Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-03-02
REMARKS OF MR.. BE- PERRY.
OF GdnENvILLE.

". ID. Il
OF GdrENvILLE.
In the House of RepreseataG ves, Dec.
13, 1St0-Ihe House h1u'n7 under con-
'sderaiion The bill for winding up the
Bank, and the reports of the Investigating
Committee
Mr. B. r. Perry having the floor, ad-
dressed the House MS follows:
Mr.. SPEAKER:---I desire to make few
remarks on the bill before the House. In
doing so, permit me to premise that am
no enemy to banks. / have been their
friend and advocate on this aoor when
they were assailed on all sides, and had
few friends and fewer advocates
believe, Mr.. Speaker, that banks are
essential to .he prosperity of every com
mercial and enlightened people. They
facilitate exchanges, save the precious
metals, and stimulate industry and enter.
prise; But they should be left to pri-
vate Interpretations and industrial enter
prise, as all the great industrial pursuits
Of life are.
a government, sir, is incapable of car.
rying on wisely and pro6tably banking
operations. There is a secrecy and con-
fidence ina bank which cannot be hal in
n alegislative assembly. The operations
OF bank should be confidential and sc.
cret. The officers are sworn to secrecy.
When a gentleman goes into a bank for
accoalmodations, he expects that all of
his business transactions will be kept like
his household arrangements--.sa sacred
from the public gaze.
am sure it must have been very pair
ful to every member of thi, House or
yesterd ~, to sit and listen to the private
report of the bank. exposing to the pub
lie the individual Indebtedness of the
President and Directors, and Officers of
the bank. But, sir. a stern sense Of pub
lie duty required this exposure before a
selection Of the Board of Direct,rs could
be made for the ensuing year.
The operations of bank are foreign
to the nature and objects of govern
ment. d political government is formed
for the protection of life, liberty, and
property. not to make money forts citi-
zcns, or to relieve their pecuniary embar-
easements by lending th,m ,Goney. AS
we'll might the State Of South Carolina
think Of engagingin merchandise, plant
ing. or manufacturing, ms to be engaged
in banking. With the same propriety it
might he urged on he State, that the In
terestsof her citizens required that for
eign goods should he imported cheaply,
and sold bv the government for the ac
commodation Of the people.
In a fepbblic there must be a strict
accountability in the management and
disbursement of al public funds. The
people must know how their money IL
spent, and what has become off This
destroy, as l have already stated, all
banking operations. So strict is this ac-
countability, that every session we nre
squabbling over the smallest appropria-
tions. In our State constitutional guards
and checks are thrown around this pow
er ofappropriating the public funds. Nc
money can be drawn from the treasury
except by bill read three times, or
three sepa ate days, in both Houses of the
Legislature.
But, sir, whilst the representatives, sol
the people. who are responsible totiis
people for their conduct in every pafli-
cular, are thus restrained from making
appropriations, the President and Direc.
tors of the bank have the power Of ma
king any appropriations they may see
proper, on ten nlinuSes consultation
They have appropriated. !. OF public fund.
upwards Of one hundred thousand dol
lars for the extension Of railroads in Geor
gia. They appropriated some sixty O