Mobile register and journal., 1841-12-30
Ailsi'liils hsipilti.t fiit siiit.btsE ! t.4AIAlttilfF


 .s eAHit,sAi nt lIp ssthali;tes 1a ;hs Aiale haft end etal.elssitas n obedience Id tho daesinn ofH majority Of fhld ronitee reported ''lhat it is nespel dent to pass ihe ill whi,h originated in the Senate ehttied, aa aSt reduce the number, and change Ii', mode oi elecng the Bank Directors but m be-
 a ol himself and those he represents, he feels bound to enter his nory report, against the report of the conn.'itee, an hulas the House will not concur in sad report bul will pass the Bill From long and lntiinale acquniace with the Legislature o this state, and particulriy with that in relation 10 the Banks, he IS well convinced that the present loose anu deieieroas mole of electing Bank Directors, Is the most dangeroua and Irresponsible that could be devlsed,l The resilts have shown, that men have been eleeed Wihor one solitary qualification, to fit them for SIe olce and, when il has been found that they we totally ignorant of every principle of Bank ing, and Incompetent even 10 the arrangement oi q small coaitFy siie the question frequently arises 'who not hated or could think of eeetIng such man 10 be intited will millions of d0lnfs; all that can be knowillihere, is that he was voted for, but on whose noii inatiOn nmendation, one knows, recoil Is kept of the name of the nominator, l and amonda bodg of one hundred and thirty three members, &mprising the two branches, all responsi- bility is ioS saht of. It not unfrequenty happens that men ofl gssl worth, and who in every way calculated a stharge the duties of a Director with ability, are btten by others wholly inferior them, through the nl Immortality of an active friend. The direct connectn between candidates and members has been shemp\y the records of the Banks, to be deetcrons and seud be changed The system of olectioneern to acted on so extensively 10 secure Directorship, M be broken up by the passage of this Bill and lcauts for appointment would stand on their charf and qualifications alone. The Governor woE compelled, in order to sustain his own charactcH place before the Legislature no names but thd7 isible, irreproachabe men.
 The history 9e last eight years Legislation in relation to tn A ointment of Bank Directors, will
 shew Its ruinoA endency, and calls most loudly for reform. Notht can be of more importance to the whole people dNiis state, than that able and compe tent men shoulAhanage the Banks which are the pro- perty of the Stk of Alabama. Your Bank reports shew that the sto is indebted for tie capital of your Banks < b00 000, and also that the people of Alabama are iikbled to the Banks q refer to the year 1SlO, as I've no means of knowing what it is this vear) ss20 B.693. Thus we find the Directors ntrlisted with tsnormous sum of { 32 093, ,693, and all th,s respons g is on the hands nf thirty five men, scattered over the state in the five Banks. Is it mol then of vital imputlnce, not only to the Banks, but to every citizen OAhe State, that these thirt, five should be oled for their skill in finance, their honest integrity dTDed to the interest of the Sae and that their mns be unnfuenced by the threats opportunities, if ;1any time any such be made of members of the Legislature or any other personl Is il not important tht there should be entire sepa- ration between tn, members and Directorsl And that the directory sud be placed above all fear from individual inen CTS wo may wish to obtain discounts when the character of the paper Is such that 1t should not be granted! II has beeu said that the Legisa- tue is as honest asiue Governor; admit it, but the Governors responsibility reaches every portion of the state, while that ofa member is confined the county he represents, aud Frequently to majority of of the county only Inc responsibility of member, in the present mode of eleetng is lost in the mass, whereas the responsibility of the Governor is personal and direct. It has ilso been said that the Governor would be likely [, nominate his particular friends, and perhaps from hs partsals in reply to that in- situation refer the bills, by which it will be seen that the power ofehctiun is directly gi,ea, and the minority pary and the power would be theirs to defeat such nominations. The first section pro- vides that the GO,efnor shall, within the first week after the passage 1.-the Bill, nominate eight persons for each Bank, and every session hereafter, with in the first five wesks of the session, the same num- Der ofpersons; half that number shall be elected for eae directory. llH second section provides that majority of two thirds of those voting shall be sary to n choice Thus the minority will ever have it in their power b reject aay improper person nomi mated, and tie whole number, and at once pre- vent any incompeisntpersons from being apponed.- The third section provides requires that the Gov ernor shall make aiother nomination, and forhds the re nomination of any person previously rejected. Thus the rights of every portion of the Legislature are proected the election placed in the hands of the minority par,y of the Legislature, and any abuse of power attempted by any Governor, checked.
 Under these views the chairman must protest agains, the report he ias been directed make and hopes the House will not concur in said report but will pass the Bill
 JOHN B. HOGAN.
 Chair. Com. on State Bank and Branches.