The Arkansas banner., 1844-07-31
A PLAIN QUESTION.
TO TIE eorrps or PULASKI COUNTY.


 reprcseatutipe Qf He REAL ESTATE BANK, or Qf as
 pEorLE?
 This question is repeated. II is question for tbe qeople; and we intend to keep it before th2m.---
 That by doing so we have given, and shall conjin-
 ue to give, offence to the Whig leaders in this city,
 is no more than we expected. Il presents an issue
 which they have long feared, and have cause to
 fear IL is an issue between moaeyea eofpefatioa,
 and the peopie--between a few men, who claim the
 right to pursue their own tadiridaal interest without
 inenning adirdnat responsibility to the tqo CT o the people and the mass of the people, who, of right,
 make the iaw, and of duty, are amenable to it. Or,
 in other and fewer words, 1t is in issue--whetller
 He Cashier of Inc Real Estate Baa5. or a represea-
 ti0e Qfe people, shall legslae for Pulaski county
 This is an issue which we did not seek to make with
 the Whig party of this county. They have suffered
 themselves to be involved in it. by the interruptions
 and indecate conduct of their leaders. What has been tie conduct of those leaders Knowing that
 the affairs of the Real Estate Bank were subjects ol
 inquiry and complaint, among the people, and would, in all probability be the subject of Investigation by the next Legislature, tbe Attorney and Cashier oi
 ilat Bank set themselves to worl. to fortfy them
 selves against exposure and its penalties. In pur- stance of this plan, they formed aClay Club, ,
 and made the Ga8tier its President; thus uniting
 and identifying themselves with political party;
 and hoping to palm of, upon the people, their
 schemes of private interest and banking operations
 under the euse of a patriotic zeal, and political
 movement. The first step, in their cunningly de-
 vised plan of operations, was to assemble State
 Convention That Convention met That t met
 by order of this Clay Glub-of which the cag1fer of the Real Estate Bank iB Presided. is matter of public noorety; for its lnanagers were soindsereet as to publish their proceedings, through hei Bd,t orgaa in this city in which it was expressly sated
 they had assembled at the call of the Ijfls Roct
 Cla9 64u5. A short time bcfore meeting of the
 Clay Club was called, for the purpose of raising
 fund.to pay the expenses. of the members of the
 ConYention while in this city and il was sabse- qnenty announced in the same Baah organ. that these expenses would be paid. And this was held out, as strong indacement to individuals, in dis tant counties, to attend the Convention. Uponthese Gcts We charged al tGe time, that this pretendeJ State Convention of the Wings, was to all inteats and purposes, Q Clay Club Convention, ordered and paid hy the Little Rock Clay Club, and therefore, bound b do the bidding of it's masters. That this was the case, we do not believe any intelligent man will question: or any candid one will deny. Does any one doubt for ra nomeat that the Clay Club was formed by the Attorney aad Cashier of the Real Estate Bank, or tbat 1t was controlled by them, H all its pfocecdiags2 It would be a reflection upon the good sense of any man. in this community, to suspect him of entertaining any such doubt.
 It has been suggested to us that these officers of the Real Estate Bank not only controlled the Clay Club ia the calling of the Goayention but that they hemselses, paid is expenses Whether this be true We do not know; nor can aRy one know, with eer- tainty, except these officers and the officers of the Club through whose hands the money had s pass and be expended, It is believed to De true, how ever; because the proposition is understood to have been made by them and, more especially, because the money not guised at ate meetiag of He Club heH t6r the pupose 1t is said and is no doubt true that not more than four or five members of the Club attended that meeting, although the bell was Iung half dozen times-and that not more than t,ceaiy dohirS were contributed. Yet the Bank organ pro claimed that the expenses would be paid Some one must have contributed the money. Who did t? The presumpdon is natural aud strong that the off cors Of the Real Estate Banl, did it; for they had made the proposition, not only of holding the Con renton, but, alse, of paying t; and having it st that the payment would be made after they had failed to wiring tue means from the rank and file Of their followers they stood pledged for it. Moreover, it was to their interest to do it-under the il was indispensable 10 M5G sqtsg, ] and siaaiag, that they shouddo it. Did they do 1t They had publicly proposed. and were substantially pledged to do it n part This shews that principle did not restrain tAem and that iaieregt was not only
 heirmotive, but tie rule of their conduct. Besides why should dey hesitate about the propriety of such transaction, when their iihlstrioos exemplar had not hesitated before them! Were not the United States Bank and Nictqlas Bi33ie, the great Temple and Idol of their financial and political a1oration and had not the operations of tlat Bank and that Fmaneier established the wisdom, policy, and mo- raiy of using any amount of the funds of the Bank in orler to screen ter misdeeds from exposure and defend themseI against the indignation o the pco- pte Why, tben should the officers of the Real Es- tate hana-these lesser lights in the grea. fuan- cial frinament-Why should they hesitate to follow in such glorious tootsteps2 They were surrounded by temptation the most sedaetiee-impelled by inte- rest the most controlling encouraged by the most dazzling exampIe-prorided with ample means,- and unresraned by any consideration of policy or morality ind tte act 'eas done! Does any sane man doubt who did 1t; Does any man, who pre- tends to the capabiHy o forming an opinion of hu- man conduct, doubt iofonc moment that the A tor ney and Cashier of the Real Estate Bank, by their order, assembled the so-ealled, Whg State Coayen- ton, paid its expenses, and controlled is aeton? If there be any force in circumstances short of pos tive proof then no sane mind can come to any other Whethersuch conduct, as is thus shewa to have baen committed, be right or wroag-and if if 'croag, what amount ofpopular odium should attach to it, may be subject of future inquiry. It is our present purpose ta ascertain what has been done.
 The foregoing indicates the circumstances, and the motives, which induced the managers to assem- ble the pretended Whig Convention. From which. t is evident that 1t was not Convention of the peo-