Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-02
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIRGINIA.
DEFERRED DER.3TE
HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
REMARES OF MIR. TAYLOR.
OF NORFOLK BOROUGH,
On the Subjcct of tic Dffaication in the Bank Of pr-

sinia.
Mr.. Spcaker-It pleased this House to refer to the
Committee on Banks the following resolutions
I" Resorcd, That the Committee on Banks enquire
nto and report this House, all the facts connected
with the late dealcation of the Bank of Virginia,
and that they have power to send for persons and
pers; and that the Committee enquire and report
how far the said dcalcaton has been productivity the
misconduct neglect Of any of ''the officers OF the
" said Bank"-And also, that the Committee on
Banks enquire Of any what were The reasons con
n"cied with the removal or resignation OF Anthony
Robinson Jr, from the Office of Cashier Of the Bank
OF Virginia, which did not equally apply to John
I" Brockenbrough, President Of the Institution; aud j
" SO, what were they And "whether The interest Of
the State does not require that said President shall
/ :. not be cleo ted. "
To perform the duties required Of the Committee
effectively, ras paramount consideration to milo
some pain upon the gentlemen, between whose con
duct in their appropriate departments, comparison
was instituted by the representatives of the people
inevitable. 10 suppose otherwise, ! am sure, wonld
be injurious to those gentlemen. The duty was i'm
Portant, though somewhat painful and there car
exist no doubt that the Injunction 10 enquire aud re-
port how far the said dedication has been produced
by the misconduct neglect Of any Of the officers
Of said Bank, was right in itself, and due by the
State TO her citizens The absolute necessity OF ano
iher branch of the resolutions, directing the Com
nittee TO enquire "what were the reasons connected
with the removal OF Anthony Robinson, Jr., from
d not equally apply to John Brockcnbrough, Pre-
sden Of the lnstitulion and if so, what were they:
was by qucsloned but the House had settled that
question by It's Vote and the Committee possessed no
discretion as 10 compliance; unless, indeed, the Com
mtec had begged to be discharged from the consdcra
ton Of the subject which might have been misundcr
stood, and would have left thr presumed apparent in
Justice practlsed upon the Cashier unrcdressed and un
answered. Indeed this was il mistake not, insisted
upon but justice 10 the Cashier, virtually dismissed
while the President retained. The material facts
connected with the late dcalcation o the Bank of Sr
gina, had already been made known u the public b.
the report Of three gentlemen specially charged with
the service by the Governor Of tins State, whose
statements all relied and by various judicial proceedings
had i'll tins city. Bu, II right 1t WAS due TO NirgI-
MIA, it was due TO her peupe TO order the enquiry,
Whcher the of the State does not require that
sad President shall not be re-eeccd:"
Mr. Speaker there few, II any, Of those present,
think, and very lew elsewhere who will not agree
that the enquiries ordered we're in the main proper; and
though gentleman here, and perhaps more, were
satisfied with the expressions OF certain portions oil
the resolutions, and the differences thence deduciblc
III curious the President, yet IL mistake not he hu
self ninnaed no disposition to bound what he deemed
legitimate enquiry, but the contrary did expressly
state the contrary. pay honor to the gentleman for
his generous sympaih! on those OCCASIONS as well as
for his general worth; and it gralIies to be able TO
inform him that have CONE from tins Investigation
with no altered impressions towards the object Of his
soiciiude. do not believe, cannot be made 10 be-
eve readily, that the President Of the Virginia Bank
can be guilty Of what the world calls personal dshonor
Nor SIR let me by omission 10 hun, appear act
an unjust part toward the late Cashier Neither 10 him
do impute what have not imputed 10 the President
Mr. Speaker, 10 arrive at just conclusions, It was OBJ
viousiy proper to ascertain the iacis and as It i'm
possible for the Committee charged with the perform
Of many other duties, 10 read over even cusoriy
the nany Bank documents and accounts, within the
hfirf ueriod which was capse before the
would arrive Tor the State 10 act, which for so long
space occupied the time and attention OF the Commits
soners appointed by the Executive, II was deemed pro-
per thlna by all TO make that report The basis or our
enouires and TO ascertain whether the President aud
laic Cashier admitted the facts therein set forth
10 be correct, the following written nerTogatory
was made of them both; TO which written replies
were reoue-tcd "Are the facts stated in The repor,
of the Executive Commissioners, correctly stated:
if not say in what respect they incorrectly
+" stated, and what is the truth in respect to such
g particulars" And as the President had, ut the
meet;ng of the Stockholders, called in consequence
Of the dcialcation made report to them il was OBJ
viously lust to the late Cashier, TO ask Of him this
further intcrrngatory, to which written reply was re-
oues,ed ain what respect does the report OF the Pre-
sdent. made 10 the Stockholders in july 1910, incor
rec,ly state or omit state any fact? And state in
wrj,ing in detail what you believe to he true IN re-
spcc 10 any fact which you deem erroneous or omit
led The answers of the Cashier before the
House. ana the Judgment VI lHc SoHiiuitUt ufoh tHC
excuse contained in those answers; and deem II
bul r;rbt 10 saw and Just the President that there
little Substantial excuse in his answer developing the
character Of the complaints he alleges to have made to
the President for the negligence OF the late Cashier
The severe sickness OF the President prevented him
from answering in writing the first nerrogatory pro-
pnunded to hr and other n,errogatorles subsequently
propounded by the Committee. This is more TO BE-
regretted upon his own account, and because Of the
suffering TO which he has been subjected, than upon
any other Certainly there ls nothing IN The charac-
Ter Of the nerroratorcs addressed 10 the President
If any answers which could have been rendered to for
hid such conclusion rs the Committee has expressed
in reference to his official conduct 1t was for the pur-
nose of evincinG this that asked 10 have them printed,
HAVING escarcd attention III the lrst instance Though
the President did not reply IN writing 10 the hrst inter
rooa,orv himself and the late Cashier were together
prsent lefore the Committee, when that question was
nropounded Frequent references were then made to
Tho renort Of the Executive Commissioners, which the
President was understood rs gansayIng and indeed
the President had expressly referred the stockholders
Ia that report in his communication made TO them III
july 1910 and which address IS printed with the report
or Tho Rank Committee, and now before the House
These facts, aud others, authorised Tie COMMITTEE 10
present their report though they had no written replies
from the President And distinctly assert that the
conclusion to which have arrived, and upon which
design IN act is founded upon the facts stated in the
rennrt Of the Commissioners appointed BY the Execu
tive the laws and rules applicable TO the Bank, referred
to in the report of the Committee and substitute pre-
scented by the member from Norfolk, and the adnIs-
sions of the President in his report to the stock
holders, TO which have alluded.
Mr. Speaker, none of these matters have, think,
been conroyerted nor has an attempt been made, SO
far rs remember, TO controvert them Bnt, to the
conclusions of the report and substitute both OF when
assert substantially that "t is not for the interest OF
the State that the President should be reelected op
econs have been taken, which will endeaVor to an
swer.
1t has been asserted by the gentleman from Acco O.
mac, in an able speech, with the kindly temper oi
which was much pleased, that the objections 1rsea
against the conduct of The President were two; r'rs
that he had failed to superntcnd the conduct oil tne
persons employed in the Bank; and secondly, IN ia
nn 10 direct the performance Of the duty OF inspect
inc The vaults cnjoned by the rules of the Bank.
think the gentleman perfectly correct IN suP bs
duct of the President; but do not agree with HIM
in the CONCLUSION to which he has arrived nor The
correctness of the opinions upon which 'hat conclu'
sion is founded Those opinions, on the contrary
+ believe to be erroneous. | do not agree VITA the