Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-04-23

1s
BANK did not proceed beyond it's legal. squtta'e
aud customary rights; and therefore the bank Wal
not under the slightest obligation TO suffer tho ios'
yse.sloned by these sales Even snPposing TIA,
,ne "enearassments were, las MIR. Biddle asserts,
Drought on by the bank ilseli.' this makes no oil
ference. The bank had a right TO call for fund
Justly due II, in order to relieve itself from these en-
oarassments, by whatever and by whoahsoeSe'
they were oecasioaed. The sophisry Of Mr.. Bid
die u really the mot sheer and unSubstanual q
any thing Of tho kind we usually meet. So much
loo Mr.Biddle's claim on the ground oil blame at
taehed to the bank.
Next comes the opinion Of Chancellor Kent upor
this question, founded upon the letter OF L. Dunlap
President OF the bank. We shall not, Of course
dispute The correctness OF this opinion, which u
iounued on the agreement IN MIR. Dunlap's letter
anu the supposed authority OF MIR. Dunlap TO make
this agreement, or the presumption that he acted IS
the organ OF the Board, from which the agreement
proceeded. Under these presumptions, the opinion
IS manltes,ly correct But the true question is,
ID I'D MIR. Dunlap act under legal authority, or was
this agreement sanctioned by the Board Of Direc-
torsi' From the late "Report OF the
showing the usual mode in analogous cases, the ne
gaive Is to be presumed. There Is another import
ant question, "Was not Mr.. Dunlap, in making the
agreement expressed in his letter, making, in fact, a
corrupt agreement, thereby taking the money Of tho
hank, and putting IL into his own pocket" We
mean, was not MIR. Dunlap one OF this company OF
spectators, and therefore designing and intending by
this agreement 10 transfer the great losses, or rather
the deficiency of anticipated profits, from his own
shoulders upon those of the bank1 This brings us
to the point, Who were these speculators1
MIR Biddle confesses that he was one, and speaks
rs II he was the only one. But IN the "repott," u
appears, that when the d. feieney spoken of above
was refunded, MIR Biddle settled for half OF II, MIR
Co~perthwalte. cashier Of the bank) for one quar-
ter, and Me- s. V. s. Wilder for the other quarter,
as agent for some person whose name was concealed.
To do this, MIR Wilder obtained a loan of Sll2, 900
upon certain securities pledged, and Thomas Dun
lap (the president OF the bank) guaranteed, indivld.
ually. the faithful and punctual repayment OF this
loan." From the prominent situation of Mr. Dunlap
in the bank, with which MIR Biddle and Mr. Cow.
p~erthwaite were so Intimately connected, and his
guaranteeing the payment OF the loan made to MIR
Wilder, there can be but little doubt that Mr. Dun
lap was the third associate. IT so, such an agree
m mt, Unauthorized by the Bosrd, was manifestly
corrupt, ifnot illegal. That it was deemed by MIR
Blddle 10 be one or the other, or both, is more than
probable, from his couSenting 10 refund his half of
the demand, ian immense sum- after obtaining Mr.
kents opinion in his favor.
We have omitted to quote this agreement from
Dunlap's letter TO Bevan & Humphreys, the mer-
chants employed in Philadelphia to ship the cotton
10 England. MIR DunlSp says, "if the sale should
be attended by any sacrifice on its cost, we will make
up the difference, and the same difference will be
made up on shat they have already sold" THIS he
signs as president. The little word we is, perhaps,
equivOcal and uncertain. IL may mean, we the
bank, or 1t may signify, we the three associates;
and Beyan and Humphreys, their agents, undoubt-
else did.
The manner in which Mr. Biddte accounts for his
r%e'unding the money, is really amusing. He insists,
that the bank had no claim on HIM for it, either le-
gal or equitablei yet lie freely hands over the petty
sum Of S32O,00O, out Of mere generosity, and with
as much indifference as he would put a ftp into the
hand OF a beggar. He did 1t "merely rs a proof
how for ancient and kindly recol' ecIions of,he bank
prevailed over selfish considerations! Indeed.
We wonder if MIR Cowperthwaite and Mr. Wilder
Tor Mr. Dunlap gave away upwards OF $4,000
each, from the influence of the same noble induce
ments! These are really the most generous acts,
expressive OF the strongest contempt OF money, that
we recollect ever TO have known. These gentlemen
deserve, each a leather medal, and We will send them
one, If they will only be so good rs to transmit US,
gratis, fifty or a hundred thousand dollars each"
REMOVALS FROM OFFICE.
It's amusing to observe The pathetic intreaties
addressed to President Tyler to arrest the farther
progress of Reform, backed 10y a ~profusion OF fat
terry, compliment, dummery and humbug, and it is
most amusing that the presses which now deplore
the most eloquentiy the cruelty OF removals from
OH e, and can't ENTHUSIASTICALLY upon the polIti-
cal morality Of the system, are precisely those
which at the era Of JacksoniSm we're the most I'M
h~esitating and unqualified defenders Of his whole.
sale proscripiion-the Globe, The New Era, ct id
omne genus! When Jackson "shed the blood" as
our venerable neighbor phrases it-no; a very
ertraylgact figure of speech either, for many of
these treasury leeehes would rather lose a little
blood than their places-of 1900 victims, these
same remonstranis against removals, were not mere
ly open mou he'd in approving and stimulating him
10 farther excuses, but they invariably refined
upon his cruelty, by destroying the characters Of
the removed. The poisoned cup is returned to the
lips Of their friends, many Of them public plumber.
ers, all OF them eectioneering piriizlns, and the
tools OF Il corrupt Executive in meddiiLg with the
freedom Of elections land how differently do they
now view the "se'Iching operation" We confess
their groans are music TO our ears. We remember
their savage eIul,ation at Jackson prescription, and
their heartless assaults upon the character of his
victims, and we rejoice that merited retribution has
ovettaken them.
As to Presiden; Tyler's treating their wheedling
and their menncing, their oaxing and their bullying,
with any thing bnt contempt, We have not the Ieas;
fear Of it. The srLhd attempt Of the Globe and the
New Era at soft.soiping Mr. Tyler, and arresting
the progress of reform, is cunningly conceived
Those papers assert that General Harrison, in his
months Presidency, was opposed to removals-that
they were all occasioned by Mr. Webs er-that this
proved MIR Webster to he President in ct-an the
~nicn lklnu SOUS J tney draw Tor Mr.
Tyler's benefit, is, that he too will be Judged TO be
domincered over by Mr. Webster, if he continues to
make removals! Can Mr. Tyler resist this proof Of
their disinterested affection for his fame1 If he does,
he must have a finty heart. Those papers, the
scum of Loco Focoism, DO not condescend to inform
US how their editors acquired The confidence Of Gen
Harrison, or by what means they have penetrated
Into the secrets Of his Cabinet. Until they do 50,
their revelations will be taken for what they nro
worth.
UnconJciousIy, they are rendering MIR Webster
service in N%scribing to him the merit OF prosecuting
hat branch ofrrform. The American People will
thank him and all who have an agency in %purgine
the Federal Offices OF Gefiulters and busy partizans.
They will eoniemn the weakness whica. hats in this
great and essential work fom the clamors Of the de.
feared faction. They know that this country was
on the eve Of becoming enSlayed 10 nm oIigarchy Of
Office. holders. They know that they we're the
agents and inirodueers Of 0 wide spread and deep.
seated corruption, had recourse to, to retain in their
own hands the powers Of the country. That band
of eo0spirators, without exception, they cannot but
desire % haYe removed from trusts which they have
abused and perverted, apl to be shorn Of an official
influence which they employed 10 eEs'aye the Peo-
pic. Lot the removed and their presses, bot recent
-. L.H-.-H