Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1844-02-01
The Miners, Bank.


The Miners Bank.
The question in relation to the Min
ers' Bank was disposed Of in the Coun-
Gil on Wednesday or Thursday OF last
week. 1t was done on this wise the
House, notwithstanding the instruc'
lions to the contrary, passed Mr. Roc
Frs bill, repeating the law granting the
Charter, and sent it to the Council
The bill on its second reading was
committed to a select committee, as
stated by our correspondent last week.
This committee reported substitute IN
exact accordance with the wishes Of the
twelve or thirteen hundred petitioners,
who prayed that the Bank might be
compelled to resume specie payments
within thirty days. The checks and
restraints attached to this substitute
would. if anything could, have made
,he bank a safe institution. But the
enemies Of the bank were so intent up
on its destruction, that they clogged the
substitute with such onerous amend
ments, that it was deemed necessary a.
gain 10 commit the substitute with its
amendments 10 another select commit
tee. This committee reported back the
substitute in its original shape. A.
mendment after amendment was offer
ed by the opponents Of the Bank to
clog the substitute, all or nearly all Of
which were voted down. Mr. LEFT
LER, our Councilman, offered an amend
ment as kind of compromise-some
are SO wicked as TO call it bribery, al
though we de- notify which the bank
might be permitted TO 60 on, provided
its stockholders would give bonus to
the Territory Of ten thousand dollars
In justice 10 Mr. Letter we would say,
that he stated his full belief in the will
lingness of the stockholders to do this
rather than lose their charter.
The substitute went back to the
House. When it came up in its order
"Our Tom" moved the postponemen,
of the question for few days. as he
feared, If taken then, his darling meas.
ure would be defeated. According to
his request it was postponed F; but find-
ing the next day that some Of the alb
sent bank haters had returned, he call
ed it up again. The substitute was
voted down. or rather the 'amendmen,
Of the Council was not agreed to. Il
was then sent back to the Council, who
still adhered to their amendment. A
motion was then made in the Council
to postpone all farther action on the sub.
ject until the fourth Of July next, which
carried. So the affair is left where the
Legislature found it.
The whole scope of Legislation in
relation TO this Bank. shows up the
hollow heartedness of all loco foco pro
LESSONS. The members from this
county were plainly and explicitly in
structed to vote for the Bank to resume
specie payments within given time,
and in case it refused to do so, or in
complying, did not continue to do so,
provision was to be made for the total
forfeiture Of its charter. This was the
naked proposition. A proposition SO
plain that all could understand it. And
all did understand it. It is a greater
libel on the intelligence of the signers
ofihis petition to say they were igno.
rant Of the purport of these petitions
and their plain and full meaning, than
it would be to say they are incapable
OF self.government. Because such a
lack Of intelligence would unfi, them
for petisioning for the simplest boon,
were they actually under a monarch
sway. And yet some Of the represen.
satives went so far as to say that the
people were thus ignorant.
We do not wonder that the people
Of Old Des Moines, Of all parties, rose
up in their indignation TO repudiate such
an imputation on their character. They
ald repudiase it most poten.ly. by sign.
ing similar petitions over again; and tell.
ms their representatives in the same
line aud opposite their names, tina. they
knew what they were about. Nine
senshs Of the voters Of this county did
this: They were obliged TO do this 10
vindicate their character.
We have heard of.he presumption and
eftrontery Of men who considered them.
selves so popular OF belonged to a ma.
jority 30 potent. tina, they eould do
any thing. but this open violation Of an
acknowledged democratic doctrine by
the democratic members from De.
Moines, il the most prssump.uous Of
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