Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-12-25
House of Representatives.

.tg remarks;
Mr.. l.eicher Is an amennient to The a
flteudn,rnt now in oTtet?
The Chairman. IN amendipt MT 10 an a
s,fendment is already pending.
MIR letci,er The anit ndnent which Idle
sire to propose would come in att part Of The
section lelore lhat to which the amendment o
she .enlIuInan flou. New York applies.
The Chairman. Then The Chair will enter
tain it now.
Mr.. Lctcher propose TO Insert in ne
eighth line, after The word e dollars the
words "however ledeemable,o the effect o
which would be to prohibit the issneiug OF notes
Of less amount Than five dollars however re-
deemabe.
desire 10 say word CT two upon this sutj sc'
particularly as my two colleagues from Virginia
have got interested in this discussion. an
opposed to shin plastrrs--
Voice. BIistrr-piasers.
Mr. Lelcher Yes, shinrlasters, blister
plis!ers, and almost every species Of plas.ers,
alt especially these shin plssters. | have been
somewhat surprised TO hear OF the experience Of
sny friend from the southwest district Of virginia
Mr.. McMullen upon this subject. Iknow the
times are sadly GU. Of joint, but il never oecur-
red 10 my mind that my friend would he in "a.
vor oil small notes, and advocate il upon this
4ooi or any where else, and, least OF all did
] expect that he would come in here with this
public memorial by the way Of sustaining his
position. Now, sir, here il a m tnotiil which
beara da,o "Washineton, January 8, 1855
The thiiig hae kept remarkably well, to he sure,
while the banker WHO drew il up, has gone The
way Of all things perislabls. This memorial is
headed Will the name Of ar. w. Laiham,o
and imagine he House has some d5tilc;
recollectton-and my friend oFef The way
Mr. McMulienl may alsotlave some distinct
recullec,ioh-of an institution under the title
of "1he Exchange Bank That institution
commenced with The Issue of small notes, and
the ssue was kept up by bhers, aud the STATE
of Virginia was driven 10 the necessity OF pass
ing law expelling such notes from lis bor
ders.
Nj McA.nen, (iuieTruptiug9 beg the
gentleman TO remember that this very bill,
against which tina, "Reminiscences was got up,
uas prepared al the last session of Congrsss, aid
that the circumstances was handed 10 me with
the request that should r,sent il 10 the lIouse.
And beg ray colleague 10 remember, TOO Tint
| have moi changed my views III references 70 the
improperly Of the issuing Of suall-note eifei-
lallon. | trust, therefore; my colleague viii not
repeat ii. stated. however, thai doubted
:he Plopriey oil The passage Of this bill a this
particular time.
Mr.. Leteler. II his memarll, whirh was
gotten up yfarsago, were attempted 10 he got
ten up now, does The gentleman think itploba
BILE that it would get the same signatures as
those which mark lis face al this nome 1 7
shoul like to know if this memorial Mere 10 be
circulated te day whether those who did sign il
would now follow in the wake of dead pres
d4t and dead bank, or would have been
wiling, hen that institution has failed under
his nose, and when men are losing by the bills
81 that institution gotten up an su-ian, d Tor
Il SEASON bs small .no'es--wnukl come Zip aud
enaorse an institution which ,ha. produced III
jury 10 The public!
Mr.. McAlnilan, (infsrruPing J Dies rn5
colleague mean to say that end Used the in-
sltniion
Mr. Tetcer. did .nGt to say that: but
say that those who signed this paper in lS53
In all probability. would not have presented any such
r.nostranee in ls5i, when that bunk had ailed and
that they would net sign it,
Mr. McMalen. Wal charged with this remon-
STRANGE and requested to present it to The House. Is
1t not the duty OF every member upon this iloer,
whenever remonstrance or petition Is placed in his
hands. to present it upon this Hoo? Ne man knows
tter than my colleague DOES What art he duties of
a member here. II have done Toee than that. an
responsible not 70 my colleague but tn consttu
cnts. ] not involved in the misiortuncs of that
Institution, to preach funeral discourse OF
any of the gentlemen who have been connected with
Mr.. Letcher Why does not NY colleague look at
the date of this thing, and when it gotten up?
Suppose under his constructions they had come here
with a memorial got up five or six wears ago, when
these small notes were started, would he have felt
that it his duty to have presented it under these
circumstance without ascnrtanin- hat the pre-
sent sentiment Of the District in regard to the
subject? Now, sir the fact thai they have sent no
monstrance in here .ust the suppression of snail
notes dated within this year. affords pregnant proof
to this committee that the people of this District have
borne as long as they can bear and that they not
now :, nl to cone forward and endorse institutions.
ar Il nrnciu,s that thpV miult have I'd
n more ago.
Mr. Chairman, hold that all of these things ought
to be put down; that they operate as a cheat,
fraud upon that portion OF the community who are
least able to bear it ; that portion Of the community
who have the least sledge of the availability OF
the value oi bank paper And in our legislation here.
so far as we egislate for this District, oaght To
take particular care, where do so, to pro-
tect this clIss of the community who in great
measure, unprotected under the banking system.
want it that there can be notes OF less denom-
nation than five dollars here. And | want it as a
protection TO my State well to this District.
! know how these shin plastcrs put into crcula
tila here taw YEARS 20; how they got
rency in the States of Virginia. Indiana, and every
where else. They were sent out to agents located in
the various towns of Virginia. and eomnlissonpaid
to those agents to put them into circulation among
the people of the country Aud when ..'fhe Bank OF
the Union exploded here, when various other OF
these institutions went down, the farmers snd the
ehancs throua bout the country had the paper, but
the agents who put them in circulation had relieved
their hands of them, and not, to any extent the
sufferers. We had to meet this thing in nv county;
aud did meet il fairly and sqnarely. law pass
ed by the Legislature Of Virginia has been enforced
aud is enforced to this very day.
MIR. Hamilton. Mr.. Chairman, ] do rot believe
that there il any desire in this body to avoid
ing the question presented 10 it. THE mind Of mem
bers and the voice of the people of the country
against the issue OF these small notes, and do not
the necessity for any elaborate indication Of the
movement for thersuppfession. 1t is my hope that
we shall proceed to tire pertccng of the details
Of the BILL and then, il it meet with the approba-
ton of majority cl the committee, to report it to
the House. with the recommendation that il do pass.
I,u til zee days have been set apart for the conside-
ration If business relating to this District There
are many i'm rortant bills which have not yet come
before us and appeal to the gentleman from Viz
enia to let us proceed to vote on the amendments.
The neop,e OF his State correct in their principles
as general thing and if any thing, is wrong, have
no doubt il will be rected. Without at all impugn-
ing the Judgment of my honorable friend from IL
gina MR. MeMuen, / will say, that think they
will remedy their own matters IN thef own proper
way.
Mr. Goode. They have already applied the rene
dy.
Mr. Hamilton With view to avoid all miscon-
struction have adopted the amendment Of the gem
teman from lew York have done So not because
thought the amendment was necessary, but Tor the
satisfaction Of members who were OF different opin
ion.
The Chairman. The amendment Immediately un-
der consideration is that which has been proposed by
the gentleman from Virginia. MIR. Letcher.
Mr.. Hamilton. ! understand that the amendment
OF the gentleman from Virginia is pro tornaa.
Mr.. Lctcher. No, sir; there is no pro torma about