Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-01-12

changes and vicssi,udes OF that even,foi period
who had plotted il successfully though The trials il
was exposed TO IN time of war-through the yet
more insid,ous SshGers OF a period of peace;
whose and, IN times OF difficulty the State itself was
bound to acknowledge, and who still possessed the
en're confidence of the great body of those whose
interests had been entrusted to his keeping. II Dr.
broekenbrough deserved to be removed, he ought
10 nave been, and, doubtless, would have been re-
moved by those whose interests were SO decply in
VOWED IN the proper management OF the institution.
ihey best understood their interests and knew best
how to protect them; and they, by a most decisive
vote, had again expressed their preference leave
them IN his keeping. And yet, after all this he mus,
DO dragged before this House and the country, al
most as State criminal, and the power Of the State
must he called upon TO crush Tor negligence the Of
hcer OF a Bank Would any one believe that the
Legislature OF Virginia. in case where their nu-
thoniy was ct most doubtful nature-would any
one believe that 1t would use the vast power which
II possessed, except in a case Of great magnitude
and great crminaty1 And yet this case seen in its
worst form and most disadvantageous light was all
summed up as a Of neglect OF duty; a NEGLECT Of
duty, too, into which, from the circumstances at
tending II, any man might have readily fallen. lie
begged the House to look n little closer into
this matter, and to see whether the President
alone was to blame for any neglect OF duty and TO
consider how far the principle they seemed disposed
TO lay down would carry them IL was admitted
that IT the Cashier had kept down the amount Of
money, IN The hands OF the Teller TO the level Of
what was necessary TO meet demands uron that Of
hcer as was his duty, then this extraordinary loss
could not have occurred. Again, il the President,
as was his duty, had required OF the Cashier more
strict performance of his duties, the result could not
have taken piace;-H was further true that il the
Directors, any of them, had counted the mo.
ney OF the Bank monthly or quarterly, as the bye
laws required, the loss could not, in all proba bty
have been susained lit was further true, that the
COMMITTEE of that House, charged, at each session.
with the investigation into the affairs Of this nsti
tuition, had, during the last the preceding year.
strictly performed the duties enjolned them, that
then the loss might have been avoided; If, asaip
that House, or any one member OF that House, du-
q rig the last two sessions had performed his duty
TO the full extent of which he was capable-the duty
TO w.t. of examining into the condition of the Banks
then this vast defalcaiion could have occur
red But, in truth, neither the House, the COM
mttecs, any more than the Directors, the Presi
dent or the Cashier (however different their dein-
quency IN dcgrce) had performed their duties strictly
? TO the letter. The Committees reported that ali
4 was WELL and that House announced 10 the country
that all was well; all, doubtless believing such TO be
t the fact Why did not the House ascertain the
truth OF the report that all was we'll before it went
forth IN the country Because they had confidence
j IN the Committed Why did not the Committee see,
d for themselves, that the condition of the Bank was
= what It was represented TO be- Because they had
= confidence in the President and Direciors;-the
President and Directors did not, because they mu-
e tualIy had confidence in another and in the
Cashier; the Cashier IN the Teller and thus through
the whole cham from end TO end, there the same
II excess of confidence, and all had erred, though not
IN lnlS IN ali was there ueplT-
ture from that strict aIentoa Duty which, II per-
l. formed by any member OF the two last Legislatures
V or by any member OF their Bank Committees or by
:, any officer connected with the Bank, would have
l. prevented the dealcaton in question. He would,
/ therefore, ask the members OF that House. whether
e they were prepared the ground of excess of
= confidence, when they themselves, land he, as
: one OF them, was perfectly ready TO take his
s. full share OF the neglect, and meet the censure
r, it might seem to desetve,) were also culpa-
l. blel Were they prepared, for that cause to
le immediate the President of the Virginia Bank1
Was that House prepared to pronounce the exist
e. ence OF confidence a crime p He knew nothing OF
that noble and generous quality, Il il could be So
of considered II they banished confidence from their
I'd bosoms they would rob life of It's pure feel
ne inss, one of ITS cheiesi blessngsit entered into
- all the moral enjoymenls Of life Without it,
IN where friendship where all the finer and
n. holier affections OF the hearth Indispensable 10
10 the enoymenis 1t less necessary in the bu-
e siness of life: without it, success could attend no
nd pursut--happlness be found in no condition
On was quality deep-seated in our very natures and
nd was strongest IN the most generous bosoms-W here
A. found in excess il su "faull that leaned 10
y virtues side, and deserved respect where It nigh,
Dis not be approved. Shew him, said Mr.. r.. a man
n IN whose bosom confidence (slow as its growth
/. should be- and jealousy II should be watched)
nd could take no root, and will shew you one whose
ne nature is more akin to fend than TO man. He would
ve shun such a man he would the coiled adder in
n, his path, watching, but waiting, strike: Or he
,r might be kened TO bird Of prey sitting on the
be top OF some tall tree, alert TO deScry danger vet
lie ready TO swoop upon the first helpless unSuspect-
- ing victim that should come within reach Of his
i. wing. Who was there living that would not feel
=, life itself burden without conhdenceI IT. on the
- other hand, he could be shewn a man who had ne
" yer neglected duty, he would shcw them one " 10
- was more n God than for such n man must
:; Ie consummaIe IN wisdom, perfect in virtue free
-. from all trallty or weakness. There was none such
and 1t was hopeless TO expect to make such by law
n With respect TO all the laws imposing duties on
. men IN the performance of public trusts thew
= might rest assured that, however severe they
might make them, do what they would, they need
: never expect, nor would they realize from any man.
: greater degree OF attention s,rctness in the
discharge Of those duties than he would bestow i'm
the duties which he was performing for himself:--
: they might pile line upon line, precept upon pre-
" cept; they might multiply penalties to the utmost
extent; they might decorate thor public edifces
with the heads of victims sacrificed Tor the neglect
OF some dutyi they might lIne all the approaches
20 Office with these terrific warnings 10 incte to vi
: glance, but so long as human nature should conti-
nue. what Il Is, they would never be able TO secure
greater degree Of attention and care to the pub
nc interests than man was willing TO paw 10 his
, own private affairs. He might refer those who in
duged other expectations, TO the beautiful fable Of
Argus, who was represented with a hundred ewes
1 as Tie very type Itself of watchiulness; yet he,
too, OVERSIGHT, and during that sleep, the prize
which he guarded was rIviShed from him. The
moral Of the fable to testify the eternal truth
that whichfulness itself will sometimes slumber
! I anu confidence IN the breast o. man the music
that ultd Argus into lorgeifuness. II the House
was not disposed to look upon the fault Of oyercsn-
hdencc, IN the light 40 which lie viewed IT, they
IN ghi m this instance at least, look upon il with
some degrec Of indulgence. II surely was not a
crime TO call doWn the power of the State for
the lmmolaon OF the yctin, 10 cause him 10 sufFer
, under the II fiction Of public irii and judgment
lie thought It was too common a fault for man 10
look too strictly TO the letter Of the law and too lit
tie at the nature Of man;-that justice, which was
administered without regard to the feelings Of hu.
mainly, did not deserve the name Which Of them
selves was II that had not also neg ected his duty
No man within the reach of his voice would 90 I'M
punished Il held down TO the Performance Of all his
duties to the letter. And he appealed to members
soto discharge duty in ths case as to en,i,le them
TO say IN their hearts-"That mercy ! to others
bhcw that mercy shew 10 me-" II they do not dc.
slgh 10 lnhct punishment, he would have them ia
. cure whether the interests OF the Commonwealth
demanded that this rellova should take place
/ Was there any ons who doubted The capicltv and
skill, as Banker ord Flnarcisr Of the Gentleman
/ ~ the head Of the Bank Of Virginia. Were 40.
his sJItes 50 distinguished, and his skill so well
1 known and universally acknowledged that he stood
Ivy general consent, the faeils priHetps in Banking
and Finance1 To matters Of Enanct Re had direct.
ed his attention from bis youth upvards-his tkil
had been employed 70 the benefit Of the institution
the great emolument Of the stakeholder, and the
weliaIc Of the State;-hs liboraty in Tunes Of DIFF
| hculty and danger was acknowledged by the com
mcrclal public, and even the State had nerenred