Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-12-12
jirdncSd0B, Dec. II, l-39.


The Senate have passed the bill entitled San act TO
thorzc the Court Of Norfolk county to run the ferries
Of said county by an agent
They have also passed the bill entitled an act for the
temporary relief of the Banks Of this Commonwealth
with amendments
Mr. SourlrALL moved to lay the bill and amendments
the table, with view TO proceed with the contested
election from Norfolk Borough.
Mcssrs MAY, VrSABLE, CRrrcnrIELD and GRECO
RY opposed the motion to lay the Bank bill on the table,
and Mr.. SouTHALL sustained it.
The question being put, was decided III the negative.
The House then proceeded with the consideration of
the Bank bill, and Mr. RuBEErsoS made some remarks
to show the imperfect character of the amendment.
Mr.. RoRERTsoS said that he did not rise to oppose
the amendment, or offer any amendment 10 it, (how-
open he might deem it to cNccpton bn' 10 sub
nit a remark which he thought ought 10 accompany its
passage He presumed that the object of the amend
mcnt was, mainly TO provide for the payment of the
public creditor abroad, in the medium which would
alone, there his purposesthe precious metals.
In respect to the domestic CREDITOR and to the Com
monweath holding together near 81 100000 of the
public debt amounting TO near SIX millions and half
the did not apply, their purposes might
be answered by bank paper. lie had thought of pro-
posing amendment, answering to this view, but
the phrascology of the law, if tn" creditor should
Guirc it, sufficiently indicated the opinion of the Le@s
aturc that would perhaps be not reasonable for tn"
home creditor to demand spccirand would doubtless
be held bv the public officers an instruction not 10
exact IT, he thought the end would probably be- sutii-
Gently attained by the Bill as IT Sood-and hence,
would not delay liz passage by submitting any propo-
sition whatever
Mr.. SMITH Of ]. of w. opposed the amendment of
the Senate. He considered attempt the part of
the Legislature to RAISE money indirectly which they
afraid to raise from the people by taxation. lie
objected To it. because it required that for the Common
wealth which il did not require for the people Be-
sides it was making the DcpoStc Banks pay for their
suspension, while the other Banks were subject to no
such cxaclion.
Mr. GoopE thought that the last clause of the Sc
nate ; amendment ought 10 he stricken ont, II left
in its present terms would be of doubtful construc
ton lis construction would be left to the Banks them
selves and they might decide that they had not $50
much specie its equivalent in their possession 10 the
credit of the Commonwealth
Mr.. VrxARLE opposed the amendment, thinking the
evil which might possibly accrue from such c0nstruc
ton would be far less than those likely TO arise from de-
lay.
Mr. GooDE further enforced the propricty of his
amendment.
Mr.. VESARLE said, there was no danger from mis-
construction Of the sentence, because the hill itself
served all creditors ofhe banks, the right to
in specie with per cent. interest.
Mr.. McRAE, replied TO the position of Mr.. Goode,
contcndng that construction would not be made ac-
cordng to mere grammatical tcchnlcalcs but accord
ing to the obvious meaning of the concXt-the whole
taken together II relief were 10 be given at ALL it
onght TO be given promptly
Mr.. GoopE'S amendment ncgatived.
MIR. CRrrcurIELD could not vote for the Senate 5
amendment il stood. ic therefore moved to divide
the question, S first take il upon Stalking out
Mr. SMITH called the ayes and noes, which were
taken, and the House refused to strike out-ayes A.
noes SIS.
Mr. VEyABLE, believing a misapprehcnsion existed
the effect of the vote, moved reconsideration of
the vote on striking out.
The motion was also supported by Messrs. IERBY,
BYRD, and McRAE.
Mr. CnurcurIELp made some explanations to his
course in calling for division.
Mr. BAyLy opposed the motion for reconsideration
believing that Bank ought to be allowed to make d
vdends without rcdrcming its obligations.
Mr. SMITH of |. of w. opposed the motion, and en-
forced his views to the proprcty of prohibiting dy-
bends during the suspension
Mr. BYRD favored the reconsideration being favor
of the amendment il from the Senate, and be-
cving thai relief to the Banks, and therefore to the
people, ought TO be granted speedily, if at all Mr. b.
deprecated the provision which the House seemed about
to insist upon in reference to dividends. When the
proper time should arrive, Mr.. B. would show that he
champion of the Banking system as II now stood,
but he would not do injustice TO innocent stockholders.
Mr.. CRUTcHrIELD disclaimcd the sweeping Impnta-
ton made by the gentleman from OF W., that he (AlT
c. was willing to favor the Banks as much as any MEM
Der Mr. c. did not know to what extent other gentle
men might BE- disposed to go, but rs he represented
mixed interest the subject and being in wise in
sense Of Justice the subject
Mr. SMITn of |. Of w. further opposed the motion.
Mr. ROBERTSON urged the effect which would result
from DENYING to the Banks the privilege of making d.
ridends, and concnded that if this measure were en-
forced loan must be resorted to- raise the deficiency
which would accrue to the Commonwealth by with
holding her portion of the dividends
Mr. BAyLY added few remarks in explanation OF his
views.
The question being taken suspending the rule with
tr reconsideration, was decidrd IN te Affirmative
ayes &c, noes II.
The question then required on agreeing with the Sc
nate to strike ont the provision concerning dividends
Mr. GoonE called the attention Of the House TO The
character of the question
After some remarks by Messrs ROBERTSON, FoS-
TAME, SMIru of l. of W. the question striking out
was taken and decided in the affirmative as follows:
lyss-Mcssrs. Chopper, Southall, Cabcll, NJ Cue,
Stuart Lockrdge Burwell of g., Mitchell, Myers OF
Berkeley Hunter, NJ MILAN, Kyle, Flood, ToIer, Fox,
Broadus Wilson, Roane, Marshall, Scott, Anderson,
PAYNE, Hale, Wade of F., Baker Byrd Erskne, Glib
son, Allen of H., White, Seymour NJ Rae, Hamlet,
Gregory, Worthington, Kennedy, Reynolds, Tayoe Of
K George, Ewing, Lawson, Beard, Ramey, Harrison,
Smith of Nj & j., Baskerville, Myers of Morgan, Mas
SIZE ALVIN of Norfolk Borough, Watts Ethcrdge, Yer
BY, NJ Connell IIiner Tunstall, Keen, Taman, Vcna-
bic, Roberts, Walden, Robertson, Leybnrn, Dorman,
Smith of Russell, Quilen, Grevcr, Crutchted, fitz-
hugh, Stephenson, Walker and Jackson of Wood-74
Nocs-Mcssrs Gilmcr, (Speaker,) Bayly, Carpenter
Wood. Hannah, Jackson of B & L., Meredith, Thorn
burg, Cox, Whitworth, Craford Powell, Howell,
King, Smith of e., Carroll, Butts, Taylor Of Halifax
Clarke of H. Lee, Armstrong, Smith Of |. OF wight
Wright, Fontainc, Tayloe of L. d r., LiPscomo Or-
gain, Banks Scott, Taylor of NJ. & Mlddesex, Goode,
Clayton, Chapman, Wade Of Montgomery & Pulaski,
Hudna, Fitzgerald, Hiden, Alcshire, May, Carroll
Heath Radcliffe, Sturm, SNYDER, Smith of r., Ship
man, Conn, Bare, Ridley, Clarke of Surry, Prince,
Spots, Goodson and Stanger-54
On the question to insert the Scnate's amendment,
Mr. SMITH of l. Of w proposed to amend 1t by striking
out the whole, and inserting the following:
.Tha the holder of any note of Bank of this Com
monweath, which has suspended, or which shall dur.
ing the continuance Of this act suspend specie pay
nents may present the for payment at the Bank
where it issued and if payment thereof be refused,
the cashier other officer of the said Bank shall en-
dorse thereon the date of such presentation and refusal
of payment and such note shall thereafter bear inter
est Of six per cenum per annnm until paid. And if
the cashier other officer of any Bank having suspend
ed specie payments aforesaid, shall refuse or fail to