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Supreme Court — Part 5
Page 23
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: Lewis vs. Fidelity & Depostt Co. of Maryland.
eting for deposits. The policy of equalization was adopted in
he National Bank Act of 1864, and has ever since been applied,
n the provision concerning taxation.* In amendments to that Act
ind in the Federal Reserve Act and amendments thereto the policy
3 expressed i i provisions conferring p power to establish branches 3
n those conferring power to act as fiduciary ;* in those concerning
nterest on deposits ;* and in those concerning capitalization.* It
ippears also to have been of some influence in securing the grant
n 1913 of the power to loan on mortgage.’ Compare Fidelity &
Deposit Ca. v. Kokrda, 66 F. (2d) 641, 642,
Second. The receiver insists that, even if the Act of 1930 an-
orizes the giving of a general lien, the lien here asserted must fail
ecause there are provisions in the Georgia law inconsistent with
he National Bank Act and because obligations are imposed upon
tate depositories with which no national bank may comply.
1. Attention is called specifically to the terms of the statutory
ond which is conditioned ‘‘for the faithful performance of all such
luties as shall be required’? of the depository ‘‘by the General
Assembly or the laws of this State.’? The argument is that a na-
ional bank is an instrumentality of the United States and cannot
ubject itself by contract to the laws of a State. But a national
ank is subject to state law unless that law interferes with the
zActa of June 3, 1964, ¢. 106, § 41, 13 Stat. 99, 111; Feb. 10, 1868, ¢. 7,
5 Stat, 34; R. S. $5219; Mar. 25, 1926, c. 88, 44 Stat. 223. See Van Allen ».
\asessors, 3 Wall, 573; Mercantile Bank v. New York, 121 U. 8.138; First
vational Bank v. Hartford, 273 TU. S. 548.
sActa of Feb. 98, 1927, o. 191, §7, 44 Stat. 1994, 1998: June 18, 1923,
89, § 23, 48 Stat. 162, 189. See 36 Op. Atty. Gen. 116, 344.
‘Acts of Dec. 23, 1913, c. 6, §11(k), 38 Stat. 251, 262; Sept. 26, 1918,
177, $2, 40 Stat, 967, 968; compare June 16, 1933, «. 39, § 4 (a,b), 43
tat. 162, 190. See First National Bank v. Fellows, 244 U. 8. 416; Burnes
Yational Bank v. Duncan, 265 U. 8. 17.
SActa Feb, 25, 1927, ¢, 191, §16, 44 Stat, 1224, 1232 (to pay no greater
nterest on time and savings deposits than state banks); and note in par-
icular June 16, 1933, ¢, 89, §11(b), 48 Stat. 162, 181 in which national
anke are forbidden to pay interest on demand deposits except on deposits
f state, county, etc., where state law demands it.
SAct of Feb, 25, 1927, c. 191, § 4, 44 Stat, 1224, 1227,
tActs of Dee. 23, 1913, c. 6, 624, 38 Stat. 251 273 (see 50 Cong. Rec.
819; 51 Cong. Ree. 1189); Sept. 7, 1916, ¢. 461, 39 Stat, 752, 754 (64th
‘ong., 1st Sess., see Report No. 481, p. 14); Feb. 25, 1927, « 191, $16,
4 Stat. 1224, 1232. See First National Bank ». Anderson, 269 IJ, 8S, 341,
54; First National Bank v. Hartford, 273 Tl. 8. 548, 558.
Lewis vs, Fidelity d& Deposit Co. of Maryland. 5
purposes of its creation, or destroys its efficiency, or is in conflict
with some paramount federal law. National Bank v. Common-
wealth, 9 Wall. 353, 362; McClellan v. Chipman, 164 U. 8. 347,
356; First National Bank v. Missouri, 263 U. 8. 640, 656. What
4h, Gs tha hank aconmoaa mat he defined by the
obligations te the mate tae cand ass Ulce aed Waa
law of that State. It is quite possible that the legislature might
attempt to impose, under the conditions of the bond, a duty which
the bank would be without authority to undertake; and to that
extent the contract would be unenforceable. But it is not shown
that the obligations as now defined by the courts of Georgia are
contrary to anything in the National Bank Act. Moreover, the
state court, which would be the controlling authority on the ques-
tion, might decide that the failure of part of the consideration to
be given would not invalidate the appointment,
2. It is urged that acceptance of the appointment as state de-
pository is incompatible with the functions of a national bank,
because under § 224 of the Georgia Code it has been held that the
Governor may issue a fiert facies against the depository bank for
the amount due to the State, whereas, Revised Statutes, § 5242,
provides that ‘‘no attachment, injunction or execution, shall be
issued against such association or its property before final judg-
ment in any suit, action or proceeding, in any state, county or
municipal court.’ Assuming, without deciding, that there is
such conflict, it is not material here. Section 224 of the Code pro-
vides merely a method of enforcing the bond which has not been
used here, and hence against which there is at present no occasion
for complaint.
3. It is contended that the lower court erred in its rulings on
the Georgia law; that under the state statutes, properly con-
strued, the lien attaches to all kinds of property from the date of
the bond; that it applies to real estate and other tangible prop-
erty, to money, bonds, stocks, notes, drafts and other choses in
action then owned or thereafter acquired by the bank, and that it
is not defeated even by a bona fide sale or other disposition of snch
property in the ordinary course of business; that, consequently,
the general lien would present an insuperable obstacle to the bank’s
serving the public in its ordinary business operations; that the
bank could not sell the property it was authorized to acquire, for
no one would take it subjeet to the lien; that the general lien
8Act of March 3, 1873, e. 269, § 2, 17 Stat. 602; R. 8, § 6242,
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