Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-07

s ne haa predicted; for he had distnctIv sts-
The .s,;a "" -, would totally disregard
ne action OF that House His predictions hal ,hs'n
,ofe, oeen most FULLY verified. when.v.r ~ ..,
,e purpose OF these stockholders to coma an, -
'S.o's az the hands OF tho Legislature thew "a !,
Sn, ~, numlty, and were remarkably eo,aptsissrt.
ut was quite clear that they were readv a.
embrace every opportunity OF thwartng The W
es ., inc Legislature when they thou,h, ,h...
could 90 SO with lmpuny. He cared no, " Sor
the action Of the Stockholders al ~ NO. ior
solitary and alone he would record hi. 49, nc $1,000
subjects he wished to inform those stockhoId,.a
tnai whatever course they might regard \. ~,
pc. Tor them to pursue, would not influence hin,
IN the slightest degree. He did moi r.,,rJ ~, IN"
Ject IN the light in which the gentlrmsn ra VIZ spc
.eisoors viewed Il. IL the Legislature ,don,ad -
solutions asking the Executive to nom;n.,p NJ.
sors hostile to the re election Of the Pre.dsn,
the nr.ss scuye ecquiesced in those instructions,
o present President could not be 70 elected ,n
ess, indeed, he should vote for HIMSELF io,' ~
moasn me stockholders had elected drcctore an,
s;%.o, S nsa only yet one of the was the Pre-
siuent himself. who was not likelv bo sho,id 49,
to vote for himself But, WHEELER ,,,,;n,., u,nA,
70 nave effect or not, these resolutions ourL, -,
DC taken up, that the country mich, 60. 81 $3.50 W
Were Their opinions with reference to the subiee,
lie did not mean 10 occupy much time unoo r.
subject; but whether little or much he Ala VIC
10 endeavour to obtain deliberate express;on Of
members opinions on the resolutions. He hon.,
'ne iiouse would agree to take up and consider The
resolutions in question. ""
Iohf
be cxpressed,-f it was proper th,i ,h,, son. y.
should give one, he should deem that the action IN,
ken oy the stockholders ought TO have No inA,.nc.
upon thas oody-lf they were going in a right d.
reeuoni u were proper for that house TO take anv
steps TO put in out the President of tho RI ~
would submit that course taken eIseyh.rn H.,
any body OF men ought to influence tbo nc,;on n
that house-,it was his belief that all that the honss
could 10 IN the matter was to express its opinion AMI
that II they designed expected to controu The in
dependence, the action and free will of the STOCK
holders OF this Commonwealth, they would propose
10 do that which neither by the charter nor on anv
principle OF right and justice were they authorized
IN dolns-Ihat expression Of opinion too in what
ever form that opinion might be expressed WINS H.
sen not proper subject for the house To nct upop
re had intended when the question the merits
oil the case had been brought before the House, to
have endeavored TO satisfy the members of thai
fiouse that all attempt at interference in the matter
was direct encroachment on the Executive autho-
Iny, on those powers with which he was clothed by
the laws OF the land, well rs an infringement on
the laws OF the Bank-On these grounds he had in
tended TO have moved the ind Unite postponeuept
OF the whole subject when il mad been called up-
IL was true that he had been in favor of inquiry;
that he had desired investigation, because he
thought such inquiry due to the individuals implica-
ted, but he would contend that the present move
ment on the part OF the house ought to be pro-
eeeued with, being essentially wrong and out of the
legitimate sphere of its legislative functions and du-
~. Was 1t ever contemplated that that house should
have an indirect mode OF legislilng a President in
or out OF Office, contrary TO the spirit and meaning
oil tue chatterf Alter some other unimportant re-
marks, the gentleman concluded by announcing his
intention OF voting against taking up the resolutions
from that time forward, although perfectly disposed
ever the question should come on TO 20 I'M O the
merits of the case.
Mr.. GREGORY said that action of some sort he
deemed Indispensable. So long as the resolutions
laid upon that table, il would be competent for
any member or set of members TO rise from dsy To
day and move that they be taken up for considern-
uon lie had seen, on various occasions proposi-
tons laid upon the table, and an attempt made to
prevent Their being taken up; but where "a body of
members were opposed TO that course, he had never
yet seen them defeated in ultimately being abe 10
bring them up for discussion, lie differed entirely
win the views oil the gentleman, who supposed
that the action OF that House ought be Influenced
by the stockholders their decisions They on he
hall OF the State, and the stockholders IA adj each
their separate duties TO perform-duties, indepen-
dent the ono OF the other. He qnarreled not with
the stockholders they had only exercised their eei,i
mate tunctions;-Ihey had perfect right 10 elect
their Directors, and they had yesterday exercised
that right. IL was true, that und r their charter
they might have postponed their election for a day
or two-but they had not done so. He had never
supposed that they would do So and therefore now
trt no disappointment on the subject He differed
with those gentlemen who were opposed 10 acting
on these resolutions. They were there acting as
the representatives Of the People Of Virginia, who
had deep, very great interest in that Bank;-ha-
wing that interest, they felt that their representa-
tves were the proper persons TO investigate its al
lars and take such steps rs would eiIectualy Sc
cure them from all injury in It's management. By
the charter, they had power TO investigate by Com
mittee. Now, II they had not the power 10 consi-
der and act upon the judgment and statements of
that Committee, IN their investigation, OF what use
was the COMMITTEE, and the power TO them delega-
tedI IL, then, they had the power 10 nyestigate
and found that this Bank was badly managed or
that in any one respect it was so badly managed
that the interests their constituents had material
y suffered could not they, the agents of the Peo-
pie, say that II was wrong, and labor 10 appv N
remedy They had appointed Committee who
had gone into the investigation, had gathered facts
and arrived at certain conclusions and were thew
now to be told that, TO consider those conclusions
would be going beyond the functions of th,t l
Houel But was it improper to consider the resc. \
lutions in question They were not the resolutions
Of the Committee but Of members Of that House
They were offered by the member from TYLER with 1
an amendment or addition by himself They con- 1
ceived that the Report Of the Committee justified |
the conclusions 10 which they came-they might he /
wrong and the House might think so, and by their
votes might say so, and then there would be an end
70 the matter II no action could take place on the
Report of the Committee, he was prepared TO move
that the Committee on Banks be discharged and he
thought resolution had better be passed giving The
Banks power to do just they pleased with their
money. They had right to investigate the affairs
OF lhe Banks ahh having that right, they had full
power to debate upon and TO examine the results of
such investigation. IL was mere mockery 10 eve
them right to report and then refuse to consider
that report and he should, therefore, vote for taking
up these resolutions, and should be perfectly salts
ned with the result, whatever it might be- 10 winch
the House should come. He was not disposed IN
waste tho time Of the House on the question and
was, therefore, IN favor OF immediate action, Cor.
sldering the refusalto take up these resolution.
test OF the opinions of members upon the question
at large, he should move for the ayes and noes
The call for the ayes and noes was sustained.
Mr. CRuTcHFIELD would like 10 know whetherI
they were not IN precisely the same condition no,y
as they were in on Monday, when the House de-
ermlned, by very decided vote, TO lay these reso-
lutons on the table. What had occurred sinoe 10
induce that body to change their determination -.
On Monday last the resolutions and amendment
were i.upo; . .i. '"e 90 - gro,.. .,,, ~.
Committee had made report; that an amendment
had been offered 10 that TepoHj that another "a
port had been offered as n Substitute and that n
was necessary that all these with the evidence In
ken before the COMMITTEE, ought TO bo printed be-
fore members were called upon 10 decide in the
matter. Those printed rpporte not yet distri-
buted; and why should they do now what the
House expressly refused on Monday to do, viz: 10
act upon the report without having the evidence be-
fore theml lie had no idea that the House ,gasl
going 10 do any thing Of this kind. Whateyerl'
necessity there might be for immediate action bs
fore yesterday, there could be none now. The
stockholders had acted their part yesterday; md no
would beseech the House not 10 pursue n course
which would seem to no trihirg with the dignity oil
the House. They had instituted n solemn enquiry
and now gentlemen were calling upon them To- dc y
eide, without having the evidence before them Al
there was no necessity for pushing this matter, 4o