The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1844-08-09

was also rejected by the Clay

ard, Berrien, Choate, Clay of Kentucky, Clayton
rick, Miller, Morehead, Phelps, Porter, Prentiss
Preston, Simmons, Smith of Indiana, Southard
Tallmadge, White, Woodbridge-26.
Thus did the Wing leaders manifest their oppo-
sition to publicity they would not allow the do
ings of the nine rag barons to come to the light leas
they should be reproved They loved darkness;
rather than light because their deeds were evil.
One would have supposed that after the expo
sure of the old Banks attempt to buy up the peo
Piles representatives, the Wings would have been
willing to adopt some measures to prevent recur-
renee of this legalized bribery, but with excep-
ton they clung 10 it. Mr.. Walker moved to pro-
hibit loans to members of Congress. And upon
this motion the vote was as follows:-
YEAS-Messrs Allen, Benton, Buchanan, Cal
houn, Clay OF Alabama, Cuthbert, Fulton, Hen
derson, King, Linn, McRoberts, Mouton, Nichol'
son, Pierce, Prentiss, Sewer, Smith of Connec-
ticut, Sturgeon, Walker, Williams, Woodbury.,
Wright, Young-23.
| NAYS-Messrs Archer, Barrow, Bates, Bay
ard, Berrien, Choate, Clay of Kentucky, Clayton,
Dixon, Evans, Huntington, Ker, Mangum, Miller,
Morehead, Porter, Simmons, Smith of Indiana,
Southard, Tallmadge, White, and Woodbridge
| o.
Those in the negative are all Wings.
| The old Bank it will be recollected notwth-
standing its insolvency voted and presented to Bid
die twenty thousand dollars worth OF silver plate
To prevent all illegal squandering of the public
money hereafter was we presume the object of Mr..
Woodbury. in the following amendment -
Mr. Woodbury. moved to amend the bill by in
sertng proviso, prohibiting directors or stock
holders from making any donations out of the funds
of the Bank.
Mr.. Clay asked if gentlemen were prepared to
create corporation, and deprive it of vitality, in
short, making it what Lord Coke designated a cor
poration, a body without soul. He would move
so to amend it as to prohibit donations being made
to officers of the bank.
The question was then taken on MIR. Clays
amendment, and resulted as follows:
YEAS--Messrs. Archer, Barrow, Bates, Bay
ard, Choate, Clay of Kentucky, Clayton, Dixon,
Evans, Henderson, Huntington, Ker, Mangum,
Menick, Miller, Morehead, Phelps, Porter, Prem
tss, Preston, Rives, Simmons, Smith of Indiana,
Tallmadge, White, and Woodbridge--26
NAYS--Messrs, Allen, Benton, Calhoun, Clay
of Alabama, Cuthbert Fulton, King, Linn, Nc
Roberts, Mouton, Nicholson, Pierce, Sewer,
Smith of Connecticut, Sturgeon, Tappen, Walk
er, Williams, Woodbury., Wright, and Young
21.
& Mr. Clay of Kentucky then suggested to the
Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. Woodbury.
to strike out the stockholders from the amendment,
thus leaving them power to act.
jHMr. Woodbury. said he felt no interest in the
amendment in its present shape, and the Senator
could do what he pleased with it
MI. Clay Of Kentucky then made motion to
that effect.
Mr.. Calhoun opposed the motion on the ground
that one-third of the money was public property,
and that the power should not be given, under any
circumstances, to take away the public treasure.
Mr.. Benton said the proposition was something
new. While the vaults of the Bank were declar-
ed to be the Treasury of the United States, and
the Government could not touch dollar except
under an appropriation by Congress, and on war
rant after going through all the forms al the Depart
ment yet these directors acting in secret, could
vote away any amount of money to any person
whom they pleased, except to themselves.
The public funds should not be considered as the
private property of the directors or stockholders,
and under their direction
Mr. Woodbury. said the prohibition to officers Of
the Bank would not reach the evil.--The late
tank had made donations to those companies, to |
internal improvements, and to police officers
Now, these were objects for which congress could
not appropriate the public money, and yet the stock
holders would have the right to do it.
After some further debate the word stockholder
was stricken out by party vote
Mr. Allen then moved to amend the amendment
to the effect that no donation made by the Bank or
its branches should be charged to the funds of the
government, and enforced the propriety of adopt
ing it at some length. He maintained as the Bank |
was made the Treasury of the naton-as all its
funds as stoekholder or depostor, were in the Gus
tody of this new Treasury department, and are, to
all intents and purposes, public money in the Treas
ury by the very terms of the charter, it was clear
violation Of the Constitution--which says that no
money shall be drawn from the Treasury unless
by law-to permit gratuities to be
made by order of the board Of directors, and the
money 10 be drawn from the public Golfers in vir-
tue ofsuch appropriations.
Mr.. Calhoun said II was surprising what an ef-
feet little complication had upon the views ofgen.
tlemen. If the question was proposed whether
ve should authorise the Receiver General M New