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TO THE PUBLIC. I rorn my hte connection with the Bank of * jicon as President, I understand that a portion ot the community are disposed to indulge in re jections unfavorable to my character as an up- ngnt man, and to attach to me some blame for the unfortunate, and to me unexpected failure of that institution—The charges against me so far as I have heard them, are 1st. That I have spoken favourably of the. sol vency ot the Bank and have thereby given a cur rency to its paper which it might not otherwise have obtained. 2d. That l resigned my appointment of Presi dent secretly, thereby continuing to the Bank the influence of my name after I had withdrawn from it. I will take up these charges in their order, and meet them in a manner which will satisfv every candid, and unprejudiced mind of the purity of my motives, and honesty of my conduct. In the the first place, before I consented to become an officer of the institution, when applied to for that purpose, I was assured that several of the most responsible merchants of Macon, bad contracted for the purchase of one thousand shares of the stock of the Bank, and that tlie balance was own ed by Or. Robert Collins, Robert Coleman. John M.iriin, and J. Stone & Co. of Savannah—Kerr Boyce, Henry W. Conner & Co. and Patterson and Magood of Charleston. Having a personal knowledge of the pecuniary circumstances of most of the Gentlemen represented as the pro prietors of the stock, nnd-haring been informed by two of the Gentlemen who had agreed to be come purchasers of the stock in Macon, that from some examination into the affairs of the Bank, they lound it so far as that examination went, in a sound condition, I did not hesitate to accept the appointment of President. A short time af ter 1 entered upon the duties of the office, the Cashier made an exhibit to me of the state of the Bank, which proved it to he solvent and amply able to meet all on pet in Virculation. In addi tion to this the favourable report of the Legisla ture upon thestate of the institution, always made out as 1 supposed upon oath by the officers— completely satisfied me that the Bank of Macon stood upon a solid basis—In the month of Feb ruary Dr. Collins informed me he had sold his interest in the stock to Mr. Ellis and his friends in New-York. I at once supposed that Mr. Ellis’s friends in New-York would prefer his presiding over the Bank and spoke of resigning—but as l very soon learned that Mr. Ellis did not wish me to resign, 1 continued to serve as I had previous ly done, without having any change produced in my mind as to the solvency of the Bank. Dur ing the whole of the lime I served the Institution as President, every demand made upon it was promptly met, and the Bank continued to meet so far as I know every demand after mv resigna tion up to the time, I left this place for New-York. From these circumstances I had no right to speak otherwise than well of the condition of the bank. -\fter my resignation, and after setting out for New-York, i told my pr.rtnei that I thought eve- ry confidence might be placed in the credit of the Bank, and that it wa* sale to hold it bilU— • ■ ... >:>!(.i ’>• ; ■' . t • • t>:u ot i• era in business in this place, ami :■> am. .' . Eatonton—these persons might he presumed to be the last that l would deceive, if I could bn c np- posed to lie governed by r - m ihcst mg- - sinns of the human heart, self-interest ant] the tics of natural affection—as additional evidence of my implicit faith in the soundness of the institu tion, I will remark, that since the 1st day of De cember 1831, and the 24th July 1832 (eight months,) my Bank Book shows that I deposited in the Bank of Macon for the concern of which I am a member, in cash and good paper for col lection, the sum of three hundred and fifty thou sand dollars, and that it was not unfrequently the case that from ten to twenty thousand dollars, were to the credit of our House In the Bank, from six days to two and ihiee weeks at a time.— These deposites were not only continued after my resignation, but I requested Mr. Laird II. Wiley in whose charge our business was left be fore I started to New-York, to continue to make all our deposites there—Mr, Wiley’s certificate will prove this. These facts will I hope satisfy an impartial public that if I spoke favourably of the solvency of the Bank, I spoke nothing but my honest opinion, and if I have misled otiicis, I was myself deceived. This brings me to the second charge, that I se cretly resigned my appointment as President.— On the last day of June it become indispensibly necessary for me to go to toe country on business, on that day I made out my resignation—on the 1st day of July previous to leaving Town for the country, where I was detained about eight days, 1 handed the letter with my resignation to Mr. Leroy i\I. Wiley,—told him what it contained, and requested him to hand it to the Bank, which he done on the 2d day of July with as much pub licity as such things are usually done—I made no secret of it; it is true, I did not publish it, hut when spoken to in relation to it, I always stated I had resigned; there was no concealment about it. In a conversation with Doct. Clopton nine or ten days previous to my starting to New- York, I told him I had resigned—I met with Mr. Washburn in the street before I left, who told me he had heard it, and asked me if it was so; I told him it was: The certificates of these Gen tlemen will enable the public to judge whether secrecy was enjoined—or not. The reason for my resigning when I did, was not induced by any distrust of the ability of the Bank to meet its is sues without lossto'the holders of its bills, but in compliance with a compact with my partners, by which I was to attend to that Branch of the busi ness previously attended to by Leroy M. Wiley to wit, the purchase of goods, and the time had arrived when it was necessary for me to start to New-York, in order to be prepared for the busi ness of the approaching season, I left Macon when I did for this purpose alone. If I had be lieved the Bank was in a failing condition, and had resigned from a Motive of this sort, then it would have become my duty both to myself and the country, to have made public not only my re signation but the causes of it, but being influenced by no such motive and having confidence in the credit of the institution I could not see the neces sity of publishing my resignation. It was my intention on my return from New-York, to have submitted to the public a complete expose from the Books of the Bank, and sought the earliest opportunity to do so, but was denied the privi lege of doing so, and the reason assigned by the proprietor was that “ after its failure, «he Bank was under the necessity of refusing access to its Books from prudential motives alone, as such an expose it was feared would throw difficulty in ils way. and prevent the collection of its debts.” I am prepared to anticipate all the blame that will fail upon me when a complete development is made, and this I do admit—it is remisness ;— for this I shall always feel the deepest regret;— and particularly if it shall turn out when a dis closure is made, that a fraud has'been practiced upon the public. Conscious myself of having been governed by the most iqmriglit motives, both towards the Bank, and the public, during my connection with the institution, and desirous of maintaining before the community, the char acter of an honest citizen I submit tins statement, and the certificates of Gentlemen accompanying it. What verdict the public may award I cannot say, but be that as it may, I am sensible that I have incurred no moral, or equitable responsibili ty—and I have the consolation of feeling that I have throughout, acted with none other than the purest of motives. So long as I live I shall be found at my post, and ready to answer to any tribunal of my country I am prepared to show that tiie small property of which I am possessed, is nothing more than the honest fruit of unceas ing toil and labour, for the last ten years of my fife,—I owe just debts, and should it become ne cessary for me to dispose of any part of my prop erty to meet them promptly, I shall do it, and my honor is pledged never to place the balance be yond the reach of justice and equity. ROBT. W. FORT. P. S. Could I see Mr. Ponce of Augusta, I should be enabled to obtain his certificate, that in a conversation with .him about the 10th Juiy I told him I had resigned my appointment of President of the Bank of Macon, and done it without concealment, or placing him under any obligations whatever to keep it secret. Justice to Messrs J. Stone & Co. Kerr Boyce, Henry W. Conner & Co. and Patterson & Ma good, requires me to say that I have been inform ed, they sold their interest in the Bank of Ma con, some time before its failure. ROBT. \V. FORT. Macon, Sept. 12, 1832. I certify, that to the best of my knowledge and belief, the conduct of R. W* Fort Esq. as Presi dent of the Bank of Macon, has been uniformly correct; that he has in all cases acted with up rightness of intention, and has done nothing which should cast suspicion on his character for integrity, during the time of my connexion with the Bank of Macon. THOMAS M. ELLIS. After its failure, the Bank was under the ne cessity of lefusing access to its Books, from Pru dential motives, alone, as such an expose, it was feard, would throw difficulties in its way and pre vent the collection of its debts. Macon,, 11 th Sept. 1832 I resigned the office of Cashier of the Rank of Macon about the 15th of February last, and R. W. Fort Esq. had acted as President of ’bat in stitution for sevtral months previous to that rime. From my situation I had a good opportunity of judging of his official acts, and I have no hesi tancy in saying, that in all his transactions with the Bank, he seemed to be actuated by the pur est and most honorable motives ; and I know of nothing that ought to render him obnoxious to public censure. I believe him to be a correct and upright officer and during that time, the af fairs of the Bank were in a safe, solvent, and good condition. ROBT. COLLINS. I do further state, that R. W. Fort never did to the best ot my knowledge have a Note, draft, or any other paper discounted at the Bank. ROBT. COLLINS. Macon, Sept. 14, 13S2 I hereby certify, that in a conversation held with Roht. W. Fort, about the middle of July, after his return from the up-countrv, he spoke, of his resignation as President of the Bank of Macon, without any apparent design of conceal ment, and then gave it as his opinion that the Ban a would go on wed with ils business, and that there was no injunction of secrecy. A. CLOPTON. Macon. September 14. 1832, I certify that I became a member of the firm of Baxter, Fort, and Wiley, on the first day o*’Ju ly last, and tbht Robert W. Fort did, after resign ing his appointment as President of the Bank of Macon, and before he left Macon for New-York, request me to continue to make ad our deposites botli cash and paper for collection in the Bank ol Macon—and that our House continued to take the Notes of the Bank of Macon until its failure. L. H. WILEY. I iiercby certify, that on or about the 12th July last, and directly after bis return from the up-country, where he had been on business, my brother Robert W. Fort, spoke of his resignation as President of the Bank ofMncon, without any apparent design of concealment ;—1 then asked his opinion of the Bank, he told me it was his opinion the Bank was good, and it was perfectly safe to hold the Bills. There was no secrecy enjoined on me not to mention the resignation. WILLIAM FORT. Macon, Sept. 14 1832. I do hereby certify, that when Mr. Robert W. Fort, passed thro’ Milledgeville, on his way to New York, I enquired of him, whether we should continue our deposites with the Macon Bank? His reply was “Yes, for I conceive it to be en tirely safe.” I also certify, that an advertisement put in the Macon Telegraph, that “Baxter, Fort, & Wiley would receive Macon Bills tor goods, at 25 cents in the dollar,” was w ithout his know ledge or con sent; he was then absent from the State, and I had aot received a letter from him, up to that time. TIIOS. W. BAXTER. Macon, Sept. 14th, 1832. I do certify, that I was appointed Book-keeper for the Bank of Macon in the month ofFebruary last, and held that appointment until its failure. Mr. Fort had acted as President of the Bank, for about four months previous to this time; it was his habit to call at the Bank every morning, but from the pressure of his own business, never re mained long at the Bank—be uniformly mani fested a deep interest in the institution, and on all occasions, an entire belief in its solvency—a plain and conclusive evidence to me of his sin cerity, w’as the large deposit kept almost con stantly in the Bank, amounting frequently to Twenty Thousand Dollars, and remaining for weeks untouched, to the last day of Mr. Fort’s stay here; previous to his departure for New York, this confidence appeared unabated; I nev er saw any thing in his manner, nor was there any thing in his remarks that betrayed in the slightest degree, a doubt of the solvency of the Bauk.—His only culpability in all that I have observed, and all that will, on a full develope- ment of the affairs of the Bank, fall upon him, consists in not more fully examining its condi tion, and keeping a register of all that was done. Of his integrity and honor, I have no doubt, bis whole conduct there was so eminently distinguish ed for rectitude and exact honesty, that I think his name should forever be above reproach so far as relates to tiie Bank. J. L JONES.