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After the above mentioned memorial was read,
Mr. MCDUFFIE moved torefer it to the committee of Ways and Means.
Mr. DAVIS, of South Carolina moved to refer it to a committee of the whole House on the state of the Union.
A motion was also made to refer itto a select commit- tee.
rences of the last four weeks, and remembered what had taken place at a late convention in Baltimore, and the motives which had been avowed for bringing forward the subject at this time-he must say, that gentlemen " ought not to permit a petition of this kind to receive the attention of the House.
Who could doubt that the presentation of that me. morial was in fact a party measure, intended to have- an important operation on persons occupying the highest offices of Government? If, however, it should be con- sidered necessary to enter upon the subject at the pre- sent time, Mr. Wayne said he was prepared to meet it. But when gentlemen saw distinctly before their_eyes, the motive of such a proceeding, he hoped, that not- withstanding there might be a majority in the house in favour of the Bank, gentlemen would not lend them- selves to that kind of action. Could it. be necessary to take up the question of rechartering the Bank at the pre- sent session? Gentlemen all knew, that four years must- pass before its charter would expire, and that Congress had power to extend the period, if farther time was ne-' cessary to wind up its affairs. It was known that other subjects of an exciting character must come up during the present session, and could there be any necessity, or propriety in throwing additional matter into the House calculated to raise that excitement yet higher? He trusted some individual would follow him, who might be able to present the subject to the House in a stronger light than he could. He should be willing in the very outset, to meet it by a motion to lay this memorial upon the table; but he would not make that motion at present; inasmuch as it would preclude a discussion which he wished to see proceed. He would, therefore, reserve himself for such ultimate action in reference to it as he might consider proper.
Mr. McDuffie said, that if he even could suppose that the Baltimore Convention bad had any thing to do with the presentation of the present memorial, he trusted that he, at least, would be free from the suspicion of acting in this House as the agent of that body, if any man in the United States could be free from such a suspicion. So far, however, as regarded the President, Directors, and Company of the mother bank, he must say, that so far as his situation had given him an oppor- tunity of having any knowledge of them, (and he had had much to do with those gentlemen) he did not believe that there existed within the limits of this Union, an or- ganized body more perfectly exempt from any just li- ability to the charge of acting from political considera- tions; and so far from having had the remotest connec- tion with any political movements, either at Baltimore or elsewhere, he should rather come to the conclusion that the present memorial had been presented after a consultation with the party to which the gentleman from Georgia, as well as himself, belonged, than with those of opposite party opinions. He regretted ex- ceedingly, that this should have been regarded as a po- litical question; but it was the misfortune of our coun- try, that no subject of any kind could be started, which had reference to the general interests of the people, but it must instantly be converted into a political ques- tion, and connected with that all-absorbing topic-a to- pic which he feared would one day prostrate the liberty of the country-the election of a President. Could not the consideration of any question, referring to the inter- ests of the country, be entered upon. but it must be to? put this man into office, and that man out? Could no? question of any kind be disposed of with a calm impar- tial judgment? He should deeply regret if any gen- tleman, in acting on the present subject, should be in- fnenced hy the question, how its decision would touch the election of this man or that. He could not possibly see how it could have any thing to do with the matter. Why must this be made a political question at this time more than at any other? Did the gentlemen from Geor-
Mr. WAYNE, of Georgia, said, that he had on a former occasion expressed his objection to the reference of this subject to the Committee of Ways and Means; and he should not trouble the House by repeating now, what he had advanced at the commencement of the session in favor of the appointment of a select committee; but he called upon gentlemen to consider what was the attitude of the Committee of Ways and Means in reference to the Bank question, and to compare it with the attitude in which that question had been presented to the House by the President of the United States, and he would ask whether it was not manifestly proper to submit the Me- morial to a committee entirely uncommitted npon the subject. But this was not the object for which he had risen-the present question had not come upon him un- expectedly-he had been aware before he entered the . House that a memorial of this kind would this morning | gia suppose that the progress of purification would be be presented, and when he looked back upon the occur- such, that at any future time, personal considerations
1932]
BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.
81
would cease to operate? If, while the present incum- bent occupied the Presidential chair, the Bank question must of necessity have a political aspect, was it to be supposed, that two years hence, when there were twu or more gentlemen, candidates for that situation, the discussion of it would be any more disinterested? No cried Mr. McD., it is the imperfection of man that pre- sents the difficulty; and until that shall cease, the gen- tleman from Georgia will never get out of it. The President and Directors of the mother Bank had been governed, not by political or party motives, in pre- senting this memorial, but by the obligation under which they lay, no tonly to the stockholders, but to the Government of the United States. What would be the effect of refusing to renew the charter, or to act upon the subject, till two years, or till a single year before its expiration? Could the gentleman from Georgia have reflected upon the consequences? That Bank had given a credit of $50,000,000 to the people of the United States. What did he suppose must be the effect of suddenly withdrawing that credit? Its effect, not only to the individuals to whom the credit had been given, but to all others connected with them? It would be nothing short ofutter desolation. Whether the charter were to be granted or refused, the House was bound in every view of the subject to act upon it now, and to act definitely. A period of four years was not more than was indispensably requisite to wind up the con- cerns of such an institution. If the consideration of the subject at this time was necessarily attended with any embarrassment, he should regret it; but still he must hold the great leading interests of the country to be par- amount to all political and party considerations. Ifit was in the power of gentlemen to discard all such feel- ing's in considering the great question to which this me- morial referred he earnestly hoped that it might be done.
Mr. Cambreleng, of New York, said that he heartily joined in the wish just expressed by the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr. McDuffie, ) that the subject might be approached without any thing like political excitement: but that gentleman and himself must live far beyond the ordinary length of man's life, if they ever Eved to see that question separated from party consi- derations. If his recollection did not very much de- ceive him, that gentleman, in the beginning of the ses- sion, had expressly said that the Bank question would sleep in his committee throughout the residue of the session.
Here Mr. McDuffic interposed, and said that the gen- tleman had entirely misunderstood him-that he had never made any such assertion.
Mr. Cambreleng said he stood corrected. Heconcur- red with the gentleman, that the subject ought to be met; but he hoped that in considering it, the House would deliberate long, and reflect maturely. They would thoroughly examine the great question, whether any Bank in the country could have the power to issue a currency from all its branches in every part of the country-payable nowhere.
lated to this subject, to the committee of Ways and Means. But, the consideration of a memorial which would require the whole subject to be sifted to the very bottom, was, of itself, sufficient to occupy a committee during the whole session of congress. The committee of Ways and Means was charged with the revenue and finances of the country, and could nut give it that atten- tion which it required. He therefore suggested to the gentleman from South Carolina, whether he ought not, in justice to others as well as to himself, to move the reference of the memorial to a select committee.
Mr. McDuffie replied, that to do so would not be to comply with the order of proceeding in the House, inas- much as the subject appropriately belongs to the com- mittee on Finance.
Mr. Cambreleng, thereupon, moved that the memo- rial be referred to a select committee.
Mr. COULTER, of Pennsylvania, said that he had not been so fortunate as the gentleman from Georgia, [Mr. Wayne] inasmuch as he had not heard that such a me- morial was this day to be presented to the House, and the only reason he felt any particular interest, as to the disposition of it was, that many of the petitioners resid- ed within the State from which he came. He had the same interest in the general subject with other citizens of the country. What was the subject before the House? A petition had been presented from a number of highly respectable citizens on a subject vitally interesting to the nation. Had they not a right to address this House? Had they approached it with an address upon a light and frivolous subject? A subject improper to occupy the attention of the legislative body? No. It was a subject which claimed the attention not only of that House, but of the whole Union. A subject which must undergo the action of the Legislature, at some period not far distant. And how was it proposed to treat thesc citizens? If he had not misunderstood the gentleman from Georgia, that gentleman had proposed that these citizens, together with the subject on which they petitioned, should be contemptuously thrown under the table, and that on the ground that it was a subject not fit at this time, to occu- py the attention of the representatives of the United States. What were the reasons advanced in support of this position? Why, that the subject of the petition par- took of a party character, or, that the presentation of the petition was connected with certain other political move- ments in the country? This might be a good reason with the gentleman from Georgia, as he very possibly was in the secrets of the party that had met at Baltimore; but as for himself he was not. IIe stood on that floor as a representative of the people-prepared to act on the subjects which in that capacity might be brought before him. Ile was governed hy no such considerations-he knew of no connexion of the memorial with any party or other proceedings at Baltimore. All he knew was that the petitioners resided in the state of Pennsylvania; that they had a right to present the memorial, and had acted properly in doing so, and a mere allegation that the paper was connected with political movements at Baltimore, formed no reason why he should not exercise the responsibility which had been committed to him. It had been said that the Bank question always would be connected with the politics of the country. If that was truc, it was an'objection that would apply equally at all times. But such was not his view of the subject. IJe hoped that the great experiment of a representative government had not so completely failed, that a Legisla- tive Assembly could not pronounce upon a great sub- ject, connected with the interests of the country, with- out being governed by predilections for men, and by feelings of mere party politics. The moment he should be compelled to believe that, he should conclude that the great republican experiment had failed; for it was the same to him whether a despot on the throne domi- neered over the country, or some demagogue who issued his proclamations, from a committee room, or elsewhere,
Here Mr. McDuffie was about to interpose, when Mr. Cambreleng said he was not going to enter into the merits of the general question; but had arisen for the purpose of suggesting to the gentlemen from Georgia, (Mr. Wayne,) not to move to lay this memorial on the table. Ile was for himself willing and ready to meet the subject. Ile wished also to make an appeal to the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr. McDaffic, ) whe- ther he would persist in his motion to refer the memo- rial to the committee of Ways and Means, secing that if it should go to a select committee that gentlemen would occupy in such committee the same station he held in the standing committee to which he belonged, and whether he would not consent that the subject of re- chartering the Bank, should go to a select committee, as it had heretofore done. He had joined with that gentleman in referring so much of the message as re- | controlled public opinion, and ruled the country. If
32
"BANK OF THE UNITED STATES.
[JANUARY
great questions of national policy were to be settled on the paltry politics of the day, or by a mere preference for individuals, the people ought to knowit. It was be- cause he believed that the House was capable of decid- ing such a question as this of the Bank, on purely na- tional principles, that he believed that the present memorial ought to receive the action of that House .- He should not enter upon any considerations which touched the merits of the question, he would only say, in general, that the paper before the Ilouse was a re -. spectful petition on a subject every way fit for the action of the House, and ought to receive its action. Were gentlemen to be deterred from the consideration of the memorial, by such reasons as had been offered by the gentleman from Georgia? He hoped that every man who felt in his own bosom higher and nobler principles of action than that gentlemen had alluded to, would not be deterred from the discharge of his duty; that the man whostood there as a Representative of the people, and felt that he was worthy so to stand, would act in such a manner as to show that he was above the reach of such motives. Let him suppose that this house was to be wrested from the course of duty and patriotism, and per- verted and debased into a mere party machine, what, he asked, would be the most direct mode of accomplish- ing such an end?
He knew of none more directly calculated to effect it than that which had been now pursued by the gentle- man from Georgia. If any gentleman on that floor choose to become the trumpeter to blow the rally of party, he might perhaps, succeed in carrying a portion of the House with him; yet he must still believe that House capable, in spite of all such efforts, of deciding national questions on national principles. He had no idea that the gentleman from Georgia intended to rally a party; but whatever were the gentleman's intentions, such alone could be the effect of his remarks; nor could he have devised a fitter mode to effect such an object. He had no doubt the gentleman really felt all the boding fears he had expressed, but he could not but consider them as entirely premature. As to the committee to which the memorial might be sent, it was to him a mat- ter of no very great consequence. The only difference between sending it to a select committee, and sending it to the committee of Ways and Means, is this-that in the committee of Ways and Means, he had the utmost confidence, but he might not feel quite as much in a se- lect committee.
He saw no reason why the subject should not take the same course which it had hitherto done. The com- mittee of Ways and means was raised expressly to con- sider questions connected with the revenue; and he ask- ed whether this subject did not naturally connect itself with the duties of such a committee? None could doubt it. From the days of Alexander Hamilton until that day, they had been closely connected-so closely that, to use the eloquent expression of the gentleman from South Carolina, the one might be called the body and the other the soul. Why should not the memorial go to the committee of Ways and Means? It belonged to that committee by the rules of the House, and it had always been referred to them as a preparatory step. Why should it not be now? . He could see no valid rea- son. It had, to be sure, been objected that that com- mittee had already expressed an opinion on the general subject. Very true; and that was the very reason why he wished to send it there. It was parliamentary to re- fer subjects to committees whose views were favourable, and should not a great question, on which the wisest statesmen of the country had bestowed their thoughts, and expressed their opinion, go to a committee whose views were in its favor, when matters of the most trival moment were subject to that rule. The object in that very proper parliamentary rule was that a measure pro- posed might be presented in the most favorable manner -that it might, so to speak, have a fair chance; and, in the language of the books on parliamentary law, that it
might not be committed to a nurse who would be sure to strangle it. He did not wish to see this memorial stran- gled. He wished it to go to a committee where it would receive the consideration which it merited, in order that it might afterwards receive the judgment of the IHouse, unprejudiced and fain expressed.
Mr. APPLETON said that the subject-matter of the pe- tition was one of the deepest interest to the community. It was most intimately connected with the commercial interest, but not exclusively so. Every class and every section of the country were interested in the question whether the charter of the Bank of the United States should be renewed. He thonght that the importance of the interest involved made it proper that the petition should be referred to a select committee, who would give to the subject their undivided attention. The ap- propriate duties of the committee of Ways and Means had reference to the finances of the country, which were certainly connected to a certain degree with this institution-but, in his opinion, its bearing on the gen- eral prosperity was a matter of greater and paramount interest. Its relation to a sound currency involved, per- haps, the most important question in our whole internal policy. He supposed there was no doubt that, whether referred to the committee of Ways and Means, or to a select committee, according to all the principles usually adopted in the appointment of committees, a report would be made in favor of renewing the charter. But it was of the utmost importance that a careful and tho- rough examination should be had, whether some modi- fications of the existing charter should not be made on its renewal; and whatshould be the terms and conditions. He believed it to be susceptible of improvement, and hoped a committee would be appointed who would ex- amine the subject thoroughly, uninfluenced, if possible, by party considerations, which certainly ought not to be connected with this subject.
The debate was further continued, by short speech- es, from the following gentlemen :- Messrs. Archer and Mercer, of Virginia; Ingersoll, of Connecticut; Carson, of N. Carolina; Wilde, of Georgia; Mitchell, of S. Caro; lina; Root, of New York; Dearborn, of Massachusetts; Cambreleng, of New York; C. C. Johnson, of Virginia; Howard, of Maryland; Foster, of Georgia; Jenifer, of Maryland; Huntington, of Connecticut; Wayne, of Geor- gia; Sutherland, of Pennsylvania; Carson, of N. Caro lina; Elsworth, of Connecticut; Hoffman, of New York.
Before the debate arrived at this stage, the usual hour of adjournment had arrived, and a motion was made, and negatived, to adjourn.
The main question was then put (Mr. Davis having withdrawn his motion to refer the memorial to a com- mittee of the whole on the state of the Union) upon the reference of the memorial to the committee of Ways and Means, and decided by yeas and nays.
So the memorial was referred to the committee of Ways and Means. Yeas-100. Nays-90.
PORT OF PHILADELPHIA, 1831.
Arrivals-Coastwise,
3,206
Foreign,
.
396
Total,
3,602
New tonnage,
5 Ships,
. 1,936 79
Launched,
4 Brigs,
8.59 20
7 Schooners,
392 39
10 Sloops,
336 23
Tons,
3,525 51.95
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VOL. IX .- NO. 3. PHILADELPHIA, JANUARY 21, 1832. NO. 212.
COLUMBIA AND PHILADELPHIA RAIL-ROAD.
REPORT OF JOHN BAUSEN, SUPERINTENDENT. To the Canal Commissioners:
GENTLEMEN :- Since my report made to the board on the 4th December of the preceding, all the work which was then under contract upon the Columbia and Phila- adelphia rail-way has been completed. These contracts embraced the road formation, mechanical and ineiden- tal work upon twenty and a half miles of rail-way, ex- tending eastward from the head of the plane at Colum- bia, and twenty miles extending westward from the Schuylkill river. The above forty and a half miles were authorized by the act of 24th March, 1828, and put under contract in January 1829, and comprises that part of the line, upon a portion of which, the con- struction of the railing is now contracted for.
Abstract No. 1, will show that the amount of moneys disbursed upon this portion of the line, during the pre- sent year, has been $60,508 65; of which sum $10,554 96 was paid on balances and retained per centage due on final estimates, for work done prior to the date of my last report.
Having, in my various reports to the board, given them an exhibit in detail, of the several works connect- ed with these divisions of the rail-way, it remains neces- sary only, at this time, to show the aggregate amount of moneys expended on the same. The whole amount of plete their contract in due season-They have about moneys paid upon this part of the work, for preparing the road hed, and for all other matters, is three hun- dred thirty-seven thousand, seven hundred sixty three dollars, four cents; and the amount settled and in pro- gress of settlement, at the accountant department, is correspondent with that sum. The disbursements, un- der their several heads, will, however, more satisfactori- ly appear in abstract No. 2, annexed to this report.
A quantity of rubble stone has been excavated, and remains upon different sections of the road; arrange- ments have been made with the contractors for laying down the rails, to use all that is fit for the purpose, of that material, in filling in the trenches and stoning the horse path. It will be estimated to them at a fair valua- tion, and the commonwealth will receive a credit there- for in the settlement of these contracts.
The contracts for new work, authorized by the act of 21st March last, were principally signed in the month of May. The allotments were made under the immediate superintendence of the canal board, on proposals received on the 11th and 18th of May, at Downingtown and Columbia. In June, the line was put into active operation, and the first estimates were paid in the early part of July. The contracts above referred to, embrace the graduation, mechanical and incidental work upon those portions of the line not heretofore authorized; and which are comprised with- in the following limits, to wit: First, the inclined plane section, commencing at the canal basin in Columbia, and extending to the head of the plane, a distance of one mile twenty-seven and a half chains. The next in order is termed the middle division, commencing at the western end of section No. 22. north of the village of Paradise, in Lancaster county, extending a distance of thirty-six miles thirty-eight chains to, and including | the water, as soon as the coffer dam shall be secured VOL. IX. 5
{ the 59th section; ending at a point directly south of the Warren tavern, in Chester county. And the third di- vision is that which extends from the foot of the inclined plane westerly on the side of the Schuylkill river, fol- lowing in part the line of the old Union canal, and ter- minating at the corner of Broad and Vine streets, in Ph ladelphia; embracing a distance of three miles twen- ty-four chains. Making the whole distance now under contract, for road formation, forty-one miles nine and a half chains; and which, when added to that part al- ready completed, gives the whole extent of the Colum- bia and Philadelphia rail-way, from the out-let locks at the basin in Columbia, to its termination aforesaid, eigh- ty-one and about a half miles, or 81 523. 1000.
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