Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-02-24
5The Milwaukee Courier has an anti


Gle endorsing the speech of James Knee
land against the repeal of the charter
of the Milwaukee Marine and Fire Insur-
ance. The Courier must calculate largely
on the gullibili.y Of the Democracy of the
Territory, but we think, the effect will be,
if the Courier in any wise retains any share
fther confidence that it will be most fully
forfeited and lost. The ground is taken
that Mr.. Kneeland and the few men who
wenr with him,were the only real opponents
of the institutions; the balance of the Legis-
lature being bought up by the Bank to re-
peal IFS charter, as the repeal was The most
favorable thing the Bank could obtain
Perhaps it is sufficient 10 say that every
body believes that that very speech oUames
Knee lands which the Courier endorses and
which is designed TO prove Mr.. Kneeland's
democratic ground and those who sided with
him, was written by Jonathan N. Arnold, the
most active wbig in the ,erritory,a feed
Attorney of the Bank, and probably paid for
by the Bunk, as services rendered.
The Legislature is abused for repeating
the charter, and for what reason is il suppos-
ed We cannot do better than quote the
language OF the Courier.
mo legal man, nor in fact any we'll in
formed man Of the legislature, doubted the
fact that this institution had been illegally
engaged in banking. Neither was there
any doubt that The courts possessed the pow
er, not only TO dissolve the charter, but TO
punish the persons engaged in unlawful
acts in lis name. But what Goes the Leg
islature do in the premises? Why, repeal
the charter, and the next week the company
show their contempt of the act, by publish
ing in the papers OF the Territory the dec
laration that The action o. the Legislature
will not in any way affects its rights or in
terrupt its business. Thus, as Mr. Knee
land predicted, they 'hurl defiance in the
very teeth of the Legislature and where,
we ask, is now the remcdy?'
Thus it seems there was no question bu,
he Bank was acting illegally. Well where
in was the Illegally. Certainly in nothing
except that Congress did no, approve their
chatter. And if Congress did not approve
their charter, is it not plain they had none,
and what then would the courts have TO dis.
sol 'e or TO act upon. The same ground
is taken by Mr.. Kneeland as follows.
Let this Legislative assembly send up a
memorial to the Congress Of the United
States, asking and demanding il, as right
we have. and as a duty she owes TO us, to
disappiove Of the act granting the charter,
and at the same time let us instruct the
Attorney General to use no delay in put
ting upon them an effectual and eternal
quietus
Here we have Congress asked to disap-
prove thing which according TO the admis.
sons of the Courier, never existed, and the
Attorney General TO proceed agains, char
ter which, could have been no charter if
the institution was acting illegally.
The great error and sin of Repeal APP
pears to be, that the next week the Compa-
ny show their contempt Of it by publishing
in the papers of the territory the declara-
ton that the action Of The Legislature
will not in any way affect its rights
or interrupt its business. Thus the Legs.
lature knowing them TO have been entirely
lawless, were foolish to tempt their lawless-
ness further. Perhaps they were, but we
suspect the democracy Of the Territory, are
we'll satisfied that the Legislature by repeal
Withdrew all sanction real or implied Of the
Territory from this lawless concern. -
The fact is the action of the Legis-
lature was the most, and all that could
be done and the only simple and eflec-
ual way of getting at the concern.-
They now stand without shadow Of au-
thorty real or implied; they ara violating
an express law of the territory. and any
citizen can put "a stopto it. Mr.. Kneeland
the Courier and the Bank clique generally
desired delay, to thwart, and defeat action,
to procure for the Bank as long life and as
much latitude as possible. They were de-
feated then as they always will be.
L Il