Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-12-23
LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

tioh submitted by him the subject OF shortening the
sessions OF The Legislature Agreed to-Ayes 50; Noes
81. After some discussion, the whole subject
lerred To the Committee OIL Propositions and GREY
RESUMPTION or SPECIE PAYMENTS
MIR. BYRD moved that his resolution directing the
Governor 10 open n correspondence with the Govern
of Pennsylvania and Maryland in order TO bring
about simultaneous resumption Of specie paynen L.
BE- taken mp and considered After debate, in which
Messrs. Woop, BALDWIN, HAsKIss, HoLLADay and
noLLEMAS participated the motion was adopted by
vote of Is to a..
Mr. BYRD said that it had been intimated that by this
movement Virginia would become liable to be governed
by the action of Mary land and Pennsylvania. MIR. b
contended that the correspondence would not tie down
the Legislature of Virginia. The object to
simultaneous plon, which he said was beside
ratum; and without it, il had been asserted, and with
force, that the Banks OF Virginia could not enter
upon permanent resumption. Unwise legislation, he
contended, had multiplied the paper currency and
driven from circulation gold and silver but that prec
plate measures would drive the Banks into liquda-
daton, and 10 all purposes OF business withdraw the
only circulation now had. He depicted the con.
sequence of such withdrawal Of the circulation
upon the farmers and others. pressure would be
produced upon all the interests Of society, and occasion
individual ruin to a very great extent. 1t had been said
Virginia would be humbled by asking cooperation
lie could moi see how consultation conference
with sister State would place her in such situa-
ton. His resolution not proposition to co-ope-
rate with the Banks of other States but TO co-ope
rate with the Governors and proper authorities IN
those States in saying TO the Banks when they shall
resume If the Governor Of Pennsylvania should say
the condition of the Banks there did not justify CO.
operation with Virginia in cocrcing resumption,
Mr.. Byrd stood prepared to coerce resumption at
proper time in Virginia He believed here solvent
Banks in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and there would
be some 10 cooperate with us-the Banks OF Mary
land in perfect state ofsolvency as any IN the
Union. The chief difficulty there what it was here
the difficulty of rcsuming while their neighbors were
in state Of suspension. There was one class VINO OPP
posed all Banks, and who thou ght the present idvor
able opportunity crush them there another class
who hoped TO realize political advantage from
catastrophe which might result from efforts to destroy
The Banks. To the latter he had nothing to say 10
the former he said that their object could not be obtain
ed The attempt now TO destroy The Banks would fall
upon the people, who would rise up and reinstae the
Banks. with perhaps extended privileges
Mr. DABYEY desired express his earnest opposition
to the resolution of the member from Frederick, and
briefly reply to portion at least of the argument
submitted by that gentleman i'll support OF 1t. This
question uhe resumption of specie payments by our
Banks) conceded, lie believed, on all hands, to be,
it certainly in his estimation was, one oil the most
important If not the most vital and important subject
that would engage the deliberations OF the General AS
sembly at It's present session. The eyes n the people
turned towards with the anxious hope and ex
pectaton of relief, not for the Banks, but from and
against the Banks Ii subject which, above all
Others should pass through the ordeal OF standing
committee of the House, and lie (Alr d. should ac-
codngy before he took his seat, move to refer The re-.
solution TO the Committee Banks. lie considered
indeed that the whole subject Of the Banks had area-
DIV been referred to that Committee. Upon motion
made some days ago. that the portion of the Govern
ors Message which related 10 the Banks of this Com
monwealth, had been referred TO the Bank Committee,
and mos, that had been said in the Message about the
Banks, related TO this very question Of resumption
Then why asked Mr.. d., arrest the investigation and
foresta anticipate the action of the Committee, by
the passage of this resolutions? OF what benefit or VA
ue were standing committees, II questions Of so
much interest and importance as The present, were 10
be- sprung directly upon the House, by simple resolu-
ton, and disposed OF in this summary way: II the
Bank Committee were not to act on matter like hs,
what under Heaven would they have TO do: They had
as we'll be discharged and dissolved at once. lie was
satisfied that that Committee would bestow much re.
Election on this question, and would al al early day SUD
nit to this House the result Of their deliberations and
investigations and lie was sure, that even the gentle
man from Frederick HIMSELF would have more CONN.
dcnce in any plan pro jet for the resumption oil spe-
Gle payments coming from the united WISDOM OF ths
learned Committee, than he would have IN any plan
that might be de y;sed by any single MEMBER however
well informed and intelligent he mg ht be- MIR D. sui
entertained The opinion which he had expressed on
former occasion in regard TO this resolution, that II
would have the effect OF placing the State i'll most ui
envable and nmiliang position. lie was aware that
the gentleman from Frederick did not regard his reso-
luton in that light, and would be The last man IN The
House who would willingly be instrumental IN placing
the State in any such condition; but he (alr. D. was
unable TO view the resolution in any other light than as
amounting 10 the tact acknowledgment that the Legs
ature of Virginia codld not act this subject freely and
independently, without the and and cooperation OF
Maryland and Pennsylvania; that we were unable to
manage and control Banks without The help OF those
States. He knew that the power and influence oil the
Banks were great; that they vase really hard, very
hard 10 head. Indeed, it common saying that
they were strong for the law and the Legislature
but he had no idea that they had attained TO such
pitch Of power that after the extraordinary indulgence
and the numerous and unmerted favors which the Lee
rsa,ure has lavshed upon them for the last four years.
we could not control them and compel them 10 re-
deem their notes and pay their debts without the aid
and cooperation oftwo other powerful Commonwealths
If this Legislature have not the power or the WILL he
was satisfied the people had and he trusted they would
confer both upon their Representatives next SPRING
This resolution would have the farther Illuminating ef-
feet of rendering u.s. at least making our Governor
letter-wrer for the Banks. If the Banks desire to
obtain the aid cooperation of the Maryland and
PENNSYLVANIA Banks, let them open correspondence
for themselves and their own responsibility; but let
us not take unbecoming an office on ourselves Or
impose it on any other department, OF the Government
ct the Banks manage such matters Tor themselves
If we direct this singular correspondence to be opened,
and any evil or mpant grow out of it, az he was sa'
tisiied there would, why, all the blame and responsib
lily would be cast shoulders, and the Banks
would say if had let them alone, and lett them TO
write their own letters matters wonld nave turned out
differently There was another insurmountable obJec
lion TO the resolution 1t would obviously have the Ell
feet of pos,ponng the resumption Of specie payments
indefinitely The gentleman of Frederick had said
that he did not regard this resolution as committing the
Legislature 10 any particular action on this subject
Upon this point, however, he, Mr. d., must be allowed
10 differ with tie gentleman Why open this cores
pondence with The Legislatures of The States referred
TO- if not to wait for their replies and to be go
verned extent at least by the action they may
take and the they may advise or propose on the
subject Would it be courteous, would It be proper Tor
us 10 act until those Legislatures were heard from
Surely not. And when did gentlemen expect SUCH
correspondence close? He did not expect to see the
end of during the present session, and consequently
we should be precuded from taking any step this win
ter towards bringing about resumption This cores
pondence would be continually referred to by the friends
of The Banks this floor to stave off any action on
the subject of resumption. The gentleman had refer
red to law passed by the last Pennsylvania Legsla-
ture on the subject of suspension. If be (Mr d. un.
derstood the gentleman Alright on this head he did not
exactly agree with him about the character of that law
M n eo;d that ACCORDING TO his recollection OF the