that there was almost a panic. Cotton was a penny lower, and Jaudon was in great distress. A report reached the United States that the Barings had announced in their circular of August 26th the expectation that he would fail. This was afterwards corrected. They did not do this, but they sent out a list of the securities which he had offered them as collateral for a loan which he wanted.[1] He was, however, writing most earnestly to Humphreys & Biddle, demanding money. They must sacrifice cotton at any price in order to sustain him. "Life or death to the Bank of the United States is the issue." The Bank at Philadelphia recognized and assumed the loss which was incurred, and urged Bevan & Humphreys to authorize Humphreys & Biddle to sustain Jaudon.[2]
The notes of the United States Bank of Pennsylvania were kept at par in New York by its ally there. Hence the Philadelphia brokers used them as a remittance. As the exchange was against Philadelphia, this must have occasioned a loss. In August, 1839, the Bank refused to keep brokers' accounts in order to try to break up this arrangement, although it was afterwards said that only one account was closed.[3] In fact, this incident had no importance except as a symptom of an approaching crisis.
From the 17th to the 24th of August, 1839, the Bank of the United States sold, in New York City, bills on Hottinguer which were forced on the market at a loss. As the Bank had no balance with him, and he had given notice that he would not honor any drafts unless he was covered, it was necessary to remit specie to meet the bills which were sold. Coin was demanded of the New York banks in order to make this exportation. On the 27th, the checks which had been obtained for the bills sold were presented in the banks at 2:30 p. m. with a peremptory demand for specie, a notary being present to make the protest. The purpose was to compel the New York banks to suspend in order to give the Bank of the United States a pretext for doing so. The total amount of these bills was seven million francs.[4]
September 1st, there was a great demand for loans in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, and still more in the Southwest. The Philadelphia banks now had large amounts of the southwestern paper, which they had continued to take for goods but which they could not now collect. They lent post-notes to the merchants, which were sold in the other cities, thus absorbing capital elsewhere, which all went into the gulf of this southwestern debt. The post-notes of the Bank of the United States were at eighteen per cent. discount per annum; its stock at 104 1-2. At the end of September the United States Bank ceased to supply exchange, and the New York banks began to draw. October 1st, it was reported that the banks of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia had been moving specie to and fro.
On the 9th of October, the United States Bank failed on its home business, all the Philadelphia banks being exposed to a run on account of drafts
