Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-15
DEFERRED DEBATE.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
VIRGINIA BANK.
IDeJate eontinusS.l

Mr.. GREGORY said-In rising at this late
hour of the day TO address the House upon the SUB
iect now under consideration, he shou'u pursue W.
SSccn,ton,ed course and offer no apology except
merely 10 saw that he did not think he should have
troubed the House at all but for the course which
the debate had taken
no had not conceived il possible before he heard
!, nsserted on that floor, thatany gentleman coudior
on,ent donbt the RIGHT of that House 10 deliberate
ON the subject now under consideration, ana nav
ing the right to consider, necessarily possessing the
riShi TO make known the result OF lhelv uehoeT1llos'
But in all this it seemed that he had been m's'ak-
en- He thought that when that House raIseu Il
Committee to examine into the affairs OF me BANKS
of their Commonwealth, and referred TO II various
resolutions directing specific enquiry mic abuses
said 10 exist in the Bank OF Virginia, that II wou'G
certainly lie the duty OF the COMMITTEE 10 RESPOND
20 the resolutions; and in this i seemed lie was so
mistaken. from the argument of gentlemen on that
floor But the Committee agreed WIN aim III ule
opinion that they ought TO report, and actually had
reported the result OF their abours, IN the shape OF
report and q resolution. Previous 10 lhe printing
of that report However, the member from the coun'
ty of TYLER offered two resolutions which were Ly
order OF the House, together with SUBSTITUTE
which he offered for them, laid on the table, and
made the order of the day for yesterday. On the
resolution and substitute being called up yesterday
the member from the county OF Isle OF wight, O.
fered as an amendment to his substitute the reso-
luton reported by the Committee. Thus the mat
ter stood when the member from The city OF hloh-
mond, made motion 10 indefinitely postpone me
whole subject aud in speech OF some ength sup
ported the mo ion; and he would here say that the
speech of the member from that city, was beauii-
ful exemplifcaiion Of that genteman's ability 10
make the wrong appear the beIIercause-
The member from the city of Richmond denied
the Tsbt TO the Legislature TO act, because he said
notion was intended to influenced coordinate branch
of the Government. He said that, by the consl-
tuition the Government had been divided into three
branches, Legislative, Executive aid Judicial, and
went on 10 define the powers and duties OF each,
and read the opinions of MIR. Jefferson and Mr..
Mad;eon 10 sustain him in his position. The mem
Der then maintained that II the House had tic un
doubted right 10 act that u was improper II should
act in the manner indicated by the resolutions under
consideration and went on 70 state hrs reasons Tor
shat opinion. He said that even admitting thOt Dr.
Bfockenbrough had been guilty Of neglect, that il
was owing 10 his over confidence IN the Cashier and
the other officers Of the Blnk-Ihat there could not
properly be any thing criminal beyond an over con.
fdCnce charged upon any Of them. The members
from Accomuc and Cumberland had taken preity
~ contended that although DIR. Brockenbroush had
been guilty of neglect in his OVerconfdencc IN tie
Cashier-vet that he 40 more cUlpable than
the COMMITTEES Of the House Of the last winter which
had been raised 10 examine into tic affairs OF the
Bank and from their confidence in the officers, had
reported that all was we'll And he also said th-t
each and every member OF the last Legislature had
been guilty Of neglect, and that Il every member
lad done his duty the dedication might probably
have been sooner discovered.
He had thus at length stated the views of those
who had preceded him, and whose views differed
from his own, and lie would now endeavOr, IN as
brief a manner as be could, 10 answer the reasons
urged against action.
And first, Of the right OF this House or The Legs
liturs to act: b. the genera law regulating banks,
passed al the session Of 1886 and 49, and ban.
charter, the Executive was named and vested with
the power 70 appoint four persons TO represent, 40
the Board Of Directors, the interest Of The ate; end
the power Is reserved n the same laws 20 the T.e-
gisia'Ure N appoint, ny law, five Drec ore, % o.
should thereafter choose 20 DO 20. Now, BE- con-
tended that the right vested in he Executive
Yves no part OF tie duties imposed upon the
Executive Branch Of the Government by Tie Con-
gtituuon and that 70 duty imyosed on the
Executive entirely and exclusively by the I,egis.l-
turc. The Governor could refuse 20 oxetctsc the
power ofappOintmcnt vested loo bIm by the iaw, md
yet no person could charge him with NEGLECT or dis
regard Of any OF bis constitutional duties. lie was
the mere agent Of the Legislature n the eHgrc Sc oil
that duty, and was strange doctrine, indctd upon
that floor, after all that had been commended fyr ir
relation 70 the Right Of Instruction, tba, sgtn
vas beyond the reach OF the principal. lie ha,
thought that the Legislative Branch of al WE'LL
gualed Governments, deriving is existence direct,
from iho people, was The proper revisiouary trbu
nol On VIC other branches. IL was true. that in
41onaichy, the King could not be restrained IN on,
4her manner by the legislative Branch NJ tll
NANNtllNNtll'1 NdW ny kNe Withholding on FWUEItra
yet even this had been rcsorted 10 with effect In
Republic like theirs, where oil power co,,no,s
from the people, and where Legislatures were con
tfolled by written Constitution IL seemed IN I'D,
clear that oil subjects affecting IN any nance, M
interests Of the peOpC, and the management
which they had trusted 70 their Represe otat,ys
was within the proper scope Of legislative ac,o
Then wss this not one Of those subi.ct9 w
this not a iund from which portion Of the Re,
nue. Of the Stete j. or ought 20 be tctivedl A
being one Of the means from which Rcycnue be- ,
rived and the taxes Of the people lessered, " u
well managed, be held that this Legislature nor q
previous, OF subsequent Legislature had the RICH
they should be willing 10 do 70, 10 part with lie,
lative control over the subject The power TO Vi
Revenue being, by the Constitution, vested in
Legislature as we'll might the Legislature auel
90 transfer the control Of all subjects Of taxation
means Of raising revenue 10 any other franc
department Of the Government This subject
referred 70 ms in the commencement Of the scs
by the Executive in his Annual Message. The
vernon, speaking OF the Banks, and the delaloa
ia the Virginia Bank, ssid; "Tho whole subio
one which will demand your careful considerati
and he was now waiting their action, not ha
appointed Directors as vet. A previous Legisla
thought they had the right 70 control the agent
gc'nied to represent the state interest n the y