126 THE FREEDMEN’S SAVINGS BANK 
The several Comptrollers of the Currency who 
after 1881 had charge of the affairs of the defunct 
bank repeatedly recommended legislation in 
favor of the depositors. Comptroller John J. 
Knox declared in 1882 that the United States 
government had “assumed a quasi responsibil- 
ity” by its negligence in incorporating and after- 
wards in failing to inspect the bank, as well as 
by permitting a close connection with the Freed- 
men’s Bureau. He recommended that the losses 
to the depositors be paid out of the “overflowing 
Treasury” of the United States.® In 1885, H. W. 
Cannon, the next Comptroller, renewed his pred- 
ecessor’s recommendations and said, “It seems 
impossible for these people to realize that they 
are to be deprived of . . . a portion of their 
earnings, which years ago they labored so hard 
to acquire and save. Thousands of them to this 
day believe that the dividends paid to them by 
the commissioners are but the interest on their 
deposits, and that sooner or later their original 
deposits will be returned to them. No explana- 
tion seems to convince them to the contrary, and 
calls are made daily both orally and in writing 
for their money. Most of its branches were pre- 
sided over by the commissioned and uniformed 
officers of the government.” 
During Cleveland’s first administration W. L. 
Trenholm, southern Democrat, then Comp- 
claims, letter files, etc. They came from the branch banks at Wilmington, 
Charleston, Mobile, Savannah, Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Beaufort.— 
Repore of Thomas M. Vincent, A. A. G. in Ho. Ex. Doc. No. 59, 43 Cong., 
8 Sen. Misc. Doc. No. 10, 47 Cong., 2 Sess.; Ho. Misc. Doc. No. 10, 
48 Cong., 1 Sess. i 
7 Ho. Misc. Doc. No. 7, 48 Cong, 2 Sess., and No. 18, 49 Cong., 1 Sess.