Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-03-02

ing to the personalities which have been
thrown into the debate The chairman
of the committee of ways and means has
shown noble and disinterested zeal and
ability in this natter which merits and
will receive from the people of South
Carolina their gratitude and rcmem-
brance. Had he consulted his own in
tercst and his own popularity, he would
have taken sides with the bank. So too
would Gen. Jackson have acted in his
memorable struggle with the United
States Bank. But he preferred 70 risk
everything power popularity and place
rather than see continued by his coun-
try great moneyed power. which was
endeavoring to ovemwe the government
and control public opinion.
Mr. Speaker, the United States Bank
did endeavorto control the operations
of the federal government, by bribing
the press, ccrrupting the members of
Congress, and deceiving the pcopi, in
regard to its true stu ton. Nothing
but colossal power and oyershadowing
influence and popularity of Gen. jackson
could have destroyed that corrupt insti
danger of corruption from the State
Bank and that neither the Legislature
nor the people of South Carolina can be
corrupted.
have as much confidence in the inter
nty OF this body, and he people of South
Carolina; as any ought to have. But.
sir, the first prayer of every one sho, |
be lead me not into temptation. There
are thousand ways of influencing hu-
man conduct without actual corruption.
Various men are approached in various
ways. We have all felt, and perhaps
most of us have practised, the art of
electioneering. We know its influence
on the best and most honorable men in
the community. There are memorable
instances of whole legislative bodies
being corrupted and influenced by money
The granting of the charter of the Uni
ted States Bank by the Legislature of
Pennsylvania might be mentioned as one
of them. The Yazoo fraud in Georgia
as another
There is no do ,bt, from the reports of
the special committee to investigate the
bank, that its condition is better than was
anticipated. But we all know the mys-
terry connected with banking, and the
difficulty of coming to any correct con
cluslon as to the soundness of banks from
reports | believe that all of the Geor-
gia banks, on the eve of their failure and
utter insolvency, showed to the satifac-
tion ofthe Legislature of that State, that
they were perfectly solvent and prosper
Gus. The same showing was made bv
the United States Bank, when it was
not worth one dollar A committee,
sent by Congress, at the head of which
was Gen. McDuffie, made report en-
tirely favorable as to its management,
business, and prosperous condition.
But, if our State Bank is in the condi
tion supposed, it is the proper time to
closeit. No loss will result to the State
in doing so. Ifthe bank be continued,
its situation, a few years hence, may be
entirely different Instead Of taking its
assets to pay the State debt, we NAV
have to levy taxes on the people to meet
its engagements and liabilities. This is.
at least, risk which we have to run.
Thc sooner we get rid of it the better.
Every man will then, as it is said the
people Of England did after the death of
Henry the Eighth, breathe more freely.
1t will no longer be said that we have a
master, whose odicts we are bound to
rcgiste JVe shall have got rid of an in
stitution at war with the Fundamental
principles of freedom; possessing the
power of taxation without representation.
Having the right of investing, appropri-
ating, and squandering millions of the
public treasure, in violation of the State
constitution. The humble tax payer will
no longer be taunted with the IDEA that
his small contributions towards the sup
port of the State are to be carried to
Charleston and Columbia and loaned out
to wealthy planters and rich merchants.
In order to remove all objections to
the bills under consideration, on account
of the foreign debt, propose to add
another section, pledging ali the funds of
the bank, after payment of previous liens,
to the foreign creditors, and having them
set apart to meet their demands. Ifthis
will not satisfy the scruples OF honofa-
lsblc members, ard they can suggest any
scheme more satisfactory, will support
it, provided it does not contemplate a re-