Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-07-23

charge Is made that the temple 10 the re-
servoir Of foul corruption, we will not
concsde that the ruling spirit Is immaculate
whilst the subordinate Is the only source
whence the corruption emanates. If the
sank is corrupt, its inanimate walls, and
materials have not made IL so--its ledgers
will not steal, nor its vaults issue cor
upting fund to degrade the people and
lestroy it's own credit. How came it cor
upt then9 Why, through the action of
is officers Of course yet the attempt is
icing made to criminate the Cashier alone,
whilst the Avalanche excuses the Presi-
lent on the ground of "his advanced years
md dilapidated constitution" The plea
viii not do. The Governor is at his post,
md ought to know whether his own ap-
,ointee is too old and dilapidated to dis
'harge his duties, and if corruption exists,
il is the duty of the Governor to aid in
hiding out its source and its extent The
people want the facts and whilst, in the
,bsence of facts, we make no charge against
The President or the Cashier, we shall in
,ist that all the officers be held equally
Suilty-if there be guilt-until the con-
trary is proven. We hope they will all
come out unsoiled, but in the absence of
positive proof, party spirit should not be
permitted to single out "a subordinate"
md make him the scape-goat of his
superiors.
The Avalanche says the President is a
man "of sterling integrity" but that it is
his misfortune, as ga confding oldmsn," to
be involved in difficulties by Morton, the
Cashier. Conceding this to be true, What
is now the duty of the President, in justice
to himself and his friends? 1t is his duty
to take the investigating committee all
through the bank, accompanied, if neces-
sary, by gentlemen of known financial
abilities, and ask at their hands thorough
expose of its true condition-laying bare
every corrupt transaction, and stating
when and by whom it was done. If there
be no corruption, he and the bank will
stand fully vindicated, and the people be
satisfied. But if there be corruption, the
Investigation will point out the guilty
parties, and then only can he stand justi-
fed before the country, and vindicate his
claim to the character awarded him by the
Avalanche. AS long as corruption is i'm
puted to the bank, suspicion will rest upon
its officers. The President knows this; it is
natural and proper that it should be so,
and no "antecedenti" will avail to ward
off suspicion from the officers of corrupt
institution, and for the simple reason that
no institution can be corrupt when its
officers are honest
Again we confess our ignorance Of the
condition Of the bank and of the truth of
the charges preferred against it, and repeat
the declaration that our sole object is to
resist the effort, in advance Of proof, 60
fasten guilt upon the Cashier alone, and to
exonerate the other officers Of the bank.
Such an effort is grossly unjust, and owes
its paternity to party spirit. We shall
hold all the officers equally guilty--if there
be corruption--uRtil the facts discriminate
between them-holding the Cashier to be
as honest as the President, and the Presi-
dent, no more honest than the Cashier
This is simple justice, and it is time enough
to make specific individual charges wher
the proof is at hand to sustain them.