Year: 1870

go NAe4~f ~sA@ A@" NNN@~A@J


ent. There was distinct under
standing between the officers Of
the Vicksburg Bank and Mr..
Webber, that the Bank was to
make Mr.. Webber's bond, and Mr..
Webber was to make it the Bank
Of Deposit for the city. Mr.. Web
ber has complied with his part Of
the contract, and 1t now appears
as il it is Impossible for the officers
Of the Bank to perfect their part of
the contract with Mr.. Webber.


This sort Of bargain and sale
transaction gives rise to singular
reflections. It is true in this in
stance it does not look very bad.
But suppose instead Of a Bank, it
had been q street contractor, who
had profered to Mr.. Webber TO
make his bond, conditioned that
he was to be street contractor for
the City Of vicksburg, and some
other applicant for the same posi-
ton learning Of this proposition,
should hasten to Mr.. Webber and
offer not only to make the
bond, but to pay the Mayor
one thousand dollars additional,
would there be any cor
ruption, should the Mayor
accept the latter propOsitionH II
this should indicate corruption,
does 1t all lie in the thousand dol
lars2 Is there not corruption with
out the thousand dollarsP And
if there would be corruption in
the case Of q contractor, what is
the condition of affairs when O
bank is involved? Does it change
its aspect any whatever? Or, t
put the question in another shape
the consideration rendered by th,
vicksburg Bank was the making
Mr.. Webber's bond. Suppose th'
Valley Bank had, in addition
to o promise to make MIR. Web
bers bond, agreed to pay hin
a thousand dollars in cash 10 b
made the bank Of deposit, woul
not q howl Of indignation hay
been raised? Would not the or
Of corruption have been on ever
tongueH But why should the ad
ditional thousand dollars s
change the aspect of the affair
The making the bond of Mr.. Wei
Der was a matter Of bargain an
sale. II so, why had not N
Webber the right to put the powe
which he had of nominating


bank of deposit for the city, up
be knocked down to the highe
bidder? II there was nothin
wrong in trading it for a bon
there certainly would be nothir
wrong in trading it for q boz
and q thousand dollars, or
much money as it would sell 70


If the right which the chart
gave him was merchantable pro
erty to inure to the benefit of I
Mayor, why did not Mr.. Webb
make q better thing out of i
Probably If he had put the thi


up at auction he could ha
realized a handsome sum for


over and above his bond. 1t n,
seems as if it is exceedingly dou


full that he can make an acceptaI
and legal bond. Mr. Webber v
guilty ofa very great indiscreti
last Friday night in permitting q
bank to be nominated. He CO..


very we'll have said that he did
feel authorized to nominate ba
until he as Mayor had compl
with all the requirements of


city charter, chief among which
his official bond. This wo


have forced the Vicksburg B'
to continued effort. As it nov
the bank is indifferent. 1t


been selected and it does not n
ter whether Mr.. Webber is Ma
or not; nor does it matter whet
he gives bond or not. Mr.. Web


has voluntarily relinquished


only incentive to action which


controlled oyerthe Vicksburg b


That bank can now say that


impossible to make the boud


thus permit Mr. Webber to &C


the board. The very moment


Vicksburg Bank retires from


contest, the friends Of that l


who have been supporting