The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-11-25
The Relief Bill.


to the act of The extra session Of the Isgisa
ture:
Turn over tie act of 18th October as we
please, and examine il Ia whatever light we
may choose 10 view il, we shall find i,s pro
visions, when followed out TO their legitimate
consequences, working nothing bu, evil to
the banks and The community. Better had
i, been if the Legislature had not been call.
ed together, II, whec assembled, they had
adjourned without doing aryihing. The op.
! Grafton of the prov sions of the act upon our
city banks. and all solvent banks IN the State,
is but to obsruc. and embarass them in their
endesvors to get themselves into a position
10 resume specie payments. Its operation
on the country banks, though a, present
seemingly advantageous, must DO runous
and fatal in the end. lis requirement iha, the
banks shall take bank notes, other than their
own, in payment OF debts due TO them, is
unjust, and in the opinion oil sound lawyers
clearly unconstitutional. It's interference with
and avoiding of, the contracts existing be.
tween man and man, is altogether wrong /;
and lie insisting that the banks shall resume
specie payments in six months aller It's pas.
sage, while debtois owing the bank and
others are allowed more Than twelve months
tine in which To pay their obligations, is
cruel and oppressive. llIsa dangerous thing
10 break down ard PROSTATE the standard oi
mercantile integrity in business communi-
iy. To leeisla,e ma, out OF debt 's an
outrage upon all principles of justice. We
shall for many long day regre, the demon
alizing Influence which this act will produce
upon our community. o that our Lesisla-
tors were wise o that we had more states
men aud fewer politicians and currency link-
ers among them! Pity i, is that our business
matters had not been allowed to right Them
selves. When the panic and alarm would
have subsided, the confidence OF tie com.
murity would have been restored 10 such OF
our barks as were worthy of it, and we
should now bc handling thei notes, so Ia
miliar 10 our eyes, instead OF the notes OF
banks hundreds of miles away, of whose
goodness we ran have no knowledge. Sure
" tits better go bear tho ills we suffer than
ily 10 others we know not Of" Already our
banks begin to feel the pressure OF this loa,h-
some burlhen; after n while il will become
in,oerable both TO them aud the commuiIy
Had business matters been allowed TO right
themselves debtors and creditors would
have come together pud arranged their at
fairs between themselves, as their mutual
interests nigh, have dictated.
This is the only just and business way ,aa
such matters can be arranged IN. When leg
,sla,ion steps in TO w"serle account between
man and man i, does injnry-nothins but in
! Jury. II rumor is not al fault, our city bank
already regret tina, they did not reiuse 10 ac
cep, the provisions of this Act, and thro
themselves upon the mercy OF the commu
nifty. Happy had ii been for both parties
had they done SO! Even at this early mo
menl they plainly perceive iha, with prcpe
management on Their part, anI eenerou
( forbearance or the part Of the community
(Which the community will, perhaps: have
reason to regret, had not been extended 10
wards them on the DAY Of the panic,) the!
could easily resume specie payments, sre'
al the time fixed in the act, were ii not 10
the horrible incubus under which they la5o
Of receiving the country bank notes in pay
meni Of their dues. THIS requirement
paralyzes their energies and renders then
incapable Of moving single step III the tsh
direction.