Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-05-14

| on THE
BANK FRAUD CASE.
Delirered in the Senate Chamber. at til
request Of the Senate, March 6. 1857
REPORTED DY THE sTESoGRAPHER.
Ma. PnEsIDEST:-I feel In coming before
this honorable body, that an unusual cour
tesv has been extended to me. | trust
however. that shall not abuse that courte
sy, by indulging in any personal remark,
about men. Many things have taken place
within the last two months, well calculated
to excite men cooler than $50 that may
be excused for any warmth of feeling which
may manifest on this occasion.
Ny allusion to men shall be connected
with the evidence now upon your records
as taken by your committee. Many year,
ago learned one fact in connection with
the action Of deliberative bodies. The in.
dividual who will attack the private char
acter of a citizen, who has no opportunity
OF being heard in reply, is wholly unworthy
the respect and confidence of all honorabl,
men. Who has not blushed at the conduct
of those who are violating this plain rule o.
courtesy? They are objects of pity-not o.
hatred.
There is something due this place and oc.
casion. The subject is one far above pri.
vate character, private interests, or political
aggrandizement. An institution is about
to be fastened upon our country. to exist
for years-to affect our character as State,
as q people. The depository of funds
the place where the widows and orphans
trust is to be kept-where the public means
are to be sccured-whcre our citizens are
to look for credit, to carry on the COM
meree~of the country. 1t behooves us all
then to look at this question in the light OF
truth and honesty-and not in the charac-
ter Of men or partisans.
1t is said that | am governed by personal
spite at individuals in my opposition to the
Bank. Not word of truth in this. Some
of my best political and personal friends
were concerned in the passage of the bill
and are its stockholders. Among the orig
inal commissioners, was a citizen of my
former place of residence, of more than
twenty years of personal attachment-my
friend AMI ncighboT. In this whole mat
ter have been governed by a sense Of pub
lie duty
Senators, it is a matter of astonishment
that you would hear me on this subject,
after what has been reported and published.
the last fcw weeks. y prominent paper at
New Albany has published in an editorial
article, which has been copied by other pa
pers, Uothis committee haze eli led notlinq
all as ramor-ktat tie iapestgation wU
cost from fifteen to treaty thousand dollars.
Yet | am informed it will not exceed
$1,000.
There has been a great number Of Bank
gentlemen posted arounl this city. When
citizen OF the State comes into town, he
is met and told all kinds of exaggerated
stories. If inquiries are made about the
Bank investigation, the prompt reply is,
that nothing as provea-no facts are elici-
ted-that all was game of Governor
Wright's to make political capital" 1t
seems to me that gentlemen might wait at
least until your report is printed, and let
the community judge for themselves. fit |
Is said IN reply. that l might do likewise. |
my answer Is. that the information commu-
alcated to the New Albany paper, must
have come from some quarter, and the |
method now Adopt under your resolution
Is made In open daylight, the author
known and fair chance given for reply. |
But" says gentleman, "Gov. Wright
las attempted to poison the public mind
against certain men by his message, and
among the rest, Senators and Representa-
tivas.''
How is this? Certain gentlemen seem
to take every word ofmy message to Them
selves. Other gentlemen of my own party, |
and of the Republicans, who voted for the !
bill likewise, do not thus act Why arc /
certain gentlemen so restless and uneasy?-
know nothing personally Of the motives |
hat governed any man who voted for this |
bill. Although believed. at the passage
of the bill, from what took place around
ne-from the representation of others. and
rom what has occurred since-evcry word
md sentence in my message; and this day,
Sir. President, before this honorable BODY.
teiieve erery ,rord stated in my message.
Among the most remarkable incidents
N this investigation is the fact, that am
'alled upon particularly by the committee
- INC AAouse Vi nSpfesentatlvcs) to fur
lish statement of specifications against
ncn-to give my opinion of A. D. and c.
md other members of the Legislature.
oome years since, President Fillmore
;allei the attention of Congress to the pro-
'riety of providing by law, some enact
nent upon the subject of bribery and cor
upton, applicable to members of Con-
,ress. lam not aware that he was rcoucst-
d or urged to specify what he meant. or to
urnish charges. Some of our Senators
nd Representatives should have been mem
'ers of Congress. that they might interro-
'ate, prosecute and catechise the President
pon the subject. According to their code
f morals, all Congress was slandered bv
lis message. And our present Executive
ir- Buchanan, in his inaugural, uses fearful
anguage, when he talks about corruption ,
nd race of "speculators and iobbers.'. ,
hey may strike at Washington for higher ,
'ids, and larger sums, but the race | will +,
'uess are not more numerous.
But to be more serious, what citizen ofl
ne State would give information to the ;
governor! What security is there for tho !
rec and independent action of an Execu- :
i've? What citizen would assume the du- :
es fths Executive Office. if this principle !
| tn bo carriod ouf9 yVLoti NJ n