The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-23
a Congo . Bank

An old broker who is writing a series
of ketches in the Boston Bulletin, tells
the following story of "colored bank
formed by number of gemmep," in
imitation Of the old United States Bank
at The time that Institution was in oper-
alton;
These bank transactions remind me of
a little story that friend (not LiDcoln)
used TO tell of lnancier of New Bed
ford, gemman of color"
He was a runaway slave of more than
usual intelligence and cunning, and might
possibly have picked up his banking
ideas from "one obdese berry Baltimore
massas hisself" Perhaps while brushing
Buchanans coat or waiting upon round
table of bank corsairs, that new wrinkle
went through his wool.
At all events in New Bedford he found
community OF contrabands," well to
do in the world, and some of its members
occasionally very greasy With money af-
ter the whalers arrived. He started the
project Of Congo Bank. "White men
have bank, why not de nigga 2" Color
ed individuals institution entirely.
Magnificent proiect--a big thing-into
which the darkies foated like flies to a
lump of liver, and deposited their 8" idle
currency" with the self-elected president,
WHO made whites Of eyes sauccerier than
ever by the marvellous dexterity with
which, like Russel's grave digger, " he
gathered them in"
'De Bank and de Presumdent" were
glorious sources Of endless turkey COB
bling and pride amongst the depositors
IA great success, in fact-until one day
a certain mig made a draw upon the in.
stitution for 81, 100 to pay for a schooner
he had Just bought, when it "cochitua-
ted" and closed its doors.
A Toured niger wasn't circumstance
TO the whilened condition of him whl
aroused "de cullered population" witt
the astounding intelligence "dat de banl
had done gone bust" aa'
A mass meeting was convened atonce
and the crowd deman ded instant expla
nation as TO the VIII ereabouIs Of the as.
sets, receiving the usual lucid and high.
ly satisfactory statement which banl
presidents generally give on such occa.
sions, viz sdhat the report will be ready
in few days.
But that did not satisfy the Ethiopians
who held out their hands for truth, anC
cheating was intimated-swin ding il
fact. The honor of Mr. Johnsing wa:
touched by so malignant an accusation
and he Indignantly replied 8
"Cheating? Who say dat? Who
'cuse nae 90 cheating dem? No, sar
ALI fair and 'boye board in dis bank"
"Look at dat saH
Hauling out sixpenny pass book, he
held it up to the rolling sea of eyes be-
fore him.
"You see dat Well, cherry man da
cher put in q dollar into de bank, got his
name put down in dis book. Ebery ting
am square" Gan .r..
Look! IL am all down in de book =
Throwing that document into the sway.
ing field OF ebony and wool, it was soor
torn into shreds by the ignorant victim;
in their anxiety TO see if each ones name
was safely entered and in the midst OF
Che row the President stalked out and
over to the illegal adviser of the Bank,
who published for him notice, TO wit
"Owihg to the wanton destruction of the
bank, by uDprineipled crowd, composed
doubtless Of the enemies of the institu-
tioh, twas impossible TO furnish depos-
itors with detailed statement of its az
fairs, until after the lapse of few weeks
AID in the meantime all parties are eau
Nsnts La
for less than the full amount of the same
and interest"
Az for Johhsing, he always insisted
that att ana all down in de book " and
upon any attempt TO make him disgorge
or in reply TO any slurs on bic honesty, he
Immediately put up that sbield, and frozC
his Antagonist with his honor and recti-
tude in putting "itall down in de book"