds Mr. w had thought that the law existing,
respecting payments by the Government was at leusl
clear and ndspuabe; that one would venture 10
defend the act of the Government Of paying in notes Of
banks known to be of less vane than specie.
MIR. W. begged to refer to the solemn enactment oil
Ccnrress made only years ago. II would he found
in the second SECTION Of the appropriation bill OF l4h
April 1886 and is as follows
Sec ind be further ena,d Tia, hereafter hank
Of than dollars aud thai fn aud alter the
mo hank notes than twenty dollars, l e
in whatsoever in which money Is 10 DC
paid by United the Post Office Department. nor shall
any bunk note Of any he Offered unless the
payable ard paid dcnand IN gold or silver conn., The
h % rcd md couvcrliac into s or silver upon the
spot will Of the holder, anh without delay or loss I" hun
thing gold silver tende by al individually or by The
United STAIRS"
Would any gentleman rise up and sny, in the very
teeth of the law that the passing ct these large amounts
of notes known not TO be equivalent 10 specie, and i'm
mediacly before the failure of The bank, legal was
iusliabr either the part of Government or lis oii.
GERS: The law expressly says, no public officer shall
offer in payment bank bills not equivalent to specie on
The spot where they Offered Will II be said that
the U. S. officer in the present instance dIa not Emo"
that these notes sc re moi equivalent To specie? This is
NOT possible he knew this bank like others, Ind PAID
snecie since MAY last and that since that time lis bills
have no, been equivalent 10 specie Or will 1t lie SAID
he did not know the law Cerainly The Secretary oil
the Treasury mus, have drawn The attention oil all dis
bursting officers To this act Of Congress
Mr. w thought it possible that it might be said, in
excuse of this transaction, tina, these pour fishermen and
tuck this now worthless money voluntarily,
or NJ their own option But whether The lndvldua! who
is ,o he paid NAV br made willing TO take such rcdeema
LI. paner or mol the law is direct and Peremptoy and
prohibits the officer fiom Altering it, The consent OF an
individual therefore, TO take H. especially when he can
get nothing else, will not justify that violation IN any
quarter. But what c"nsrn can mat De rs'eeheo "a'
Voluntary taking is there in such cases. where man, be-
cause he cannot get all that due TO him, is compelled
to take pari rather than have none? What is there
voluntary about il; This is COERCION and not consent
Couyrcss has not yet admitted the notion, and Mr. w.
houcd il never would that the recep of paper under par
WIS voluntary whenever officers Of Government could
prevail on those who entitled to The payment OF
money from the United States to take under The penal
~ of getting noth;ng His letter. indeed said t''at
snccie had been asked r and elused that, whet Their
ask ed for or not or whether the Fishermen knew they
were entitled specie not, it eqnay The duty Of
The officer refrain from offering these bills Mr.
therefore, wished TO know by what authority Govern
ment or the officers of Government dispensed with The
law: BY what authority they repealed the statute, or
ii: y what license they had obtained the
dispt nsing power:
1t is (said Mr. w notorious fact that no bank paper
was in the present of the currency, equivalent to
specip il was refused by the Government, vii" demand
ed and obtained specie Treasury notes for debts due
10 IT, How then could the collector of Boston be usl.
fed in passing bad money as iuifment Of one OF The
most sncred DUTIES of the Government namely, The pay.
nent of the pensions Of the aged and destitute Revou-
,iouary rensI"ners?
1t is said Uhough Mr.. W. did not himse know the fact
10 be SOY that there large amount OF Uned STATES
money in that Bank This was also subject which
Mr. W was DESTROYS that some information should be gil
ven 10 the Senate for he had heretofore understood that
the public money had ALL nearly all, been drawn out
of the bank Mr.. w. wished 10 know when, and by
whom this sum, understood to be there, was dePo'
sled or how il came there.
Mr. W. did no, wish 10 anticipate debate on the Urea
sury system bill which 10 be brought forward Tort
nirh hence. but lie would nevertheless, mike remark