Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-02-20
1850.
A Pertinent IHquirT-And a Bit Of
Official Information.

Editor Morning Meas Admitting that
Congressman Lacy's bill for a Postal
Savings Bank" is well drawn up for the
operations Of such an institution, and
shall be adopted by this Congress on the
recommendation of the House Commit
tee on Post Offices, what guarantee of
safety is offered to depositors against
fraudulent legislation by subsequent
Congress. as in the case of the Freed
mans BankS
The first establishment of that bank by
Congress made it as secure as the Gov
ernment of the United States itself, by
requiring that all the investments of de-
positQrs should be in government securi-
ties. But by legislative trick the sched-
ule Of securities were extended to en-
brace mortgages, stocks, other bonds
than of the United States, and discounts
upon our enlarged system of hypotheca-
ton or Endorsements. This done, the
rogues who devised and carried out
the clever scheme began to reap and
gather in the hard earned savings
of the ignorant and confiding freedman,
until the bank collapsed, as it was bound
to do, leaving him minus his deposits.
In the mildest language, 'the Freed
mans Bank" was an infamous swindle
of the emancipated slaves, and will con-
tinue a reproach as such until another
Congress shall remove the blot upon the
national escutcheon by making restitu-
ton and satisfaction for the wrong de-
liberatelY planned and perpetrated
With such an example Of successful
fraud before the country, l ask again,
''What guarantee of safety is offered to
the citizens of the United States by Mr..
Lacy's bill against fraudulent legislation
OF the same character as on the case Of
the Freedmen'S Bank, but on larger
scale?"
Your correspondent in Washington
city, Potomac" gives good advice to
those interested in the Romney Marsh
improvement, published is Fridays
issue. If those gentlemen wish to
defeat themselves they are doing
the right thing to accomplish it. The
constitutionally constituted agents for
advancing in Congress the interests of
the State of Georgia and the general
welfare are our Representatives and
Senators, and especially of the
particular the Representative of
the district concerned. Lobbying
and log.rolling for particular individual
interests, outside of our Representatives
and Senators, invariably weaken, if they
do not paralyze altogether, their efforts.
Back their action up as much as can be
done; but follow their lead, if an appro-
priation is really desired. Side issues
only confuse. The objective point,
an appropriation now, then open the sew
eral schemes to the Engineer officer
who shall have charge of the work, and
whom the government shall invest with
the decision, under superior official
criticism, Of the best manner Of applying
the money voted. Congressman are
keen fellows generally, and when ap-
preached on the flank, and not openly
at the front, are apt to be suspicious and
skittish, fearing that something else be-
sides general welfare" is sought for. My
experience, of some years, confirms that
of your correspondent. And, as our
coast trade needs an improvement of
Romney Marsh, we earnestly recon-
mend the advice of Potomac" to all
interested.
DEMOCRAT OF On ScHoo1.