Mobile register and journal., 1841-12-21

the House of Representatives, on the political fespoh- sibility for the State Bank System.
 Mir. DAvESPoRT opposed the bn. He believed the condition of the banks and the cuntry would not justify the appropriation. During 'he course ol h's remarks he expressed the opnios tn the deinotrat- c party, being in majority, the Irople would hold them accountable for the good ar bal management ol the banks. He thought they had just grounds to do SD. He desired to them march up boldly They had better do so, for they could mol screen themselves | from the mputaton.
 | Mir. B. M'ALPIN had heard that charge before.- | It was no new charge him. He had been conn pelled 10 meet those insnuaiiuns, while cantassing | for a seat on this floor He had hoped that party politics would not have been brought forward, anu particularly upon subject oi an appropriation to re- move obstruciions from the channeol the Alabama riyer-one of our best navgablc wafer courses. Tie gentleman tells the banks are not m acondlion to afford such appropriations; tle country Is elhbar- rassed. It would be mpolltic to squnnder money, as the gentleman pleased io call Il Tor such purposes Let me tell the gentleman and this House that the money asked to be appropriated IS no part oi your banks The bill your table asks for an appron- alton of the profits arising from your surplus reyenue
 fund originally intended for objects of internal in- | proyement. am surprised al Il opposition ol me gentleman from Marengo, (Mr Da'enporp. had the honor of seat this floor when an appropriation | WAS made for the Tombeckbee river; that gentleman was not then member; but il mistake not, the delegation from his county yes sir, and hIs caist- uents, were desirous for that appropriation Repre- sentng then as now, county at the termination oi that water course, satisfied that the interests of the gantlemans constituents upon that suiJeei was the interest oi my constituents was m iiNor o the appropriations and sir, this house literally sotei an appropriation for the clearing oul the Magrew shoals But the gentleman tells the money has been st,n- dered. Sir, have doubt but part of that money has been badi, applied; but the gentleman IS not well advised when he tells you thai similar amount should be squandered to place ihe obstacles back again. l
 have lived in this State since the year lSlI aud since 1921, have travelled this water course nearly every year, and came up that way when came 10 ths | session.
 | I find considerable improvement in the shoals at | Maurew's Although the channel has not been deep ened vet it has been made straight whereas, in ior- mer days the channel was very difficult one, cross ing the river nearly from bank to bank, which made it remarkably difficult for boats dsctnag or desefnd- ing the rivG. Sir, if more money were approprIa- ted for that object il would be good investment Tor the people ,f Alabama. But to the subject under | consideration. The bill on your table asks Tor twen- ty thousant dollars for the Alabang ryer which has never had m appropriation Tor the purposes coniei- plated in tis bill. Let me ask gentlemen, what DOT ton of the ,eople of Alabama are to be benedted by the proposei appropriation Will speak at ran dou when Isay than hall your ctiZrns are d. rectIy interested think not. Although the bill
 asks for fund expressly created for objects oi inter- nal improvement, the gentleman tells you te banks
 
 cruel mdcedto ask them to pay any of that suin for s,,.I objects it would be iuinouS for tiie banks to circula, n,m,re of their already dcprccated paper | Whs sir al. the owners of ths fund and those banks and wh, do we propose to appropriate this sum o
 nuney torl Sir, let gentleman but reflect that it ls inc usople' money and it is for ihc people ask this npurn,riatinn 1 hazard nothing Tn saying the appropriation of the sum here asked for, will save tt
 that numerous class o our citizens, who are tributar, n the Alabama rIvcr, one hundred thousand dollars
 I. si,, ,i, moi be a malicious s'squandering" of money. How
 long is it. sir since intelligence reached us itle los' of one of our finest steamboats that river ladcr with the products oi your soil! How often du wt hear of the loss of flat boats, transporting to marke tbe laIou,er's hard earned wealth! And what art
 the difficulties winch have caused such losses! lnva riably the Instructions oi local character, an' only need small appropriation to remove iheR.- But the gentleman tells you that money should not b' saIandered for such purposes he tells you the bank are in horrible condition; the consequences aheat awful; disclosures of bank frauds alarming; and al this he urges as a reason why the industry of you planters shall not be protected. Are such reason sufficient? l think not. He admits the great neces sity of the improvement contemplated but Is wlln! to see hundred of thousands Of the productions oi you | soil wasted, rather than vote an appropriation 0 twenty thousand dollars. He leaves the subject un der consideration, and attempts to defeat 1t by creat ing Il bugbear about bank frauds and rotbyics; and as uuust as the charge is he aledges the dcmocrati party are in power, and have hecn, and arc justly la bic for all the vilny perpetrated by others; and call upon them to march up boldly; ''they had well d SO the people would hold them accountable for th condition of the banks.'' Such charges, emanatin from such sources, have not astonished me- hav heard such declarations before; and always from ta same party 10 which the gentleman Is attached Th banks were excellent institutions while they selle ont their thousands that consistent party, to whlc the gentleman belongs. As the gentleman has alu ded to the subject of party, connected with our bank what are the facts! For the last six years the banks have been under the control of whs presi dents and directors. l speak more particularly q the branch in one end of the State. l had prepar , ed myself with proof, anticipating such unhal lowed charges. At that branch, for the year 1885, IS36 1887 and 1888, the president and larg maiorites of the boards whigs; under whg gov ernment and whig control.
 A large majority of their discounts were made [ whips; and, in my place, here pronounce that a that branch -ourths of the suspended and doubt
 full debt now due, is from whigs; and if losses b sustained which readily admit, the gentleman
 own party are accountable to the peope and whe
 the facts appear, they will be so ed The facts an
 proofs to sustain in this deciaraion have here
 my desk, and at a proper time and place l will pro duce them, and will do so if Is disputed. Al
 though tI,e president and directors were whigs hay | never, nor do now impugn their motives. Name
 that were considered good beyond doubt, during tn years to which have aludcd and when the grea damage done to your banking institutions, hay
 since proved to be insolvcnt. iinpugn the motive
 of no man nor set 0fmen. We are all alike subet . to be mistaken. l am nnlike the gentleman l al
 not disposed hold his party alone responsible, id the losses and mismanagement of our banks A parties in this State have had something to do wit z the banks. have Intentionally avoided politics
 matters in this house, and particularly upon the sul I feet of our banks. l am party man, and when pal U ty matters come up am ready to act out my part
 but upon the present occasion think it highly in
 proper, out oi place, and but for the remarks of t ' gentlemen from Marengo, Mir. Davenport,) shoul il most assuredly have sald nothing about party. portion of the whig party are in favor of the Stat bank system, and portion of the democratic part
 are opposed the system. It therefore cannot righ l. y be charged to either party, as party; but il t D gentleman and his friends are dcsrous that 1t sha be made party matter, have objection. al
 for holding all parties, individuals of either part accountable for their conduct hold them up to pub l gaze; us well democrat Wiig. am for inve. , tgation. Let the pnblic know who the scoul
 drels but upon tine subject of losses the bank, t genteinan's own party have shared bountiuy in lha But defeat the bill under consideration, the gent' { man resorts to bank frauds and robberes. Tines subjects have hecone familiar. All bills which ma , be brought forward, must rest their fate upon Il misconduct of banks and bank oihcers. came hel
 to support such measures would place those inst tutions in a hetter condtion l am willing to go al and every length accomplish those desirable ends but am not willing to pass unnoticed the great n
 terests of the people, under pretence of the runol condition of our banks. Let not Dc told that tl democratic party are to be held accountable for tl
 villany of others. Tho monies of the banks have bee 3 squandered, and greatly squandered; and the whi party of this State have sq,andered much the greatt . portion of it. When elections take place m th
 house for bank officers, what do heart This sam i wLg party tell us ''you ought not to make part 3 matter of this thing; the bs,uks belong to tl , people; do not prescribe lis; because you have th , power. ."-And when her proclaim that am read to show that the banks have been under the coutr, , of wings; their money borrowed by wings, and h whigs s, due the institutions, am told the demo