Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

492 ABRIDGMENT OF THE H. OF R.] State Banks as Depositories-Mr. Adams' Resolution. [JUNE, 1834. the gentleman from Tennessee on the present also the names of those persons who were occasion, and extended their inquiries beyond employed as their lawyers and solicitors-with the limits fixed by the House, and into matters the view, as he states, to enable himself and still more out of their proper province, and others to determine whether these banks are then what were the consequences? Were safe depositories of the public money. The they not such as might fairly have been object of the amendment was to make the inquiry expected to ensue? Their right to make them broad enough to embrace a call for similar was denied. They were refused. They came information as regards the Bank of the United back, and from this took upon themselves States; to extend a similar inquiry into the to report that the bank had violated its char- state of the accounts of the president and ter, not on those grounds of violation into directors of that bank also; and to ascertain which they were sent to inquire, but because the names of the lawyers and solicitors of the the bank had refused, and properly refused, to Bank of the United States, and their indebtedanswer such inquiries as they had assumed ness to that bank. To this the gentleman the right to demand. The gentlemen were objects, and insists that it is proper the amendsent to get information as to alleged violations ment should be withdrawn. The Government of the charter. They got no information at had still in the vaults of the Bank of the all, for the reason he had stated; and then United States some two or three millions of they came back to those who sent them, public deposits, which had not yet been withbreathing vengeance, talking of violations of drawn froI it. The United States was, morethe charter of the bank, of contempt committed over, the holder of one-fifth (seven millions) by it to the authority of the House, for which of its stock. Was it unreasonable, then, if they must be brought to condign punish- such an inquiry as was proposed to be made ment. And, as a means to inflict it, they was deemed necessary as regarded the State forthwith report a series of resolutions, that banks, to extend the same or a similar inquiry the president and directors should be brought into the affairs of a bank in which the people to the bar of the House to answer for the same. of the United States had so great a stake? What else resulted from this? The conduct Inquiry into its condition, in this respect, was of the bank was, to be sure, a contempt, a the more peculiarly demanded, when the high contempt in the imagination of the com- antagonist position which it had assumed mittee, of the privileges of the House; and towards the Government was considered. yet, notwithstanding all this, eager as these What had been its conduct towards the Execgentlemen of the committee were so to deem utive, and towards this House? Had it not, it, he had not seen that they were quite so in its official acts, and through its friends and anxious to bring up the subject, that, if what advocates here and elsewhere, openly denouncthey had alleged was a contempt, the indigna- ed the chief Executive Magistrate as a tyrant, tion of the House might fall upon those whom a usurper, and a despot-as every thing but a they had described so forcibly as having incur- patriot and an honest man? Had it not, by red it. itself and its friends, advocates, and presses, in Mr. POLE had not expected, he said, when the progress of the present session of Congress, he came to the House this morning, that it called upon this House to join in the hue and would be necessary for him to engage in a cry against the Executive, for an alleged further discussion of the subject before them; usurpation of power? When this call was but as the honorable member from. Massachu- made, the bank and its supporters and advosetts had revived the discussion of a former cates conceded that the institution was responday, and had been pleased to indulge in a sible for its acts to Congress, and the full course of remarks not very pertinent to the power of Congress over the whole subject was immediate question before the House, he must admitted. The House had proved to be refracadvert to such of them as seemed to require tory, and, by its votes, had sustained the from him some notice. The gentleman repeats Executive, and in effect declared the charge the request which he had made when this reso- of usurpation, tyranny, and despotism, against lution was last under consideration, a few days the President, was senseless as well as false past, that he (Mr. P.) would withdraw the clamor, and wholly unfounded; and no sooner amendment which he had had the honor to was this done than the bank and its friends propose. Mr. P. begged, in the outset of what had come out in bitter denunciations against he had to say, to state that it was not his the popular branch of Congress. Yes, sir, this intention to withdraw the amendment. House, the immediate representatives of the The honorable member, by his resolution, people, the true reflectors (when its members proposes to call upon the Secretary of the truly represent their constituents) of the Treasury for certain information relating to popular will, had, since the return of the comthe State banks which had become the deposi- mittee of investigation from Philadelphia, as tories of the public money. He states his he would presently show, been denounced, object to be to ascertain the condition of these with the President, as usurpers of powers banks, and more especially of the private ac- whiclh did not belong to them. Were we to counts and indebtedness of their respective endure all this from an institution whose presidents and boards of directors, and to learn strides for power were not only rapid but

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Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 492
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

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Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

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