The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1848-02-05
Remarks Of Mr.. Archbold,T
OF MONROE.

The Chairman Of the committee on
Banks and the Currency, 10 report
buck bill No. SO, Of the Senate, sup.
Elementary Ia The seve,at acts concern
ing Banks and Bankers. The oh.
ject of this bill is to p,event gross
frauds upon the people of his State,
by prohibiting The banks of this Sfaie
from circulating the trash Of distant
Banks. In Senate, Jan. god l84S~
Mr.. ARcHsoLD said that the bill had
slumbered Il long time in the hands OF
the committee. His patience must nat
orally wear out. The bill had been Of
fered in perfectly good faith. He ver-
ily believed it to be such a bill as DO tn
parties might vote for. 1t was intend
ed to abolish an odious species of COR
~rup,ion practised by the banks to the
injury ofthe people. This would make
those institutions themselves less odious
10 the people; therefore his wing friends
might vote for the measure. 1t was
intended to preserve the honest and in
dustrious people from imposition, by
preventing the introduction and circu-
lalion Of lar-dis,ant foreign trash a
mongst them therefore his democratic
friends might vote for it.
AS a Senator, it would be almost un-
parliamentary for him 10 say that the
bill had been kept back before the late
whis convention, to wait until the as
sembIed Barons would pass their judg-
ment on it, and give in their assent or
dissent to its provisions. @There
was an iaea; ask the very men whose
crimes rendered legislation necessary,
whether we might legislate or not!-
But it being almost naughty and unpar.
liamentary for a Senator to say this, he
would not say it. But others outside
of these walls would say it. The hon.
est people would say it, They were
not bound by strict rules Of parliamen.
tary etiquette. Although, as Senator,
he was not to kno " or say these things
vet, as a man, he could not avoid know
ing them. Therefore, previously to the
great gathering OF the 10Th, he had
made up his mind TO the endurance of
the delay as of a necessary evil. He
regretted the neglect and III usage which
his child was receiving, but he had CON
cluded to smooth down his features, and
look as much as possible like "Patience
on the monument Smiling at grief."--
But the great convention had come and
gone, and the bill seemed doomed to
sleep in the ",omb of the capulets." Ii
would now be supplementary TO say
that there was an intention to smother
the bill; but such was the long delay
that. as a man, he could not help sus-
pec'ing it. -
The chairman OF the committee on
Banks and the Currency p%ronounces
the bill unimportant. Let him report
it back, and let the Senate determine
whether the bill is important or not
1t is not for the chairman o!the commit
lee to keep it smothered, aid then 70 re-
stall the action of the Senate by pro-
n%ouncing it unlmportant. HaA sa! ,og
Here Mr.. Johnson, the chairman,
TUSe W all SAp'di"tiVHs -..s- o,
He said that the Senator from Mon
roe was laboring under a misappre-
hension. He had been imperfectly
heard. He had said that the bill was
important.-not unimportant. l
Aye, said Mr.. Archbold, he verify
believed him. The bill was important.
Its enactment; one year ago, would
have saved the citizens of a few u
ties, in this Immediate neighborhood,
from a loss of twen,y-fye or thirty thou
sand dollars incurred by receiving the
trash of the Delaware Bridge Compa-
ny, Susquehanna County Bank, and
other worthless rag machines, in ex-
change for their pork. He had an in
yincible conviction that the bill ought
to pass, and that speedily. If he loved
his party more than his country, lie
would be very willing for the minority
to defeat this bill. Jjp9~ds ~ Goii
No one democrat would vote against
the bill; if defeated, it must be by wing.
votes. AS a mere party measure, there-
fore, himself and his political friends,
had no great reason for regret If the
majority defeated the bill But he
thought the country would have cause
of regret, and therefore he would sim
cereIy regret the defeat Of the measure.
In his code Of political morality, his
country stood first, his party next, and
selfish considerations last and least.
This he thought the only sound moral
ity. He repeated bis former warning;
most emphaticalIy, that if the bill was.
defeated he was ready tomake an issue
to the people. by %
- 4ii9I 81
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