1931. Banks of Washington (Washington, DC)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
state
Start Date
November 1, 1860*
Location
Washington, District of Columbia (38.895, -77.036)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
41e8411f

Response Measures

None

Description

Newspaper articles from Nov–Dec 1860 report that banks in Washington (and other cities) suspended specie payments as a precaution amid political uncertainty. The reports describe suspensions (specie payment suspended) and mention runs on a number of banks; there is no mention of receivership or permanent closure and the language frames the action as a temporary precaution, so I classify this as a suspension with implied temporary nature (suspension_reopening). Dates are taken from the newspaper dates and phrasing ('suspended ... on Friday last').

Events (2)

1. November 1, 1860* Run
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Runs on a number of banks driven by a general want of confidence due to threatened political circumstances
Measures
Suspension of specie payments to prevent depletion of reserves and to enable banks to extend accommodations
Newspaper Excerpt
A run was made on a number of the Banks, and had they not taken this course they would have been deprived of the means...
Source
newspapers
2. November 24, 1860 Suspension
Cause
Macro News
Cause Details
Political uncertainty and national political crisis caused loss of confidence leading banks to suspend specie payments as a precaution
Newspaper Excerpt
our Bank... suspended specie payment on Friday last. The Banks of Philadelphia, the Washington, Baltimore, Richmond, &c., suspending on Thursday
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (2)

Article from Smyrna Times, November 29, 1860

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Article Text

by Bank Suspensions. The monetary crisis reached itsacme last oes week, and our Bank, following the lead of those e of Philadelphia, suspended specie payment on e Friday last. The Banks of Philadelphia, e Washington, Baltimore, Richmond, &c., SUNpending on Thursday, it remained for the ad. 16 jacent country Banks to follow suit or do worse. A run was made on a number of the Banks, and had they not taken this course they would have been deprived of the means of relieving the necessities of the mercantile community at a time when in the greatest need. p Our monetary institutiona will now be enS abled to extend increased facilities to the business community, and thereby avert not only S individual failures; but a general and destructive derangement of the commercial and finan cial affairs of the whole country. The nature of the present crisis is radically different from that of 1857, or, indeed, from that of any other that has preceded it. The real cause of trouble now is a simple want of confidence, occasioned by the threatening political circumstances of the nation, whereas every previous financial convulsion was produced mainly by over-trading, wild speculations in stocks and lands, a draining of the country of the precious metals, a disturded and discredited currency, and a positive rottenness end crumbling to pieces of banks, corporations, industrial establishments e and commercial firms. There is no such reaS son for the distress we are now experiencing. te Money is really abundant, the banks are sound, C our erops have yielded a plentiful supply of all a the materials of substance, and the staples of manufacturing industry, we have a sufficiency ne of gold and silver for all the necessities of buG siness, and we can see no good ground whatC ever in the monetary and economical conditions of the community, to warrant the consternation that has suddenly seized all minds to and paralyzed, or greatly cramped the move. th nents of trade and production. But it must be la confessed that the uncertainty, in which our political fortunes are involved, and the dread ed if disastrous developments in the next few cot months, have had the effect of a financial panof c, while every element which usually goes to Ec lake it up, is wanting, except only suspension f confidence.


Article from Clarksville Chronicle, December 7, 1860

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Article Text

THE PHILADELPHIA BANES.-The suspension of Philadelphia Banks is thus announced by the Bulletin of that city: A. meeting of the Presidents of the Banks of Philadelphia was held to-day, at Farmers and Mochanic's Bank, and, after one hour's deliberation, it was resolved, by a large majority, to suspend specie payments. The suspension went into effect at one o'clock. The suspension was determined on as a precautionary measure, to enable the Banks to expand their accounts, and thus aid our business men and to prevent any of the wild scheines of 1857. The Banks are strong and abundantly able to meet all their liabilities. The present money crisis differs essentially from that of 1857. Then there was, owing to the condition of commercial affairs, a real cause for alarm. Now the commercial condition of the Northern cities is prosperous, and the alarm which has so affected the money and stock markets is solely caused by the uncertainty of our political future, arising out of the mad doings at the South, and the recklessness of destructives at the North. While we regret that it should have been thought necessary for the Banks of Philadelphia so seon to follow the example of those of Baltimore, Washington and Virginia, we trust it may prove advantageous, and bring us sooner to a brighter prospect. There has been but little excitement attending this suspension, thus contrasting most singularly with the panic of 1857.