The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1838-03-30


tould be grsa, and decisive. Burke has wisely
taid that the revenue he State in modern
HINES" Violence and coercion s.e no longer the
instruments 81 Government in civilized communi-
ties Their reign is past Every thing is now
done bv money. 1t is not only the sluew of war,
bot of politics which, IN the form OF patron
age, il exercises alnesi unlimited control Just as
the revenue increases or diminishss almost in the
same proportion is patronage Increased or dimin-
ished
Bat admit. for u moment, that neither the seps-
ration nor the connection would have any seasi-
bic effect to Increase diminish the revenue. and
that would be of the same amount, whether the
bill OF substitute should be adopted vet even on
that suppostios, the patronage of the latter would
be hundred fold greater than the former. In es-
tmsing the amount Of patronage Of any measure,
three particulars must be taken into the cslcula-
tioa the number Of persons who may be ef
fected BY it their influence in the community,
and the extent Of the control exercised over them.
p sll be tonnd ON comparison, that the substitute
combines all these elements in far greater de-
gree than tie bill as shall now proceed to shsw,
begin With The number.
The bill provides, as has been stated, for four
principal receivers, eight or ten clerks, and suit
able number Of agents to act as inspectors making
in the whole, say % individuals. These would
constitute the only additional officers To keep and
disburse the public money. The substitute. in
addition to the officers in service provides io-
the selection Of tsenty FIVE banks, to be taken from
the mos, powerful and influential, and hich would
have. on an average. at The least one hundred
uflcers and stockholders each, making in the ag-
grega,s, $500 parsons, who would BE- directly in
teresitd in the hanks, and of course, under the in.
fuence Of the Government.
As TO the relatiys influence fths officers and the
selected banks over the community, every impair
Usl man must acknowledge that the pre- poudsranee
would be greater on the side OF the latter. Admit.
ting the responsibility Of the receivers and the 9th.
officers provided for in the bill and the officers
and stockholders Of the banks 10 be individually
the same, still the means OF control al the sispo
sitlon of the forner would be nothing compared
10 that Of the latter Their means would be lin
TIED TO their salary. which would be Too small to
be felt 10 the community. Very different would
be the case with the other officers aud seckhold.
ers Of the banks. They, Of all persons are by far
the most Influential 10 The communiv greater
number deperd on them for accom- nod alton and
favor and The success Of their business and pros.
poets in life, than any other class in society and
this would be especially true Of the banks connect
ed with the Government
Ii only remains now TO compare the extea, Of
The control that may be exercised by tts Govern.
u1ent over the two. IN order to complete the COM
parison and here again the preponderance will
be found to be strIkinglv on the same side. The
whole amount Of expenditure under the bill would
M, exceed $4,000 or so 600 annually at the very
lsrthest: and this constitutes the whole amount
of control which The Government can exercise
There would be no perquisiles, no contracts, Jobs,
II
would be all. To that extent, those aho Gay hold
them wsuId be dependant on the Government, and
thu. far they NAV be controlled. H,r stands the
sccoun, on the other SIDE What value shall be
pu, on the public deposiles il the bans.' VIA,
on the receivsblity Of their notes as cash. b, the
Government Wha, their connection with
The Government. as their fiscal agent, which would
give so great control oFer the exchanges aud b8-
siness Of the sousiry7 How many millions shall
these be estimated at, and how Insignificant must
the paltrF sum Of $50 600 or $4,000 appear 10
ih1se countless millions held under the provisions
Of the substitute at the pleasure OF The Govern.
Iaent
Having now finished the comparison as 10 the
relative patronage Of the tso measures, I shall
nsIt compare them as fiscal agents Of the Govern
mebt; and here let say, at the outset, that the
discussion has corrected an error which once en-
tertained had Supposed inal tho hazard ui
Keeping tie public money under the custody OF
officers Of the Government would I've greater tina n
10 bank. The Senators from y Hampshire and
Connecticut, (M ssrs. Hubbard aud Nes) have
proved from the FecnFd, that the hazard IS on the
other side and that we have lost more by the
banks than By the collecting and disbnrsing eff
GERS combined. What can be done 10 increase the
security b. iUdicious selections Of officers. and
proper organization, i strongly Illustrated bv The
fact slated b. the chairman Nr. Wright 10 his
opening speech, that in The War Department there
has been 10 loss for fifteen years-from '2l 10 sc
on an expenditure certainly not less than one
huadred millions Of dollars. take some pride in
this result Of an organization which originated
and established when Secretary Of War, sgains
the most fornidable opposition
As to the rsl4fve expense OF the two agencies
that Of the bill as small as il is, if we are to 1dy,
By 0ppe0raness, Is the greatest; but If b. facts
the subslitsts would be much the most 20, proYid
cd charge il with all tke advantages which the
banks so8ld derive from their connection Nth tie
Government, as ought ia fairness to be done, a,
the whole ultimately comes cut Of the pockets o.
the people.
la single particular the bank. have the adran
tsgs as f.cal agents. They would be the more
convenient To this they are entitled aud sist
Is withhold from them no credit which they may
Justly claim.
The Senator from Virginia Mr.. Rives) sppe are,
TO have great apprehension. that TIE collection o
Che public dues in specie might lead 10 boarding
He may dismiss his fears thai head. /, /. no
the gesus of modern and ciyilIzd Government
to hoard and II il we're, the banks will take ear
that there shall be % extraordinary accumulation
Of cash IN the Treasury. Pass the bill, and un
der write that se shall never again have to CON
plain Of surplus. II koold rarely. u ever, II
peace and settled times, exceed three or four mll
lions at the Jutside Nor is hia apprehension tina
boarding Of specie would lead 10 war, less ground
less. The danger is IN another quarter. War j