MAY 15, 1834.] OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. 4078 [H. OF R. House. As to the discussions upon the great principles within a given period, when they are stinted, than when of our Government, he neither expected nor desired that they are at liberty to dispose of matters at their leisure; they should cease. It was obvious, from the history of and if we fix upon a day when our labors here are to terour Government, that the practical operation of every minate, we will inevitably redouble our diligence, and provision in the constitution was not entirely foreseen. accomplish all that the interest of our constituents requires Discussion upon these subjects was, in his opinion, ex- us to execute. ceedingly profitable, and though he differed from many gentlemen in the views they had expressed, he hoped sure, presented us with a pretty formidable calendar of The gentleman from Georgia [Mr. WAYNE] has, to be their arguments would convince the country that the unfinished business, and protests, at the same time, against public time devoted to them had not been improperly the inference that we have not hitherto been diligent. spent. He believed the people had regarded them with Mr. V. said he should not regret it, if we were to go interest, and would fully sustain the decision of the House home without acting upon a majority of those bills; that upon them. Our free institutions require that the fullest he had long believed that excessive legislation in this discussion should be given to such topics. several measures before both Houses of Congress which balance were struck at the end of each session, the sins There were country was an evil; and that, as an ordinary rule, if a required its action before a final decision on the question of commission of legislative bodies would much overof adjournment could with propriety be taken. to perceive, from recent indications here, that there was balance their sins of omission. Mr. V. said he was happy a growing disposition to go about and execute the business that our constituents sent us here to transact, instead Yes, said Mr. V., it has become rather an up-hill busiof spending the time with interminable panic speeches. ness to make a panic speech here now; and he congratulated the House that this standing dish, this common-place and stale chowder of panic and distress, and the removal He said he would not determine the question of adjourn- tion of the House. of the deposites, had ceased to be palatable to any porment by what had been done in the business of legisla- proved that we were disposed to do what was most loudly tion, but from what remained to be done for the public required of us. It was a most auspicious omen, and and private interest. does not, as some gentlemen had considered, necessarily it if we should sit here till next March. If we enterA postponement of the resolution executing all the business, said Mr. V., we could not do As to finishing the general orders, and extend the period contemplated by the resolution for the tained such a hope, we would find that the end of our close of the session; on the contrary, the House will race would be like the horizon, constantly receding from then be able to act more advisedly upon the question. Mr. LANE said he regretted to differ in opinion with gentlemen with whom he usually acted, and none more so than his honorable colleague, who had introduced the resolution. Mr. L. said, if he consulted his own wishes or interest, he should vote for the earliest possible day of adjournment. But there were considerations of a higher character than private interest or desires-the public good. committees, cease to grind out their grists? Would the us. Would the numerous little mills we have here, called number of petitions for further legislation cease, if we sat here till doomsday? Mr. L. said no Western gentleman could, in his opinion, consistently with the interest of his constituents, vote for the resolution, when not a bill, in which the West was interested, had yet been acted upon. Sir, there is the bill to reduce and graduate the price of the public lands, a bill cussion would be brought to a close before the usual hour Mr. BROWN said, if he saw any prospect that the disin which the Western people had more at stake, and felt of adjournment, he certainly should not detain the House a more lively interest in than any other. There is another from more important business. bill, until acted upon, said Mr. L., he would never agree made up from the commencement, and he had the same should leave the House-the one reported by the Commit-desire which influenced other gentlemen, that his reasons His opinion had been tee of Ways and Means in relation to the public deposites. for that opinion should accompany his vote. Every consideration of public duty required action upon anxious to bring the business of the session to a close, the subject. There was, said Mr. L., another objection: and return to his family, and no one could personally have He was most by the passage of the resolution, the House placed itself less to gain, by postponing the period of adjournment, in the power of the Senate to do what he would not consent, however great his confidence in that body might be, while so many bills of vast importance remained to be disposed of. than he had. The close of a session of Congress, supposed by many to be one of the most important since the organization of the Government, was a question in which Mr. VANDERPOEL said he was sorry that he could was almost five weeks to the 16th of June, the day of public duty must prevail over private gratification. It not vote for the motion of his friend and colleague, [Mr. adjournment named in the resolution; and if we refused CAMBRELENG,] for whose opinions and views upon this to postpone, and adopted the resolution, it was an act floor he cherished that respect which was due to much which we could not recall, and we thereby put ourselves greater experience, in matters of legislation, than he entirely in the power of the other branch of the Legisla(Mr. V.) could boast; but he (Mr. V.) was decidedly in ture, who might or might not concur with us, as its favor of fixing upon some day certain for the adjourn-members saw fit. His objection was not to the proposed ment of Congress. prefer the day proposed by the resolution to any other would be in a situation to adjourn by the 16th of June;) Mr. V. would not say that he would time of adjournment, (he hoped and believed the House day, earlier or more remote; but he believed that it would his objection was to fixing the day five weeks in advance, conduce to the acceleration of the public business, to the when the time could be determined two weeks hence, dispensation with, or, at all events, to the abbreviation of with far greater safety to the public interest than at this many speeches, with which gentlemen were still laden, moment. Public events of great magnitude and moment if we now prescribed to ourselves a certain period within might occur in the course of two weeks, which might which our duties here must be executed. then be more apt to stop speaking when we had finished tlemen had intimated their determination not to adjourn We would lead us to regret our hasty and premature action. Genthinking; and would, practically, pay more respect than until something shall be done to relieve the country. This we had been accustomed to pay to the maxim, that idea of relieving the country, so often repeated and reit"brevity is the soul of wit." After all, said Mr. V. erated, both here and elsewhere, was quite a vexed queswith all our vaunted wisdom, we are nothing, Mr. tion, upon which a wide difference of opinion prevailed, Speaker, but full-grown boys; and all experience teaches and probably would prevail, until it was finally and efus that both boys and men will invariably execute more fectually decided (as he trusted it would be) by the peo 4079 H. OF R.] GALES & SEATON'S REGISTER Indian Appropriation Bill.--Cumberland Road Bill. [MAY 1 ple. If gentlemen meant, by “relieving the country," a Lansing, George W. Lay, Luke Lea, Lincoln restoration of the public deposites, or a recharter of the Loyall, Lyon, Mardis, McComas, McIntire, Mck Bank of the United States, he would ask, what hope was Kinley, Miller, Milligan, Muhlenberg, Parker, there of accomplishing either of those purposes short of Pope, Ramsay, Reed, Schenck, William B. S a new expression of the popular will? What hope was Smith, Speight, William Taylor, William P. there of reversing the opinions and votes of those who, Turrill, Tweedy, Vanderpoel, Vinton, Wagener, in resisting both those measures, believed, and honestly Wardwell, Webster, Campbell P. White, Elisha believed, they were fulfilling an obligation which they sey, Wilson.-98. owed to their constituents and the country, and which would ultimately be sanctioned and sustained by the voice of public approbation. He would not transgress the order of the House by departing from the question of postponement under consideration. He would, therefore, vote for the motion of his honorable colleague, [Mr. CAMBRELENG,] in the hope that, at the expiration of two weeks, the day of adjournment might be settled for the 16th of June, the earliest day proposed. Mr. HARDIN did not assent to the statement of his colleague, [Mr. CHILTON,] that the responsibility of not acting upon the measures before the House rested on the majority. Upon a great portion of the most important questions, nothing of party was involved, and the responsibility of neglecting such measures rested upon both sides. A further explanation was made by Messrs. EWING, Boox, and BURGES. Mr. WARD was in favor of adjourning at the earliest possible day, but it was impossible to say whether the essential business could be completed by the 16th of next month. The most important business was generally postponed until near the end of the session. Investigation and arrangement were necessary before business could go forward. Twelve days before the close of the last session, only ten bills had been passed. On the last day, one hundred bills were passed. After a remark from Mr. BEARDSLEY, against the motion to postpone, the question was taken, and carried by the following vote: INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL. The bill reported from the Committee of the on the State of the Union, making appropriations Indian department for 1834, came up, on con with the amendments made in committee. The amendments, excepting that appropriating for the expense of forming a treaty with the Pawnees, were concurred in. That amendment having been stated-Mr. ASHLEY said he was totally opposed to propriation of money for the purpose of buying with the Indians. There was no necessity for it. were disposed for hostilities, Congress, at its last had provided ample means for putting them dow corps of dragoons had been raised to meet exige this kind. If we should give them $8,000 for på year, it would require $16,000 next year, and mands upon us would go on in that ratio. Mr. LEWIS said the object of the appropria to enable the commissioners to redeem the prison had taken. This tribe resided at the extreme our territory, and he had been informed by G Stokes that they possessed the fleetest horses pe the world. The only way in which our fellow could be liberated was to redeem them. Mr. VANCE entirely concurred in the views es by the gentleman from Missouri, [Mr. ASHLEY.] oners taken by Indians are redeemed, it will pi most effectual inducement for them to capture zens. In his view, it would be one of the wo that could be done. YEAS.--Messrs. Heman Allen, Chilton Allan, Anthony, Barnitz, Barringer, Beaty, Beaumont, John Bell, James M. Bell, Blair, Bouldin, Brown, Bull, Bunch, Burges, Mr. ASHLEY said he regretted to hear, from Cambreleng, Chambers, Chinn, William Clark, Clay, thority of one of the commissioners, of the fle Clowney, Coffee, Connor, Corwin, Cramer, Crane, these Indian horses. He professed to have som Crockett, Davenport, Day, Deberry, Denny, Dickerson, edge of these matters, and had generally four Duncan, Dunlap, Evans, Horace Everett, Ewing, Forest- Indian horses very inferior animals. But, whate er, Philo C. Fuller, Fulton, Galbraith, Gillet, Gilmer, horses might be, he was opposed to the principl Gordon, Graham, Joseph Hall, Hamer, Hardin, Joseph appropriation. The officer who commanded the i M. Harper, Hathaway, Hawes, Howell, Abel Hunting-of dragoons was an exceedingly competent ma ton, Jarvis, William C. Johnson, Noadiah Johnson, Sea- range all difficulties with these Indians, without born Jones, King, Kinnard, Lane, Laporte, Thomas Lee, propriation. Leavitt, Lewis, Lucas, Abijah Mann, Joel K. Mann, Mar- The question was then taken upon the amendi tindale, Marshall, John Y. Mason, Moses Mason, Mc-it was non-concurred in, and consequently stru Carty, McKay, McKennan, McLene, McVean, Mercer, the bill. CUMBERLAND ROAD BILL. Robert Mitchell, Moore, Murphy, Osgood, Page, Parks, The bill was then ordered to be engrossed fo Mr. McKIM moved that the committee take up "making appropriations for continuing the Cur NAYS.--Messrs. John Quincy Adams, John J. Allen, road in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and repairing William Allen, Archer, Ashley, Banks, Barber, Bates, road east of the Ohio, and continuing and repall Baylies, Bean, Beardsley, Binney, Bodle, Been, Briggs, tain territorial and military roads, for the year Burns, Bynum, Cage, Campbell, Carr, Casey, Chaney, sand eight hundred and thirty-four." Chilton, Choate, Samuel Clark, Clayton, Coulter, Dar- Mr. STEWART suggested that it would sa lington, Amos Davis, Deming, Dickson, Dickinson, Ed- and be every way better, to take up the Senate ward Everett, Felder, Fillmore, Foster, Fowler, William the same subject. K. Fuller, Gamble, Garland, Gholson, Gorham, Grayson, Mr. McKIM, approving the suggestion, waived Grennell, Griffin, Hiland Hall, Halsey, Hannegan, Hard, tion; when, on motion of Mr. STEWART, the James Harper, Harrison, Hawkins, Hazeltine, Hender tee took up for consideration the bill from the S son, Hiester, Hubbard, Jabez W. Huntington, Richard the continuation and repair of the Cumberla M. Johnson, Cave Johnson, Benjamin Jones, Kavanagh, Ayes 91, noes 31. No amendment being proposed to the bill, it was laid aside to be reported to the House. The committee then proceeded to the consideration of the HARBOR BILL. In which various amendments were moved by Mr. HUBBARD, and agreed to. expected that they would not again be raised present session. But the same course of disc been taken upon the resolution just read, and c positions which have been occasionally presente fore--the same often-refuted allegations have b rated over and over again--the same sweeping supported denunciations of tyranny, Executive u vindictive and wanton cruelty and despotism, !! proclaimed in unmeasured terms of zealous and rate declamation; and, in addition to all this, th ble gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr MCKEN colleague, who has just preceded me on the now under consideration, has taken occasion al madvert, with some degree of severity, and think, in a manner uncalled for and unwarrant the conduct of the governor and one branch of gislature of my native State, and to present basis, a gloomy and deplorable account of her pi cuniary embarrassments, distress, and calamitic mortifying and humiliating confession of a lack Mr. E. WHITTLESEY, who explained the nature and intelligence in her citizens. It was this ar and necessity of the improvements proposed, (which sion of my colleague, thus made, which induce only went to secure and render stable works already the present occasion, to rise in my place, and t commenced, and in a measure completed,) and dwelt self upon the indulgence of my fellow-members. upon the vast advantages which had accrued to our in-myself thus called upon to vindicate, as far as r ternal commerce from the construction of the piers for abilities will enable me, the Chief Magistrate, t removing the obstructions to the harbors on the south shore of Lake Erie. An item of $50,000 for the removal of obstructions in the Savannah river, gave rise to an extended debate, in which Messrs. HUBBARD, PEARCE, II. EVERETT, SPEIGHT, MERCER, WILLIAMS, PARKER, WAYNE, CAMBRELENG, MCKAY, WHITTLESEY, and HALL, of North Carolina, took part; when the amendment was agreed to: Ayes 83, noes 46. Mr. HUBBARD then moved a series of twelve different appropriations, amounting, in all, to $101,000 for harbors on the lakes. Mr. McKAY made inquiries touching these items, which were answered very much at large by Mr. McKINLEY then moved that the committee rise, and report the Cumberland road bill to the House; but this was objected to by Mr. McKay, who had not had an opportunity to examine the bill. He then moved simply that the committee do now rise. FRIDAY, MAY 16. THE PUBLIC DEPOSITES. The resolution heretofore submitted by Mr. MARDIS, relative to the public deposites, with the proposition of Mr. CORWIN to amend, was taken up. Mr. GALBRAITH then resumed his speech, in reply to Mr. MCKENNAN, which he continued until the expiration of the hour appropriated to morning business. Mr. PLUMMER moved to suspend the rules in order to enable Mr. G. to conclude his remarks. The motion was carried: Yeas 101, nays 44. Mr. G. then proceeded, and finished his remarks about one o'clock; the whole of which are given entire as fol lows: Mr. GALBRAITH rose and said: lature, and the people of that community, which represent, from the imputations which those ren calculated to cast upon them, I could not feel j permitting them to pass unnoticed-the more par inasmuch as the resolutions passed by the Legis Pennsylvania, while I had the honor of being a of that body, in 1831 and 1832, with regard to t have been introduced, as they have often been to here, as evidence of the inconsistency of that its faithless expression of the sentiments of the the State. While I am up, however, I shall still ther to trespass on the patience of the House, avail myself of the opportunity thus afforded of ing, as briefly as I can, the reasons which brought to the conclusions to which it came on the several involved in the consideration of the resolution b being the same in fact as those already decide resolutions reported by the Committee of W Means; and of putting in a reply to some of the a presented by the advocates of the bank in the arguments. Sir, my colleague [Mr. McKENNAN] has cha governor of Pennsylvania with "indulging in of insinuations against the bank, totally unbecom high station he occupies, unjust towards the b unfounded in fact," "instead of assigning the re sudden, humiliating change;" and adds wha the imputation of impure and corrupt motive, a Governor Wolf, I am sure, contrary to the int my honorable colleague, with a severe, uncharita unfounded charge, that "rumor says the chang fected in one night!" Mr. SPEAKER: At a former period of the discussion the public deposites and the vindictive warfare c here of the grave and important questions which have against the bank" "as the cause of the financia been raised upon the action of the Executive branch of rassment of the State"--"subserviency to the w this Government, in relation to the Bank of the United "cringing before the power and popularity of States, and which have been made to excite, to agitate, vidual"--"idolatry of a man, and sacrificing the and convulse the public mind, from one end to the other terests of the country"--inconsistency in unde of this wide-spread nation, I confess I felt some inclination, prompted by what I conceived to be my duty to those whom I represent, to give in detail to the House, and, through it, to my constituents, at least some of the reasons which influenced my votes on the resolutions attached to the report of the Committee of Ways and Means, although conscious of my own inability, and preferring to listen to the wisdom and experience of others. However, as the debate was long protracted, and there seemed to be a wish generally manifested that the propositions then pending should be speedily disposed of, I declined at that time, I believe, with many others, occupying the time or troubling the patience of the House with any remarks of mine. The vote on those resolutions was taken, the questions involved in them decided, and it was to have been VOL. X--256 My colleague finds the justification for all th and grave charges upon the governor in his me the Legislature of the 26th of February last, th from which, that has been so unfortunate in giving offence to those fast wedded to the interests of th I shall trouble the House with presenting. It w marked that the balance of the loan of last yea State, about $729,000, had been thrown into ma the failure of the Messrs. Allen, who had bid 4083 H. or R.] GALES & SEATON'S REGISTER The Public Deposites. 40 [MAY 16, stipulated to take the whole, payable in monthly instal- (by which, I presume, is meant the recharter of the ments. Proposals had been issued by the governor to re- and its keeping and disposing of the public money,) ceive bids for that sum up until sundown of the 22d of not his fault; and he was, no doubt, unconscious February; and, notwithstanding the wealth and resources high position which he occupied in the nation. H of the Commonwealth, and her high credit for prompt not meddle with the deliberations of the national cou ness and punctuality, not a single bid had been received Was it fair, then, to arraign him here, for a comm on that day. On the 26th, the governor, in the discharge tion thus limited to its legitimate sphere, in a m of his official duties, communicated this unaccountable which necessarily precluded him making a reply and startling fact to the Legislature, and, after stating the fence? Waiving, however, for the present, this in want of confidence in the currency said to exist, he pro- where is the unjust and unfounded insinuation again ceeds: "Various causes have been assigned for this alarm- bank? Is that institution so pure, so sacred, so hol ing state of things, all more or less plausible. Among it has become an impiety, a political sin, to breath others, it is said that the removal of the public deposites picion upon it, or even to inquire as to the propr from the Bank of the United States by the General Go- its conduct in any particular? Or has it become a vernment has been the means of producing all the mis- rupt, so profligate, that it will not bear the to chief and pressure under which the country is now la- scrutiny, or the light of truth? If Governor Wo boring; and yet many of the friends of that institution just foundation for the conclusion to which he cam admit that a restoration of the deposites is not necessary the failure of the loan was owing, at least in part, to the relief of the money market. Wha conduct and interference of the bank, was it not his "Whatever other reasons may exist, it cannot be dis- nay, more, his duty-his solemn official duty, der guised that we have amongst us a powerful moneyed in- by the express terms of the constitution which stitution, which is at this time making use of all the means sworn to support, to communicate it to that Legi of which it is capable, to accomplish certain objects in- There can be no doubt as to the answer. dispensable to its existence; and having an energetic, a were the facts? The important transaction in firm and unbending antagonist to contend against, all its connected with the financial concerns of that Sta energies and all its powers (and they are of no ordinary alluded to in the message, was the failure of the character) have been put in motion to defeat his measures Allen to comply with their contract in taking th and to frustrate his designs in relation to it. It can scarce. The particular juncture at which they failed, ti ly be doubted that to the course of operations that in- when they gave notice of the failure, the ma stitution has been pursuing for some time past, (whether which it was done, and other circumstances co justifiable or not, I will not undertake to determine,) the with it, formed a chain of evidence showing the State is indebted in a great measure for its disappointments ion of the bank with the failure of the loan, and i heretofore, and for the failure to obtain its loan of Satur- very forcibly the conclusion to which the go day last. Whether bringing indiscriminate ruin and dis- mind arrived in regard to the bank. These are tress upon an unoffending community by the bank is the detailed in debate there, where the facts were a most certain mode of obtaining a return of the public de- by several gentlemen in both Houses of the Le posites, a renewal of its charter, or an extension of time whom I know as high-minded, honorable men, to wind up its business, is a question for those who have denied by the speakers on the other side, as far the direction and management of its affairs to determine. had an opportunity of reading their speeches A milder and more liberal course might have been attend- were distinctly stated by Messrs. Penrose and ed with more favorable results. The State of Penn- and perhaps others of the Senate, and by some a sylvania may be crippled and embarrassed in her pecuniary House of Representatives. arrangements, and paralyzed for a time in her efforts to The only speech on that subject which I have complete her great chain of improvement by the depress- at present, and which I believe was the first, i ing policy of the bank, but that is no reason why we Mr. Thompson, a respectable member of the H should despair of the Commonwealth; our public works fellow-townsman and representative. It contain may languish for a season, but will not be suffered to lan- full, and satisfactory statement of that transacti guish long; the resources of the State are ample, her shall content myself at present with little more tha credit is unimpaired; her public stocks, although under an extract. Some of the circumstances mention momentary depression at home, are highly acceptable miliarly known to myself. He says: "We have he abroad, and will before long be as eagerly sought after about the embarrassment and the difficulties in by the capitalist as ever." our State has been thrown, on account of the Sir, I have said that the animadversion of my colleague the Messrs. Allen, and on account of the fact was uncalled for. Was it not peculiarly so as regards deficit of the last loan, amounting to $720,000 the governor? It will be at once perceived, by the been retaken. It is true, the Allens did not co nature and tenor of the document, an extract from which their engagements; I believe they were unable I have just read, that it was a communication made by the with them, and were compelled to relinquish th governor to the Legislature of the same State, over in this matter, too, I am much mistaken if the whose destinies he presided, and whose welfare and pros- of the bank are not to be traced. If she were perity he had deeply at heart, in the fair and legitimate ing for a misdemeanor, I think the circumstan performance of an official duty devolved upon him by be powerful evidence to establish her interf the State constitution, as the Chief Magistrate; intended producing this result. Let us take a survey only for the deliberation of that Legislature; simply dis- cumstances connected with the transaction. E closing a fact of vital and alarming importance to the in- of the Legislature of 1829 -'30, are charter w terests of the Commonwealth, and required by the criti- to the Bank of Pennsylvania, on condition that cal and embarrassing juncture in her affairs. It was not loan to the Commonwealth, if required, a mill designed to be officially communicated to the Congress lars per annum for three years, to wit: on the of the nation, or to operate upon our deliberations here,ary, 1832, '33, and '34; on which last day this or to be thrown into the troubled elements of discussion to the State expired, if not called upon. No within these walls. If "all eyes were directed at that us see how it comes that she was not called u time to Harrisburg," as the battle-ground of the bank find that the Messrs. Allen paid the instalment and its friends; and if "Governor Wolf held in his band ber; and not until after the temporary adjour (as has been said) the fate of the constitution and laws," there any intimation that they would not be ab MAY 16, 1834.] OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. The Public Deposites. 4086 [H. OF R. If she ply with their contract throughout. On the 3d of Janu-deposites, of itself, could have little or no effect upon the ary, however, the Messrs. Allen addressed to the governor currency, excepting as connected with the question of re a communication, in which they inform him of their charter, and that the restoration of them to the bank inability to meet their engagements. tion is the following declaration: By the kind assistance the bank would be rechartered! The object and motive In this communica- could have no effect, further than to give confidence that of the Bank of the United States, which, under the strong of the bank managers is plain and clear-left without and peculiar circumstances of the public connexion, has doubt now, by the avowal that "all eyes were fixed upon been induced to purchase from us our exchange, at a Harrisburg. moment when we could make sales in no other quarter, ternal improvement in Pennsylvania, was supposed to we have provided for the payment falling due on the 16th hang suspended upon the obtaining of that loan. ultimo. By this kind aid, then, the requisition on the could be but crippled and defeated at that particular The success of the great system of inMessrs. Allen for the month of December is complied juncture, her people and her public functionaries would with. On the 3d of January, three days after the time be obliged to yield and bow with submission to the powhad gone by when the Bank of Pennsylvania was liable to er of the bank, and crawl at its feet, and send up a be called on for $1,000,000, which she had stipulated to prayer, however forced and unwilling, imploring mercy loan to this State, in consideration of her charter, the and the restoration of the deposites to the vaults and to Messrs. Allen are obliged to inform the governor that the disposal of the giant hand with which she was they cannot comply any further with their engagements! oppressed. This motive and this object were too clear, What was there then, sir, to alter those peculiar circum- from all the circumstances transpiring under the gov stances under which the bank purchased the exchanges ernor's immediate observation at the time, leaving no to the amount of the instalment of December? Why not room to doubt; forming, truly, a "crisis in the affairs of purchase exchanges still? Sir, the deposites had been Pennsylvania" demanding all the firmness of the patriremoved; the bank was in no peculiar strait, as we can ot" and "independence of her Executive." Sir, he did learn, and was further removed from the effects of the "meet the conflict" with that same unshaken firmness removal of the deposites than in December, because the and patriotic fidelity which has always characterized his system of curtailment had commenced, and the bank had administration. He fearlessly and honestly communicated in its vaults $10,000,000. "But, sir, if the Messrs. Allen had not been able to since furnished the most conclusive and triumphant testimopay the December instalment, what would have been the ny that he was not mistaken? No sooner had the troops the fact as he believed it to exist; and has not the result result? Why, the State would have been enabled to call of committee men vanished from Harrisburg, than it was on the Bank of Pennsylvania for $1,000,000, which she found that they had no longer an object in surrounding had stipulated to loan on that day. That instalment, the concerns of Pennsylvania with embarrassment and however, having been paid, and the 1st of January hav- difficulty-that, instead of "bowing the neck to the yoke ing passed by, the Bank of Pennsylvania was released of power," and "kissing the rod that smote" them, the from her engagement with the State." extract from the communication of the Messrs. Allen to body of intelligent freemen, spiritedly and indignantly Governor Wolf quoted, two things are held out in bold declared independence. Then the dark clouds of calamity In the short State functionaries, truly and faithfully representing a relief, to wit: the mighty power of the United States that seemed to hang over the destinies of Pennsylvania Bank, and its great kindness under the strong and for a time, were dissipated, like the breaking of a magic peculiar circumstances of the public connexion. so stupid as not to perceive in this transaction the giant went on with their wonted energy, and the sunbeams of efforts of the bank, winding its boa constrictor folds prosperity played upon her brightening prospects as brilWho is spell-her loan was taken-her stocks rose-her affairs around the dearest interest of Pennsylvania, in order to liantly as ever. urge and drive her public functionaries into an expres- acquitted of any unjust and unfounded insinuation against sion in its favor, which should have its weight upon our the bank, if clear and satisfactory circumstantial evidence deliberations here at that particular juncture? Is not, then, Governor Wolf perfectly were not aware, until lately, that we have heard it said here that the fate of the question depended upon the change" in the mind of Governor Wolf, my colleague has We can be relied upon? expression at Harrisburg, why it was that so great efforts referred to the statement of a gentleman of the commitAs evidence of inconsistency, "sudden and unexpected were made in that quarter. The circumstances men- tee from Pittsburg, (I believe Mr. Leckey,) that he had tioned were not the only ones, however, that existed to a conversation with the governor some time previous to prove the interference of the bank in producing the his message of the 26th of February, (it has been said embarrassments at that time in Pennsylvania. Large elsewhere, three days previous;) and that, in that comcommittees from Philadelphia were constantly hovering munication, he referred to his former messages, and around Harrisburg, pressing their suit for the bank, who, stated that his opinion on the subject of the bank had in their great anxiety to effect their object, leaked out undergone no change." Sir, I know Mr. Leckey very too much to escape the observation of much more well, and believe him to be an honorable and respectable obtuse intellects than that of Governor Wolf; circum- man, and cannot, for one moment, allow myself to supstances were detailed that disclosed more than perhaps pose that he would intentionally misrepresent the govthey were aware of, all centring to the same point and ernor; but every one at all conversant with oral testimoforcing the same conclusion. I was told by an intelligent ny knows its great uncertainty when its object is to demember of one of those committees here, (for the bank tail verbal communications, particularly on subjects of had committees both here and at Harrisburg pressing the excitement, when feeling or interest is deeply enlisted. same ultimate object,) on the very 22d of February, that The expressions of the speaker are almost uniformly the loan was not taken-that I might depend upon it as colored, according to the feelings or wishes of the hearer, certain. How, I would like to know, could he speak and often mingled with those of others made about the with such certainty at that time, but from a confidence in same time; and thus generally misconceived, and often as a plan concerted and carried into effect with combined much misrepresented, from the same cause, without imeffort between the bank and the capitalists, to cripple and puting any intention of wilful misstatement. embarrass the State operations at that particular time, to happens that two persons will detail a conversation in effect the designs of the bank? of those patriotic committee men, and no doubt the gov- give an instance which occurred with myself, not long I was told also, by one the same way, or so as to give the same idea. I could It seldom ernor was told the same thing, that the removal of the since, on the subject of the removal of the deposites. I |