Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-12
H. OF Delegates, March ~, lS42.

therefore, in my promised structures, give any thing
like mehodcal review OF their positions and expos'
tons, even if had the leisure to do But 1t is not
at all necessary to 20 into any formal review. We
ought In this in other case, TO be governed
by sound principles, and ''lc justice be done, though
the Heavens fall II never be right 10 do wrong.
"ilonesty is the policy III all cases Bank OH
GERS, their dupes, and dependents may torture their
brains IN endeavorlng To pervert and bateli the
TRUTH to bend to their interest, and make square
with their theories in political economy-They but
rvet,ing the conviction upon the popular mind, that
cur Banks at present organized and conducted, and
pampered they have been by our legislators, are al
war with the rights and interests OF the community,
and with the Fundamental principles of our system
of Government No heightened review, or tedious
analysis necessary to prove this 10 any mtel!i-
gent mind that Will investigate the subject. At the
very onset OF Investigations, you are required 10
give up the principles of common honesty, and TO adj
that Banks cannot be, aud ought not To be held
bound BY the laws Of the land By those moral prin
cipes hitherto considered binding upon men IN their
dealings with each other Unless you yield all this,
and than this, all their reasoning falls to The
ground Without yielding this much, yen cannot re.
lease the Banks their obligations TO pay Their debts,
on demand agreeaby their charters, and their posi-
tive promises, the face of their notes neither can
you deprive their creditors of any Of the remedies or
guarantees upon the faith of which Bank paper has
palmed upon the people in exchange for their la
Dor or property Has the Legislature any right to do
any such thing No such rg;it BE- found any
principle or provision of the Constitution Ga the
contrary, the exercise Of such power pal pably
ative Of some of the most vital constitutions! proSt-
sions and daring, dangerous dcmoralzinr encroach-
me upon the rghs Of the people PrscrdeatS cannot
s,uctiiy such cncroachmen thousand wrongs can
not make one right
But, even Il principle is be buried, and poiiey
conradistingushed from principle, IS to govern your
legislative action, expe Renee teaches, that, undo. the
Baas Relief laws the Banks have progressed from bad
worse from o!ly 10 fraud, and from imptutence TO
egaii-ed crime that their customers. and dependents,
too are wotseG instead OF betlered and too o their
stockholders THIS is manifest, from Their testr-
mony And as 10 the condition Of the mass OF the
people and the condition OF our Governments, State
and National, IN monetary point o: view, tie banks
their advocates and dependents, foremost and loud
est IN sounding the note %! distress. What foolish,
wicked reckless quackery Il IS then, 10 seek tOr
dies for existing evils, by pampering and perpetuatng
their causes That vicious banking, ana VICIOUS e-
gisation regard banks, have been the most prolific
causes OF these evils, admitted by the Bank men
themselves And il no; grating TO your feelings, my
dear Sir and insulting 10 your dignity law
maker 10 see the Banks by their officers come before
YOU, claiming further avortrsm at your hands, upon
the ground tha, other lawless banks other States
are their law gvers and that you and your people must
tolerate and sustain them state ot rebslon against
our own laws even the laws under which 'hey enjoy
tei, corporate existence ami priv eges Sustain them
IN this rebeous and insulting position, and follows,
that are be cursed with currency consisting ex
upon which cur people TO be shaved and s"indled
the wall and pleasure Of any Bcde or Biddle Clique,
in any ad joiunc State without the hope Of remedy or
protection FROM our laws aw makers According to
OF these bank officers, not even to be allowed
'chnquepln change, unless Congress will 50 debase
our small CON- that nobody but ourselves VIII be foolish
enou Oh TO receive Verify, this Bank President must
calculate largely upon the ignorance and guilibty of
our representatives He knows, that any people who
produce ANYTHING to trade upon, command sound
her ut a n
currency allowed 10 hold The mastery lie knows,
:o he has that shuplaste and small notes can be
driven from circulation and ,her places supplied with
hard money the space even Of few months, under
laws forbicd.ng their circulation Look at the depre
cation of the notes Of III. Wheeling banks See how
their notes have lied from Eastern and Middle VFgl-
MA at the command Of Richmond clique. | aliude
to this not for the purpose OF Justification or censure;
/ but shew how easy 1t is 10 prescribe and banlsh
any unsound currency from circulation.
The most plausible, and therefore the most dangerous
reasoning OF these Bank officers founded upon their
half told facts the baance 0! trade against
! DO they mean tell you, that people have
sound currency but must take shnpasters, whenever
the balance OF trade against them: Now, the real
truth IS, that the balance of trade against Us, has
been created and kept up manly b. the excessive and
vicious indu licences extended 10 our banks by our e
gislators, and by the facilities granted b. our
banks their pampered customers. The bank officers
themselves admit that CROPS can correct this
balance and that nothing else The only sure de-
7
are nodestly asked let the banks have the crops of
your constituents !or deprecated paper with the GER
tain consequences, that Your constituents are 10 eear
the losses consequent upon that depreciation, whilst
the banks are TO enjoy the dement's OF the SOUND cur
renew and specie funds which crops will command
l. 1t not So my dear Sr Enquire, examine, and sec
how things work, and you Will lind It SO lon, know,
wall no, say such demands bat It is plainly to
be seen that majority Of the Legislature villa ma
jorty too, consisting mainly Of those who camor most
J Ia a
ton OF National Bank. Ii they honest friends
of sound currency, they could not so cast their votes
as 20 palm upon the people debased currency. But
this they doing Their acts prove their professions
10 ae false. -,..., J.. .,,o .o,,.
that the banks making profits upon the debts which
they themselves and refuse pay and that their
customers also wish 10 get RID OF the inconvenience oil
paving their debts, and 10 borrow more and more mo
new and that it 10 taror them that the passage OF
bank relief laws is demanded.
/ Now hope that no man who knows me, will charge
me with wishing to see bank debtors any other debt
ors oppressed. But | cannot find in my heart one
rran OF favor 70. any measure, which WORKS out njus
lice and oppression upon the great mass OF the people
tor the special benefit of any teored class. And, be-
sides The relief 10 vogre, viii ai! TO relieve
even those sought 10 be favored Our monetary affairs
have always grown worse and worse underthem. The
loss of Confluence inevilbly results from them, and
the weake. portion OF tie community always suffer
mos, when that want Of confidence prevails. Prevail
i. viii, 50 long as Bankrupt laws, paper tender iars
and bank relief laws the orders Of the day. they
are in this cav OF corruption and misrule
You will see i, glance, thu, write in too great a
hurry, 10 write even legibly to one unacquan'ed with
nv land Bu, dissatisfied as ain with what have
written GIVE YOU leave to hand TO our friend, the
Editor of the Enquirer for publication, II you deem it
6t. remain
Your friend, and
A FRrrxp TO THE SPECIE SrASDARD.
| February ., lci2.