and a remote profit on the two-thirds which is to be laid out in constructing the road.[1]
The Southern Bank of Kentucky was chartered February 20, 1839, to accommodate the people south of Green River; for thirty years; capital, $2 millions; half by the State. The main features of the charter were like those above.
Governor Letcher of Kentucky, in his message of 1840, said: "The State derived great benefit from the branches of the late Bank of the United States. They furnished the people with a sound currency, good at home and good abroad, and afforded every necessary facility to the commerce, business, and enterprise of the community. When it was unfortunately decreed that the United States Bank was to expire without a renewal of its charter and without a substitute, Kentucky, being compelled by necessity, went slowly and hesitatingly into the creation of local banks."[2]
Ohio.—In 1833 and 1834, bank charters were multiplied in Ohio. February 12, 1834, the Ohio Life and Trust Company was chartered with $2 millions capital; permission to issue notes until 1843, for not more than twice the amount of deposits allowed to remain for not less than a year, and for not more than half the paid-up capital invested in loans on real estate; the charter to be forfeited if it should suspend for more than thirty days.
At the session of 1835-6 no banks were chartered.
The Auditor was directed, March 14, 1836, to draw on the banks for 20 per cent. of their dividends as a tax; but if any bank should give notice to the Auditor, before July 4th, that it renounced the right to issue notes under $3 after that date, and those under $5 after July 4, 1837, the tax on such bank should be only five per cent. of its dividends. Most of the banks accepted this law.
A great bank was set up by the Mormons, in 1836, at Kirtland, Ohio. No property was bound for the issue, which was very large. It had no coin and nobody was responsible for the notes. Before the word "bank," in big letters was the word "anti-" in small letters, and after "bank," "ing" in small letters. A Pittsburgh banker sent some notes to the bank for redemption. Sydney Rigdon, the president, replied that he had issued those notes to circulate for the convenience of the people; to redeem them would defeat the purpose. The bank stopped payment February 11, 1837, having $40,000 outstanding. This compelled the Mormons to leave that neighborhood.[3]
Indiana was without a bank from 1820 to 1834. January 28th of the latter year, a Bank of the State with ten branches was incorporated, to last until 1859; ten districts were to be formed with one branch in each; two more might later be added. The office of the bank was to be in Indianapolis, where the directors were to meet at least once in three months. They were
