Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-25

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nent and conspicuous member OF that arty win
| which he (Nr L. was usually found act ng; ana nc
had thought il might be well to permit the de-
fence be made, as the attack had been commene-
ed, by gentlemen upon that hoor OF d'iferent po.
li,cai sentiments, and he knew there were several
who though, the resolutions under discussion who'll
ly indefensble, and who, however much they mleh,
dif.r with DR. d. politically, would step forward
and lend willing hand TO cen him IRON uhnlen'-
| cd obloquy and punishment But as experience
had shown that human ingenuity, in imparung mo-
| ,ives, was unbouuded-as gentlemen had seemed
to think that the political friends OF DR.. Is should
come forth and show their hands, and the very sig
nifcant inquiry had been made ut not IN debate, al
| least in private conversational wheihe, seouem.n
feared to take upon themselves the odium 81 de-
fendog President Of a Bank, MIR Lee had deter
mined, for one, TO come forward and express ms
views upon the subject, and contribute ms mite 10
the d..enee of n citizen, whom, although Bank
President he deemed uniustly assailed by the va
rious resolutions which had been submitted TO the
consideration of the House. IL there be RESPONSE
bity attending this coursc-h there be ouiu:n at
tached to the attempt 10 ward oil from inc tfesi-
dent of the Bank of Virginia an attack, as nc oeIie'-
ed unfounded and unjust, and 10 defend HIM from
| rcproach which he deemed unmeri,cd, and from a
punishment he thought wholly incommensorate
with the offence Of which he had been guilty, taking
it in the very worst aspect IN when II mas oeeh pre-
sentcd by those who had pou'irayed IN the
stronges, colors, then MIR l.. for one, was Wiling
nav he was eager and DESTROYS TO bear his fu share,
and would glory in so dong. 49, ,
MrL L. though, that the Investigation which had
been made by the committee oil tins House, ana ac-
cording TO its order, was right and proper. lie did
not deny this body the right to examine INTO the
affairs Of any public institution IN which great pub
lie interests were involved, and to search out all ard
any abuses whatsoever IN their conduct. An as
founding defalcaton had occurred IN banking IN
stituton in which the State was deeply inteTestcd;
and therefore il was every sense, proper that all
the facts and circumstances attending II should he
thoroughly investigated ard made known 10 this
House and the country; and notwithstanding TINS
task had been performed, and well performed, ny
the Commissioners appointed by the Executive
shortly after the deialcaton was discovered yet he
deemed il right that the ground should be reviewed
by a committee of this body, composed OF the I'm
mediate re representatives. of the People, IN order that
any fact or circumstance which they might have
overlooked, might be made known, or any error oil
fact or reasoning INTO which they might have iallen
pointed out and corrected. But while he fully APP
proved the action of the House in raising commit
tee for this purpose and although the report itself
bore amp'e testimony IL the zeal and hdelty with
which iha, comm ttee had discharged the dutY I'M
posed upon them, yet, dissenting, Us he DID, iron
the conclusion to which they had arrived, rs pre-
pounded in the resolution recommended by them
for the adoption of the House, aud also hom that
contained in The resolution accompanying the SUBJ
stitu,e submit ted 10y the gentle man from the Borough
OF Norfolk, mir Taylot) -d.iferln-, Also as he did
from the gentleman fiom Tyler, mir S,ephenson,l
and the gent eman from Isle OF Wight, tAir Smith
IN the views taken by them OF this subject as ndI
Gated by the resolutions sui mitiod by the former
and the substitute therefor proposed 10y the latter
and cCnclrrng. as he di }, in the amendment pro
posed by the gentleman ire m the CT y OF Richmond
(Mr X obe tson,l 10 the report OF the committee MI
l.. should of course, sustain 10y his vote, the mo-
ton FIR a e definite IOS;To1ement OF tic resolu'
lions OF the gentleman from Tyler, and the su6s;i
tue fer the same submitted by the gentleman from
Isle of Wight
Mr. L. thought there was papable and otviou:
objection the proposed action OF this body, 10 bC
found in the fact that the question OF the REFLECTOR
OF d.. Brockenbr5ugh rs President of the Bank O
, Vrsnii, was no lorger TO be considered an oper
one, but had virtually been settled 10y the action o
the siockho ders. Certain 1t was, that no actor
that could be taken in that body, could secure th'
! e &C ion of any other individual. The siockholter
in tie Ba. k IN general meeting assembled, upon tn,
day pres rib. N Charter, had proceeded TO cis
char e The duty which devoyed upon them, Of elect
ing five directors, as required by law. WIN every
fct ami circumstance attending the late deia'cauoI
, before them, ard doubtless folly weighed and con
siiered-wi,h all the lights that had been, or per
, haps could be, shed upon this sutject, (ior MIR
, believed il wss conceded the committee had brough
TO light no material fact or circumstance attending
this deiacaton not already ELECTED in the report
the Commi soneTs appointed by the EN.cutlve,) tn
slockh oldefs had declared 10y de;isiye-nay, III
Oyerwhe ming VOTE that IN their opinion, Their Ia
terest would be promo ed by the reelection OF ID
B., ard accordingly had ell ed him one OF tie iiv
af.sia;s 70 he chosen on their par with four other
body, conn osed OF law-mak,rs, lie tetrayed m
action THAI must TAI u accomplish the object aime,
at by It's movers? Slould their WISHES be fully
carried ou;-should The House adopt az proposet
. measur should tie Executive, in obedience The e
TO, appoint four directors on the part of the State
whose opinion, he might lie fortunate enough pre-.
yiously 10 ascertain, adverse TO the reelection
OF DR.. B. should those fur directors adopt and ac
here 4 a o We mt In pps
OF the dir ctoTS cLostn by tie 5 ockho!ders o.hel
than DIR. Il and should act eccoFdngly-whai CD
ject would be atianod2 What good woulI he &c.
complishedl The director sGlee cd by them could
not be elect-d. DR.. Il. wCud receive the votes OF
the Other four d ecIO.s cLos b. the stockho ders
iort IS understood that neither Of diem whose name
should be put N nomination for the Office, could or
would violate the known and expressed will OF tie
! body OF the stockholders by whUm he was himse ID
chosen, and conlrbu 10 tie defect OF DR. B. by de-
clIning 10 vote And thus the whole and only re-
suit would be, that the Bank f Nnginil would be
and rema wi hoUt President And was this an
object worthy the pursuit OF ibis Lesisatufol Was
II conpa.b With he dignity OF this body 70 odori
measures that could lead 20 no more important re-
SUIT would gentlemen argue that It could, by
possibility, cOnduce the interest Of tie siockhold.
the State, thot the Bank OF Wig MIA should be
Wlth1ut hcadi Gould the gentleman GOm Tyler
(hr Siephtnson) approve this stite OF ihinssf-
Could he consent 70 the adoption Of measures thit
L. u
81 ID TO know how long siDce the doctrine OF the cx-
Fediency OF ceeatrg the eec. on Of public officer
required 10y liw 10 lie made at given tine and IN q
prescribed mode, had L6cone popular win that
gentleman u Mr. Is memory did rot miseAd
him, he thought when The subject Of the election Of
Senator Of lie United States fem The State Of
Virginia had been be!o thst BODY, and when the
De ay which had then rctdy occIlrtd in tie PEI
Torrance Of THAI duty, was aaver,ed TO- the gentle
man from lyle. (Slf 5 rphcn on) was dspo. eI 10
refer that de ay 10 the action Of particular party
upon that hJor and If Mr. l.. was not most ,gfe-
gIOG,ly mistaken, DID nou1te ihat action in 70
measured terms, as dHor sanizing and royolutiontgy
and worthy OF al Condemnation. With his wontfG
re and ~ his aIlmlt,d mann.r, he did dwell up
on the beauty aud fitness q lie performance by
that BODY Of all us legal ard tOns iuiiOnal duties
and Of the obvious proprety Of It's pInceeding
promptly 70 tic election Of all such officers whom
1t devoISod UPON IL TO appoint. Had The gentle.
mans views been altered upon this subject Had
"a change come DER the spirit o. BIS drcam1"--
would he feyubnic the sentiments 90 which he had
so lately 2 ven ureTanca, and now fecOmmefd that
Dolly TO Hcopt a measure which must or might lead
10 the utter detat Of any election Of 50 high and re-
spOnsiplc m officer rs the President If The Bank of
FTgihni He'd that gentleman bestowed his usual
reelection uron this subject Had he duly eonsid.
er,d the legal consequences and effects Of failure
on the p1n Of the d ectors 10 elect q President2-
Mr. l.. would draw his attention to tnem and invite
10 cufncs consideration Of Ibis bTInrh Of the sub.
c. before u should be 100 late u retrac his stecs
Mo l.. said % Wa true The gentleman ON TYLER
tMr SiephensOn) had deuOunc the action of tho
stockholders IN proceeding to make an election Of
directors on 'het part, on lie day prescribed 10y