Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1840-09-05


If be would take a situation in the Bank After
some reflection, and after oonyersaaoG with MI
Moore. a friend Of his, aad Member Of Con
gress from New lork, he wrote me early N tue
summer, that he had alWays been opposed to the
principle OF banking as conducted IN this county
and did not think he could consistently 20 INTO
Bank with these views, aud SAID he could mol &C
cepi, il situation was rendered him THIS de-
termination he communicated to Judge Ito'ter'
then Senator, and in Washington City, who has
mentioned the circumstance to me Within three
mouths, and will state it again ON request Ia
August, Of the same year, went North and saw
Mr. } Guoeh in Washington City, about the last OF
September, who repeated Lis determination to me
moi To 90 into any Bank, and with his reasons for
Il. In the month Of The following October,
dined with Mr. Moore III the city OF New YORK,
who spoke Of Mr. Goocir's refusal aud knows
that distinctly knew and sud tina. he would not
accept. shall procure his statement as soon as
eau wrlts and get reply. In the month OF
November returned TO jackson, Runnels was
then absent but met Col. J. S. Gooch, who
stated TO me that they would soon want some
clerks in the Bark, and that If wrnld speak To
Runnels,he thought a situation could We procured
for my connection. then stated 10 HIN the de-
tetmlnuton Of Mr. James Gooch not t0 lake II
situation in the Bank il rendered, and the reasons
for H. Ia the following December Mr. t'ooch
came to Jackson on visit to bis daughter, and
repeated 10 Col j, s Gooch the fact that he
did mol desire n situation IN the Bank These
facts Col. GoOch must recoleCt and have sui
6cient confidence in his magnanimlty to believe
thai he will state them when he returns from Ar
kansas where understand he now is.
have already stated thu, Ruunels was absent
from Jackson when arrived home in November
of 1885 after his return TO jackson, ! met him
in the street; he requested me 10 take walk, We
did SO. lie then stated to, me that ilagan and
Besancon had abused the codtse Of the bank, that
they were id rascals, and that he had denoun-
ced them, &c, aud requested that would de-
lthd the bank when | saw charges against it. |
then told him frankly that dlsarproyed Of the
policy of the bank that | thought il ought not 10
have issued any paper until the general resump-
ton of specie payments, and then only demand
paper that, above ALL disapproved Of the cotton
circular, which was then just issued, lie admit
ted that the policy Of the bank Was wrong on gen
eral principles, but said that he would have u long
talk uilh me at another time and thought that he
could satisfy me that in the then condition Of The
country the policy the bank was tight and ought
to he sustained. He never gave me hat tolk and
from that time, from the greatest gractousness he
became distant and formal, and there was but it,
lie intercourse Between US aflerw ards-neyer any
discussion Of the policy Of the bank.
Kunnels states that my assault on his virtue
was made IN the winter months of 1898 or $50,
and further says, that "to this corrupt overture
Tor Office made no reply bit found myself and
the bank assaIed most bitterly IN The Mississippi.
an in few days thereafter" His statement nm
plies that previous to the period 10 which he re-.
Iers, nothing had appeared in the Nlsssspplan
censunng him or the bank When the bank went
into operation and Indicated IT. policy, was ali.
sent on a visit at the North, the first discussion
which | made Of lis policy was in the paper Of
2Slh OF December 1888. This them is precise
~ the period to which Runnels refers. But pre-
vlous 10 this lime, and al that time, Mr. j. Gooch,
my relation, WIS IN jackson, and Ind declared 10
one OF its directors that ha did hot dastc a sltua-
ton in the bank, 1t 10 sald that when man AT
tempts to perpetrate vany, Satan leaves him
just IN the middle of his ntamy to get oul Of tou-
| bic by his own wits. No one VIII suppose that
Runnels could have had the blind folly and knave
ry to refer to evidence in support Of bis charge
aud upon which lis ou dbillly must rest, when
that very evidence is precisely contrary TO what
| be alleges II 10 be, and whose whole bearing dis
proves his assertion. Yet such is the fact The
article Of The 2Slh Of December, 1898 was the
/ first one written by me in relation to the policy
Of the bank after my return FROM The North ana
IS evidently the one to which Runnels seeks 10
refer. II commenced as follows
"THE UNION BANK.
Nothing exenuate,nor sci down aughl IN mai ice
II is in the recollection ornll our readers thai
We opposed The charcring Of this institution, " ber
II was under discussion in The legislature VIZ
are opposed TO all Stale luudpg and have eve
considered i the worst policy people can adopt
| But the Union Back was one Of those subject,
upon which the people, or rather the legislature
had run mad, and the spirit Of paper money tulct
the hour. For good for eyiI the institution wa.
chartered; longer opposition was useless, and,w6
were, and are now, Disposed 10 Judge the InsIilu
ton dispassonalely, according 10 its merits.
=. The first directory we're elected, for all o
whom We entertain respects and FOR many strong
| personal regard. Several Of hem are gen1emef
ofmuch moral worth and distinguished Character
There is no man in the State who has meriied ant
enjoyed IN higher degree The respect aud ioy.
Of his fellow men, thaa GOV. Runnels, The presi
4 dent ofihat bank. His character is above re
n proachand the breath OF dishonor has never fo
amotneni rested Upon bis honest name lie ha'
stood by his political principles through evil anc
good report and still adheres TO them with all III,
1 L. Il 4 II
ers TO "hoGk@e accord the need ofhcabsty, what
ever may be our opinion as to wisdom Of AM
portion Of the policy which the bank has adopted
or may hereafter pursue.
IN most conciiatcFy spirit then proceeded
in lengthy article Of three columns, 10 review
the policy Of The bank, denying IL rightto issu'