Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-08-15
THE FREEDMAN'S BANK.
Rev. Nelson Merry's Letter Meets with
General Approval.
What Representative COlOred Men
Think Of 1t.

In perambulating the streets yesterday,
our locals made some inquiry amongst the
colored people concerning the effect OF Rev.
Nelson Merry's communication published
in Yesterdays UNION AND AMERICAN.
The letter attracted considerable attention,
and generally met with hearty endorse
meut. There were, however, some who
disapprOved.
j. Carey, cashier of the Freedman'S
Bank, criticised it freely, and said that he
did not see that such letter could do any
good, anv more than the indignation meet
ing held in Baltimore. He differed with
Merry in the assertion that the managers OF
the bank intended to deceive the colored peo-
pie from the beginning. He thought them
incapable Of such treachery. That the al
fairs of the bank might have been badly
managed. he admitted, but he could not
believe there was ever any Intentional
fraud. He thought the depOsitOrs would
in the final settlement lose not more than
10 or Is per cent. of their deposits, and
that they would, during September or DC
tober, get a dividend amounting TO about
20 per cent. OF the deposits.
Abe Smith was s.ed "What do you
think of Parson MerTy'S letter? He re-
piled that it contained nothing but facts,
and that he endorsed all Of it except GER
tain general statements in the first part Of
his article, which he thought smacked Of
ingratitude to many Of the colored folks
Northern benefactols. He approved OF
everything said concerning the Bank.
The question was then asked, 'Were
YOU present when Rev. j. W. Allvord,
President Of the Bank, used the following
language from Rev. A. o. MerTy's pulpit:
i sometimes preach, but now / will talk
10 YOU about banks. You ask me is the
hank safe? III ash you, is Uncle san
sdfef MANY vCices-'Ges. he is safe
Another voice-'Can the bank break:")
I'll GRSlrCT you Gq asking, can yOu break
Uncle SIM? (LTies of No, NOD Then
you cga ucrcr break this bank. You can
breuk RcIc San jlrSt as soon as you can
break this JGRk. ErcJy d0tidr 81 tbs
bank Is jareStCd an United states bonds.
I took look over her bonds Just before l
lcf, Washington -
II was" was tile answer, and ] think
MI Merry has repOredlum almost UeTbdttnt.
lie used that language, and It was calcu-
lated to mislead these who heard him, Tor
every dollar was not invested in United
States bonds
1T has been intimaled that Merry wrote
the article in question to curry favor with
the Southern white people in order 10 in
duce them TO contribute toward the build
inc Of new church. Do YOU think
Merry was actuated by such motive
NO" said Smith; Il am member OF
his church, and know what his motive
was. You see, the suspension OF
| the bank placed him in a very I'M
pIeasant position. He had said the bank
was Trustworthy and safe and great many
| deposited their savings in it ont Of pure
| faith in him, that would otherwise never
have entrusted their money TO II. why
| there are numbers of his congregation who
| hold him directly responsible Tor their de-
| pOsitS. | could cite YOU 10 an old woman,
| who, when the bank suspended, went to
| him and said hold you TO account for my
money, for ] never would have put 1t IN
| the old bank if Won had not said what you
| did about il. One-fOuTth Of his cOngTega-
| ton were depOSitOrS and had trusted him,
not the bank. So you see the suspension
of the bank placed him in false light be
| fore his flock, and this Is the reason why
he brought out his card"
He was then asked what sort of an inn
preston the card made upon the colored
people.
He replied that be had heard as Il any as
| fifty speak of it, ana they had all warmly
| approved il. There was no doubt i ex-
] N essed the sentiments of the colOrei PEG
pie.
VIM. Summer vas also questioned upon
| the same subject, and hs agreed precisely
| with Smith in what he had said. He also
! was present when AlvOrd occupied MerTy's
pulpit and told what Merry now charac-
| terizeS as "a lie"