The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-08-31
sppears to be more to find. fault, than a wish TO

correct or point out abuses for amendment.
am friend to the Bank, as | think every GooC
citizen is, in some measure bound TO be, while i
is properly conducted. We are all concerned il
1t, as the common purse of the body politic--tht
actual sub-treasury of the State Of South Caro-
'slina. And what harm has it done! Has it viola
ted lis charter! Or has il gore contrary to any
,other known law of the land, that it should be
criminallv condemned! Or is it clear Of every of,
fence Of this kind, and only guilty Of going coun
ter, in its action to the notions and opinions some
people have of banking! ,Ifit isathe nonsrous
offender we are told it is, why and where has the
justice of the country slunlbercd so long! How
has it escaped the punishment Of its crimes so
long, and what now wakers it from its lcthargIc
sleep! Has something new about it come to light!
Or does it, as has been intimated, make the rich
richer and the poor poorer! Certain il is, that in
both these classes, you will find its debtors; and
venture the assertion in its behalf, that no 9TH
er Bank in the State can show the names of as
many poor men on its note list, as this Bank
preston by it, where there was good security, or
a reasonable prospect of improvement by grant
ing indulgence. No-no such charge as this has
been made against it, butthet probability is, the
other extreme is where the blame lies; too much
Indulgence has been gircn. Admit this to be a
fault, and that it really cxists-l would then ask
the question for what was L established! Was it
intended to give no accommodation to its own.
masters-but to make money out of them for
their own benefit, by pressing and shaving them,
and give no reasons for it, but such as cid Shy
lock;himself would give;
"But say, it is my humour:
So can give no reason, nr viii not,
More than a lodged hate, and a certain loatlling
/ bear hntonio.'
There are hundreds of good mca, who will
say, but for this Bank their. fortunes would have
been ruined, and they made misunderstanding
up Their little farms, and probably sending of
at the same time no injury has been done TO the
Bank by the timely aid thus afforded.
In connexion with the subject in hand, allow
me to glance at the avo"cd opposition to all
Banks, which we occasionally hca~, in coaycrsa-
tion on public matters. ] look upon it as sor;
OF floating on the surface opinion, entertained and
expressed without much thought or reflection
caused probably, by the msmaHa-cnt and dis
honesty that has prevailed in large number Of
the moncd institutions Of the country, to which
however, and am proud and happy to say it,
our State is notorious!y, an exception. am not
one Of those who look upon Banks as indispcnsa-
bic, but on the contrary, if VIC could retrace fif-
ty years, ana retain our present experience,
have not Goubt but we could, as a nation, get
along better without Banks than with them, hut
now we are used to Banks and banking, we have
them of our own, in our midst, and we cannot re-
trace; therefore, our interest requires that we
cherish, maintain, and protect them; and where
and whenever we discover any thing wrong have
it corrected.
One of the evil tendencies Of banking, upon
which much stress has been laid, is the creation
and circulation of an excess of currc&cy. thereby
lHuuCllln d''u HiI' 'IIN u'''''t
This evil however, need not excite much apprc-
henson, while the continuance Of specie pay
ment: is held as guarantee OF so!vency.
No friend of the Bank of the State can regret
a cool discussion Of its affairs; for, if any thing
is wrong it should it bclinown, and il all is right,
as doubtless it is, there is nothing to fear And
here let me observe, for your satisfaction, that as
the law now stands, there is hut little danger Of
foul pay-for, every two years, the Bank and its
branches are subjected TO a asoaTching invcstiga-
ton, by a committee Of members, selected from
both houses Of the Legislature. Read their re-
ports, and you will be astonished to see how
close they look into the smallest particulars.
Since 1912, when this Bank was first charter
ed it has gone on regularly; taking care Of, and
advancing the best interests of the Statc-and
certainly, unless it has done much worse than
have heard Of, nothing should induce US to abol-
ish It altogether, at this trying time in money
matters. The Directors are selected annually
from among the people, to assist in its manage
ment- They, with you and myself, are alike in
terested in its good conduct, and as they get ne
pay for their services, can only have in view the