The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-06-04
Gbansbills Daily gournal.
The Bank Debate.
SPEECHES of Governor Wright and Judge
Smith.

ate to investigate the charges Of fraud
made by Gov. Wright in relation to the
passage of the charter of the Bank of the
State of Indiana. closed its labors on Fri
day, after listening to the speeches Of
Messrs. Wright and Smith. The order
Of fspeaking was for Gov. Wright to open
the argument with speech of an hour
and quarter in length-Judge Smith to
follow him in speech ofan hour and
three quarters, and Gov. Wright to close
in argument Of half an hour in length.
Governor Wright began his address by
stating that he was glad to have an ap-
portunity expressing his opinion as a
private citizen. He had done his duty
as Governor Of the State and had made
charges against the Bank which he
thought he could sustain. He read from
the House Journal to show that members
Of that body were absent when the bill
was up, although the record shows their
names as voting for it on its passage.
He had charged this in his message, and
be had believed it to be true. The vote Of
Mr.. McMurray was canvassed and the
Governor thought Mr.. Murray's oath
that he voted AGAINST tho charter, set
tied the question.
He had charged in his message that
the Bank had power to discount on its
deposits. 1t had been denied but, the
President had at last acknowledged that
they would so discount whether they
had the privilege or not. The manner
Of taking stock was reviewed. The 10Th
section allows the Banks books to be
closed q moment after opening. Mr.. M.
G. Bright had refused to tell the Com
mittee what he had done with the money
he received for stock he had subscribed
to several branches.
The whole State had been raked to
find charges against his integrity and not
q whisper could be found. The Cover
nor then cited testimony where money
was used to 'interest" members Of the
Legislature to get the bill through"
Some say the amount used was S6O,OOO
[rho mass Of the testimony here allu-
ded to, charged crime and corruption
against the democracy generally, much
of which. the Governor said, was founded
on mere rumor. The reference to it
was brief, but of sufficient length to show
that Willard was deeply mixed up in all
the schemes set on foot for the charter
Of banks.
The Governors speech occupied an hour
and quarter, and was one OF tie most
unreportable speeches, the State Journal
says, ever deli, cred. 1t was desultory,
abounding in statements, uttered without
order or arrangement, and making it i'm
possible to give a correct report of the
speech.
Judge Smith then replied. He said
that grave charges had been made by the
Governor, which he had failed to sustain
by evidence. He attributed the course
Of Governor Wright to personal malice.
Mr.. Smith went on to state that the
charter was valid. 1.-THE members OF the
Legislature voted for it through interes-
ted motives, still the law could not be
set aside, unless such corruption could
be clearly proved. He alluded to the
bargain made by Wright with Bright.
Gov. Wright had used hlsehood, mis-
representation and calumny Of the gross
est kind since the publication Of his
bank veto message to the present time.
Judge Smith denied the statement Of
Wright that no other charter. had such
q section in 1t os the 10Th ("percussion")
Of the new State Bank charter. He said
that what Gov. Wright had said in rela-
ton to the Bank discounting upon depo-
sits was a monstrous misrepres entation.
The charge that the charter had passed
by fraudulent votes was also false. In
fact Judge Smiths whole speech was
made up of charges Of falsehood against
Gov. Wright. He branded everything
the Governor had said as falsehoods. He
then pitched into" the Governor on the
swamp land difficulties charging him with
corruption and knavery. He then sum-
med up the evidence brought to prove
that the charter had been obtained frau
dulently. A great fuss had been made
and after all nothing had been proven.
lie hoped the Committee in their report
would not deal in general terms, but name
persons and specify charges against in
divi duals.
Judge Smith was as bitter and perso-
nal in his remarks as Gov. Wright. In.
deed both of the speakers seem to have
been carried away by passion, to such an
extent that they failed to make connected
and argumentative speeches.
Governor Wright then replied. He
was interrupted by Mr.. Michael G.
Bright who proceeded in speech of half
IN hour to abuse Wright, charging him
with fraud, venality corruption, &c. The