Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1858-08-18
MIR. WILCOX AND HIS APoLoGIsTs.

MR. WILCOX AND HIS AP0LoG1STS.
| Mr.. Row-Dear Sir:-The time is approach
ing when the people of this District, will be
| called upon to choose two Members of the Leg
| islature. Several gentlemen have already put
| themselves upon the track, thus showing their
| Willingness to serve the dear people in the CD
pacity of members of the General Assembly
Of Pennsylvania. -.----- -
| | understand the celebrated Mr.. Wilcox, of
| WilliamSville, Elk County. in the State of
Pennsylvania is again likely to become can
didate, on account of the Sunbury & Erie
| Rail Road, in this District. This gentleman
| heretofore has had great mack of ms-repre-
Senting his Legitimate constituents, having
commenced his career in 1S45, when he with
others defeated the Hon. G.. w. Woodward,
for United States Senator, and during all lass
winter acted more like member of the New
| York Assembly than that of Pennsylvania
! SO far as the interests of Clearfeld County
were concerned they were about as well mis-
represented as there is any use in, and l hope
the people of Clearfeld will ask him to stay at
| home. | am well aware that Mr.. Wilcox has
had some defenders in Clearfeld County. Last
fall an immaculate document went forth to the
people of this county assuming quite dicta-
torial character, by Wallace, Loran < Co., di-
recting them in the path of their duty, and also
! GA Friend 10 Merit'' wished to have him elect
ed speaker of the Assembly. Strange rs it
may seem, both these authorized documents
had to be run through two editions, to satisfy
| the dear people, and especially the Democrats,
that Mr.. Wilcox was nothing but the gehgtiRe
article for Representative. And this was not
| all a branch of the United States Senate,
and footman from the Post Office Department
| at Washington, were dispatched to this dis
| trict in order to assist TO elect MIR. Wilcox.
| This was done; and now have the author
| ity of the Ciearfeid Republican, the especial
organ of Mr.. Wilcox, for saying that there was
less done for the interests OF Clearfield County
at Harrisburg last winter than ever before.
| What become of the mighty influence of Mr.
| Wilcox after he got to Harrisburg | will tell
you Through the influence of Gen. Jackrnan
x Co. he was Incorporated into the Sunbury
| x Erie Rail Road Company! and thereby
Clearfield County lost her sserperienced'' legis-
lator. But will now proceed to look into
some of his (Wilcox's) public acts last winter.
| On Friday the 29th day of March last at Ilar-
| riSburg Mr.. Gritman, a member of the Leg
islature from Luzerne County, offered to that
| body the following preamble aud Resolution
:'WHERAs, The Legislature at the session of
1857, among other things, incorporated the
following banks, to wit: OctOrara Bank, Ches-
ter County Bank, Tioga County Bank, Craw-
ford County Bank, PhenixyIlle Bank, Shame
kin Bank
AND WHEREAS, Said banks have since organ
| lied and commenced the issue of notes. in
| which organization and issue it is alleged the
said banks have violated or avoided the laws
of this Commonwealth regulating banks, and
the special requIrmcntS of their charters
From the general allegation against them the
following specifications have been selected, to
wit:
l. Said banks had not at their organization,
the amount of capital required by the act of
Incorporation bona tde paid in.
z. w hateyer amount of capital was paid in
the same, or nearly all, was Immediately drawn
out, and it represented, if at all, by worthless
assets.
g. The issue based upon such capital sepaid
ln'' has been used instead of specie in organic
ing their banks.
4. These banks are used as means of spec
ulation by financers in New York and Buffalo,
without regard to safety in our circulating me-
dium therefore,
ResOired, That committee of three be ap-
pointed to examine and investigate the state
and condition of said banks, with power to
send for persons and papers, with a view to as
certain If said banks have not violated or avoid
ed the provisions OF their charters, and the
laws of this Commonwealth regulating banks
said committee to report TO the Legislature, or
within ninety days after ad ournment of the
same, to theGovernor of thisComm onwealth."
The House proceeded to the second reading
of the resolution by the following vote: Yeas
&c, nays 2O-and prominent among the nays,
we lind our excellent peoples friend Mr.. Will
cox. The question being upon the final pas
sage of the Resolution Mr.. Ebur moved that
the further consideration of the question be
post poned for the present which was defeat
ed by Yeas 80 Nays 81. Here Mr.. Wilcox
voted Yea, tor the postponement of the ques-
ton.
ssMr. Abrams moved to amend the resolution
by allowing the committee five dollars per day
for their services, the usual mileage, and to
limit them to the period of sixty days for the
performance Of their duties.
Mr. Grtman hODed the amendment would
not pass. If he was on the committee he did
not want any more money than that allowed
him as member. The attempt to fix extra
compensation to the resolution would defeat
it, which ought not be done. There were facts
enough, he was Informed, to be had in the viii
lage of Harrisburg, to demand an investiga-
ton. He repeated that the amendment ought
not to be attached.
Mr.. Calhoun said resolution of similar i'm
port was voted down the other day, and he sub
mitted, therefore, whether it was in order.
But what good could come out of il. This
Legislature will not be in session more than
twenty-five days, and he would like to know
what could committee do in that time. Bank
men were shrewd. They could, if they choose
cover their tracks not to be perceptible
to any committee of five, six or seven of the
legislators.
Mr.. Williston declared that an attempt had
been made, he was informed, to levy black
mail off these banks. Not members of the
Legislature, but outsiders. He therefore sub
mitted an amendment to the amendment to
the effect, that committee of the Legislature
be appointed to inquire if persons have at
tempted so to levy black mail, and to give the
names.
Mr.. Goepp was of the opinion that remedy
now exists by the general laws of the Common
wealth. to make a much better inquiry into
the condition of the banks. He therefore
al, ,,,rl,E