Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1841-07-15

81 congress, ~ utd h0t htsS" 80" 1"Ns
were to be branded with the mark-of Cain,
and not permitted to have discount even
in their own ueighborhood. There were
some bad men 10 Congress, but surely
there were many high mind d, vlrinous
members, and be would never consent 10
rot mark on them to d sgrace them.
Mr.. Woodbury. said few words on the
subject of the Directors oil the Baltimore
branch.
Mr.. Walker vindicaied himself from
the inputation Of having attempted to de.
grade members Of Congress. The bor-
rover is the servant OF the lender-so we
ure told by ihe wis's, man in Divine Au-
thority-and he believed the tendency OF
his amendment would be TO elevate The
members Of both Houses. II would ele-
yate them fifty feet.
Mr.. King said this proposition would
elevate the character of Congress, and if
his friend from Mississippi had not brought
il forward, he would himself have moved
il. OF the members who hid received
loans-as list was not made public
he would say that he knew some of them
had no means to meet their obligations.
He should not regard the amendment as
fixing any stigma on him and he was
sure that some guard was necessary
against the various avenues by which cor.
ruptlon might approach the members OF
the two Houses. He would vote to de.
priye himself OF the means of obtaining
money from the bank.
Mr.. Henderson and Mr.. Mcrrick were
willing to vote for reasonable limitation.
Mr.. Walker.-Name a sum.
Mr.. Bayard would name 10 or $4,000
dollars. He was Of opinion that the pro.
vision 10 the bill already was n sufficient
guard in reference TO members Of Con-
gress.
Mr.. Walker claimed the merit Of hay-
ing voted throughout with view to the
public good. He had been compelled in
this way to support amendments offered
by the Senator from Kentucky, and TO
separate from his friends on some OF their
motions. To gain what he now could ne
would so modify his proposition that the
liability of any director shall not exceed
$4,000.
MIR. Clay regarded this as question of
administration. The parent bank should
fix the Limitation of the branch direc.
tors. If limit be fixed, every drec-
tor will feel himself bound 10 borrow up
to il. He presumed if the limit were fix.
ed, that if a Director wished to sell bill
of exchange Of an amount above the limit
he would be una bic to sell il.
W.it.o. .,,oIo Soma observations
to shew in what manner u Director might
obtain money by an arrangement with the
Director of another Bank. A limit there.
fore was necessary. A commission mer.
chant in Natchez was one Of the Bank
Directors, and made great sums by dis
counts.
Mr. Berrien thought that uniform linn
it would operate very unequaly and un.
Justly, as in some places It would De
equivalent to the denial of any Limitation
at all.
Mr.. Simmons asked if this !im, was
intended to include all paper on which the
name Of Director might appear.
Mr.. Walker replied IN the Affirmative
loans to members Of Congress.
MI. Allen made some observations in O
similar vein.
The question was then taken on the
first branch of the amendment Of Mr..
Walker, and decided in the Affirmative
ayes %, noes 81.
Tho question then being on the residue
of the neutrality-suspicious. loans TO
members Of Congress,-wa decided IN
tho neyative-ayes % noes %.
The Senate then adjourned.