9&B ittS? B&&. & 1eePRO DEO, ET PRO PATRIA AMfe S8L
' nmjn
VOL. 2 NO 1.
GREENSBOROUGH, N. C, FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 23, 1838.
NEW SERIES.
A.J
4
T1IC POSSESSIONS OF GOP.
"7'Ae llartk it the Lor J" iVd'iia.
The Earth is God' ! The Hivers .Uut H
A frtm 'her cavern'.! Womb tht-y leap to tight -The
iMneruld tae and Hdaiiunt.ii" uilis
lk-iore Him lieiid tlx'"- I'l" : ; 1,1 '
And awful eraad. ur roil the dark l...u? turrenU
At Ins bid.img : and the In V volcano
I.iko u giant niter otitic World,
Eternally wends up .t solemn me nre ,
Unto Hi" whose piescnc, Jill. the Ln.versc
Tlic Sen ih GodV !
What lu-irring foot hath
pris.-'d
Iu glor.oua brow have
Hw: The Ure c!ad
storm .
And the bright billows in their gulden hu.
And gem built cav c and jewrl'd palace,
ConftU hw mw'r ! Oh mo beuutuuliy
The wild dark waters blend their o!t.n wiife'
Of choral worship with eouudiu,; Orgnu
Or' Uie Upper Sens, notes pervade
The starry oceaus of luwuensily.
" HI-
Tlic sky m (Jus's ! And myriad worlds that roil
WiU'no the nbysncrf of the Ueitv
. And world that trild Creation sun-enpt towers
'' And worlds that glitter rouud tho coronal
Or' Heav'n in thunder and unending praise ,
1 'reclaim Oh Thou ! ait glorious ! I hy curta
il uakes , ..
Shake tho sun nbb'd Universe Iby-scll uu-
TW ii.riitnin.'s ,-c.l!i.' CroititMi's golden brow
Tny-'li iin-.cil.iod: i'.i 1.1 siii.l an el ir.
Tnvsdf unseen. l'ii; -i st 11,11 eriM
Tub lleiviu, ueueaU T.iy .cot, ara hut dmu
IV. "
Tie Universe is GodV and long h:d He lbs
face
Sittri" ." d 1,1 lo uPn n,s iar(inR'
And nil was inu'lit : -K.il. He uaveild H.a brow
A;..; i.k" .i mirror to 11- i .e.'. I. h ..is .'.:iri
Jtesij'leu ...ii!y gave 'lacktue Umvcfse.
V.
Kti-rmiw is (W'n! Around Hit. brow
..As. loam? sport around a pyramid
its deathless ugiiuuud
. waves
1.. jiii.T.'.! risv; and fljat
Uu its
-'IVm rh.iviiaud worlds .-then )inkd exuncraish d
Iu itd'diwroleiB 6ea by the Almijjhty'e hroath,'
Earth ! Ocoan! Sky T Thc Vnmrsc y " "".
Eternity? J n.l oUont aluud
In r.M:.ii ' rhnn.l ! id ' Ojn'ntjiotLMic'c,
Nat a-d -i., i:i w.v n.T h .ary lock
C')a;j i'i ' .v.tuerM air, and wa.-ted. dio'l
Hat u.i'lruay'd, I'iiou iiiid view unrnov'd
All -,m! dee iy ! T!i" U.i'iw r.sc wou out
Willi ngc, shall iV'.ni oriiit uuri'd by mud
Oftmie, lie W.Ui il- M'uaf.er'd .-.tnrs and ! min.s
A wr-ck upon t!ie dopta.- 01 ?.. ' T-i;
Si tU Tiuu u;all til-' tW i-'s-.,r'iai m:le,
A l l sta.l-t llusr ttii',!, K.-l-iltiM. vT ;k: uill' l
7 rniTit.-HtiNivV
11,.:, 1 ; Si. Cl.i.r ! lla.v
of tin: iiaiiu a i;iu.is-.nd dr
ST. O.AIK.
it tilu lilMil lOii
I'.iili 11 111
r.ifi a, ..I i).'. U-
sin
aad voutli .:id ot tin
' 1
t.ful
as.-o': 1'iin " - v .1 '' 'i
,11 tlS an.'l l 1
'.1. Uic nia!,i'" 'i ' '
I'ljjl I' Ilk'' 111
, . .llvd ::.lo v 1. w
.. 1 1 ' ..' Ol ::. Ilnr ,
, a .iveliud !
ilow .: 111'' ''l't l'(
i,;,:s)-;.. r;u)ii go b t:ii to llu; .bin iiaag. .
,i ui.. naat irotii uic ajamiuui ua.i ...v. ...
nl. asant festival, dcttll
to trrc'dtlfcBt uitd
I I ... I.. ,.f llw. Inmll.
liriOrOKi'il soniuuu ui ...
Wc were brother.3. in childliood -St.
Cluir and mysvlf, brother too in the
.lawn of manliood ; and a mori: nig. nuo.i-.
and higli-tiiinded friend 1 :n. v-r kn. u.
t lie wrs " 'Btr-iin ;,'! y "ut 01
World's cjitts w .litis, 'Uai:ly and i. ar:;:i.
lai ui m fi.t. l.. cf-ial v cr of
Ti . at g;lt of miiid wbirii Ii. j...;s.al the
vdciit',aiid lofty sjmit which sliO.tB out .11
Ins every action. And he mignt w. Il .be
j.romi of such gifts. I nev. r k.icw a Jintt
wind. It was a the embodied ml ol
uud glorious asjiirations. -'
Henry St. Cbir -was never at heart a
christian. Uc never enjoyed the v.sita
tions wf that pure aud blessed iiitlueiice,
-whteh tw-itrt Uk tnU'c audlyifcliijestf
of the human bosom, to build up anew the
Lrokeii altars of Us faith, aad revive the
ftrcrfi'iui" rtot'vT! '!' ir-tlaled alTctuJ.ii
He love! tUe works of til great God with
the love of an enthusiast. Hut beyond the
visible and outward foruw ib passirij;
inaginficeiioe of the heaveua the beauty
and grandeur of tue earth, and the illimit
able world of waters, bis vision oexer ex
tended. His .'spirit never overlooked the
clomfs which surrounded it, to catch a
liuiiisc of tlic, better and more beautiful
land.
.1 need not ti ll the story of his young
years. It has nothing to distinguish. It
from a thousand othnrn. It is the brief and
fiiinny biography of one1 upoir wliosepath
' way the sUthine of happin. s.-; rested, un-
(ihadowed ova passing cloud. e were.
Iiiinnv in our friendship, out the time of
manhood came ; and we w; r. parted by
our diIrerout iuterests, and by ihe opposite
tendency of circumstances peculiar to each
tiUl'T. . ' -
It was a night in autumn h cold and
iin in fin 'distinctness, altlioutih vear aittT
k m - - "
tr-I year has njingled.v with teriuty, that I
M 1 liad occasion to jass in my way.bomeward,
, througii one of the darkest and loneliest
- alley g of tny native city. Anxious to teach
3 my dwelling, 1 was hurrying eagerly lor-
ward, vuierii 1 felt 'my sen suddenly giczed
by the awn ; and a voice close !n'igyea.r
I - 1 I I HI.-.
vvuispereu -noarsciy . top or you. are
d dead man."
I turned suddenly. I heard the cockinj
of a pistol, and 'saw bym faint gleam from
a cvthboring windo;wlaJgflriL.oLa.
man one hand grasping my left arm, the
other holding a weapon at my breast.
1 know not what prompted me to resis
tance i was totally unarmed, and alto-
thcr urmcquaiutetl with Ue struggle of
rnoral jeopardy. But 1 did resist and,
one instant 1 saw my assailant in the ks
turc 1 have described, the next, he was
disarmed and wreathing beneath me. It
seemed as if an infant's strcngtH could
have subdued linn.
Wretch !" 1 exclaimed, as, 1 held his
I . I. '. . UfKaft la vnl.r
own pibioi 10 ins uosoui, "."
oujcct ? Are you a common midnight rob-
ut-r or bear you augni m miw uiaueu
towards Roger Allston ?"
Ailslou ! Kogcr Allston: repcaieu
. ' L!L
the wretch beneath me, m a voice wuicu
I l.kc a shriek, as he struggled halt
upright vn igainst tbe threatening pistol.
Uuat u-i has it come 10 una i iiuu
1 li . m
has no pang . ;ke this meeting 011001 :
he exclaimed, and there was a dreadful
ariiestiiess in bis manner, winch sent the
hot blood of indignation cold and icelik
upoii my' heart. " Shoot were once
mv friend in mercy kill me !"
A horrible suspicion iiasiieu over my
mind. 1 felt a sudden sickness a my heart
and the pistol fell from my hand.
" Whoever you may be" I atd, whatev
ei may have been your motive m attacking
.uc, I would liot stain my Hands with your
ulood. Go a. .d repent of your crimes."
" You do not know me," said the robber,
as with some dificulty he regained his feet:
" even you have forgotten in . .liven you
refuse the only mercy man can now reuder
mr -'lie mercy of death ui' utter anuilii
lafion !"
Acuiated by a sudden and hail defined
nii;julrfJ
I caught bold ot the stranger s
ar:i),
and hurried him towards the light of
a street tamp. It fell full upon his gh.tst
lf and derth-liko feature, .auii oii hural
t'en united form; and his ragged apparel,
lifeatldess and eagerly 1 ged upon him,
until he trtrnbled Luneath the scrutiny. I
nressed inv hand against my irow, for 1
fettle brafrrWfrirK-life
...r.. i.Z 1 ... 11 . I ..I. 'Il 1
Uelirium. I COll 111 tlOl DC unsuneo. iiiu
gutttv wretch btloro me was tie friend of
my youth one whose nieinor; 1 had cher-
h.-d as the holiest legacy ol ic past. II
was
Henry St. Clair. l-it was St.
Clair! but how changed sire last we
had communion with each oth ! Where
was the look of intelligence, ad the visi
ble seat of intellect the beaut pi pciso.it
and mnidl Gone and gnujiiorerer to
ivo piace to ihe loathsoun fts of a de
praved and brutal appetite the vile
Tokens of a' 'rttitsting'senwaly;-;!'!! '
.1. tortn : 1 v oi diseases.
" W. ii may you shudder," s'd St. Clair,
I am id only for the comp iionship .of
demons; but yuu cannot long : cursed by
111. piesent c. I Have not ta-d tood for
.naiiv da'.s ; imager urovo 111 10 aiieinp.
,uur roiU"iy but, i feel tha 1 am a dy
ing man. No human power ci save me ;
add' if tlicrc be a God, Me eaiot save me
from myself froai the undyir horrors of
remorse."
Shocked by his words, and ti! marc by
the increased gliasilre-s-. ol 1 counte
ii.niee, I !' d :ie .'. 1 et'-!e. d ilia'., :ay dw-.l-.i'.ag,
:;.:d,"alt' ; :oa . !-:g llilll . bed, and
a.luiuio'. .ri!.(, -i cordial, lo his .. rod lips,
i ordered a physician lo bo caid. ii it it
was loo late ; the brityd of de i was up
on iiun. .. Ho motioiieirhnj td bed-side
after the physician had depaHqi he strove
to speak, but the words died, uff hj s lips.,
lie then drew from bis buaoui kaleiJi.
tltF-..addre.ssed to myself. It his lasts;
eiibrf. He started half uprighri his bed
uttcrCff one grow of horror d ntort'ai
.sail, ring, and sunk back, still , ghastly,
upon his pillow. He was dead
"I followed the remains. o 1 unhappy
friend to the narrow place apjroied for all
the living the dump and cola c",ch-yard.
1 breathed to no one the secret 'ins name
au! .lusuilU'ilcfi, a tpjsluinbeiiiu h a
1 now referred to the nappr ucti 11 id
been handed me by the dying m. With
a trembling kaud 1 broke the il of tho
euvelope, and read the followiri'JcJrcsscd
to rhyscifY f LI ,
" If this tetter ever reaches do not
seek to find its unhappy writfr. IQ is be
yond the reach of your nobloge-oaity
a guilty and a dying man. ldiot 6cck
for life. There is no hope pry future
existence, and death dark aiiernble,
and mysterious as it ' may seejDi jess to.
be deaded than'-sOiie Svrful rei.es with
which I am surrounded.
" I have little strength toHtyou the
story of mv fall.. Let inc bob. You !
know how wc -parted from cacthcr.
You know bow tho lofty hoptll(j the
towcriui! feelings of ambition, ch UT!I.
ed inc from your eociety from . enjoy
ment ol that friendship, tliOir,or? 0f
which has ever since lingered 1 a U).
Maiduvg sp'f 'ti at "Xjf'jfe JLiyvA at
my place of destination: amT by the
introductory epistles of my far , vvas
at once: received into the first most
fashionable circles of the city;,
' "I never possessed those pfples of
TTrt lie and inoraT'tirgiuTylhc cfjoc" vrlilch
ha been so conspicuous in your cbar.
actef. Amidst the naticncs anqjhUoua
of those "around ; mc,- and in inciting
pursuifof pleasure j 'the kuidly f0f aij.
uwuVipft tta.. unheard; and tb,l3 the
gayest of the giy ; a leader in e scene
of fashionable dissipation. The iriplps
of my new companions were those of fidel
ity, and I embtaced them with my whole
soul. You know my former disposition to
doubt that doubt was now changed into a
settled unbelief, and a bitter hatred towards
all which I had once been taught to believe
sacred and holy.
" Yet amidst the baleful principles which
1 had imbibed, one honorable feeling still
lingered in my bosom, like a beautiful an
gel in the companionship of demons.
There was one being, a young and lovely
creature, at whose shrine all the deep af
fections of my heart were poured out, in
the sincerity of early love. She was in
deed a beautiful girl a being to bow down
to and worship pure and high-tboughted
as the sainted ones of paradise, but con
tiding and artless as a child. Sho posses
sed every advantage of outward beauty
but it was not that which gathered about
her, as with a spell, the hearts of all who
knew her. It was the light of her bcauti
ful mind, which lent the deep witching of
soul to her fino countenance flashing in
her dark eye, and playing like sunshine on
her lip, and crossing her forehead with an
intellectual halo.
"Allston! I look back to thut spring
tune of love even at this awful crisis of
my destiny, with a strange feeling of joy,
Ii is the only g;reen spot 111 the wilderness
of the past an oasis in the desert of be
ing. She loved inc, Allston and a heart
more precious than the gems of the east,
was given up to a wretch unworthy of its
slightest regard.
" Hitherto pride rather than principle
had kept me. uhove the lowest degradation
of -casual iritl'ilgrnre. Hut for one fatal
rr r 1 might hive been united lo the-lovely
being ol '-my affections ; and oh! if sin
less put it y and persuasive love could have
had power over a mind dark-wd and per'
vrrtrd asjuy. own, might have been re
claimed from the; pathway of ruin I might
have been happy.
But that fatal error -came ; and esme
too, in the abhorrent shape of loathsome
lrtkem?s-- I" -shall tmer i tttrte j6r-ap
term ty- forget that scene ; it is engraved
on my memory in letters of fire. It comes
up before mc like a terrible dream but 11
is a dream of reality; It dashed from my
lifts the -cup of happiness, and fixed forev
er the dark aspect of destiny.
"I had been very gay, for there were happy
spirits around me ; and I drank freely and
fearlessly, for the hist, sensations of drunk
enness, ror r liel I drank still deeper
and I was a ujuukard, 1 wasdelirous, i wan
happy 1 left the inebriated ;iss uilily, and
difected"jnrstcpat fa mf iarttftip? bar
to the 'home of her uho.n I loved nay, a
dored, above all others. Judge of her sur
prise and consternation when 1 entered
with a flushed countenance and unsteady
tread ! She w;u reading to her aged pa.
rents, vfcjith aa idiot's grimace I approached
her. Sli; started lrom her seat one
glance told hi r the fatal truth; and .-die
shrunk lrom tiy'i whom ter vows wee
pnghled', and her young atllctious given
w.tli tear, with loathing, and uudi.-iguiM d
abhorrence. Irritated at her ccuialuet, 1
approached her rudely, and snatched from
her hand tho book which the had been
reading. 1 cant it inio the dames winch
rose brightly from the hearth. It was the
volume you call sicreaJ. I saw the srriokc
ol ils consuming go upward like a sacniice
lo the demon of iiiieuiierance, and there,
by that Christian tire-side, 1 cursed th
book and its author.
'. The scene which followed beggars des
criptions. 1 he shriek ot inv betrothed
hir siiiki.iig.dQWft tu a state of insensibility
the t?trr!i of iftiterrnl-nitsh ho hor
ror depicted on tho Countenance of the old
man nil these throng even now con if used-
ly over my memory. I staggered to the
door. 'Ihe reception l had met with, and
the excitement thereby produced, had ob
viated in some measure the effect ol mtoi
ication ; and reasou began to assume its
empire. The Jull round moon was up in
the heavens and the stars how fair, how
passing beautiful they shone down at that
hour. I had loved to look upon the stars
these bright and blessed evidences of a holy
and all pervading intelligence; but that
night their grandeur and their exceeding
purity came like a curse to my weary vision.
I could bare seen those beautiful lights ex
tinguished, and the dark night cloud
sweeping ovor the fail face of the sky, and
have smiled with grim satisfaction, lor tbe
change would have been in unison, with
my feelings. . -
-" Allston ! L have visited, in that tearless
agony which mocks at consolation, the
crave of mv betrothed, She died of a brok
en hearty From that moment, all is dark,
and hateful, and loathsome, in my history.
I am reduced to poverty l am bowing to
disease I anutitliol a friend. J have no
longer the means of subsistence : ahd star'
vat ion may yet anticipate-' fatal termination
of trie" disease which is pre'ymg uWff ule7
Such is the tale of .ho once gifted and
noble St. Clair. Let tho 'awful lesson it
teaches sink deep in the hearts of the
young and aralctvl4f spirit.
The wretched condition, of the poor of
.New York has awakened-the sympathies
of the. benevolent in distant sections of the
country. Tke Express of the 16th says f
Wc yesterday receiyedia.n enclosure of
$tO from "Robert "jTShaw, 6f Loubiburg,
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
Speech Of Mr. WEBSTElt, de
livered in the U. S. Senate, n Wed
nesday, January dlst, 1838, on the ub
Treasury Bill, in reply to Mr. Wright.
"Let the Government attend to its own
business, and let the People attend to
theirs."
" Let the Government take care that it
secures a sound currency for its own use,
and let it leave all the rest to the States
and to the People."
These ominous sentences, Mr. Presi
dent, have been ringing in my ears ever
since they were uttered yesterday by. the
member from New York. Let the Gov
ernment take care Of itself, and let the
People take care of themselves. This is
the whole principle and policy of the Ad
ministration, at the present most critical
moment, and on this great and all-absorbing
question of the currency
Sir, this is an ill boding announcement.
It has nothing of consolation, of solace, or
ot hope in it
It will carty through all the classes of
commerce and business nothing but more
discouragement and derner fears. And
yet it is hut repetition. It is only a re
newed exhibition of the same spirit which
was breathed by the Message and thohil
of the last session, of which this bill is al
so full, and which has pervaded all the rec
ommendat ions and all the measures of Gov
eminent since May. Yet 1 confess that I
am not, even yet, so familiar with it, so
accustomed to hear such sentiments avow
ed, us that thev cease to astonish mc
am either groping in thick, and palpable
darkness uivsclf, in regard to the true ob
jects ol the Constitution, and the duties of
CongTcss tinder it, or else these principles
of public policy, thus, declared, are jrt war
with oar most positive and urgent obliga
tions.
The honorable mftiiber made other ob
scrvatioiis indicative of the same genera
tone of (w
sen topics ttf commendation of the bill hi
fore us, a prominent one was to shelter the
Administration from that shower of impu
tations, as ho 'expressed the idea, winch
would always beat upon it as it beats now
when disasters should happen to the cur
reiicv. Indeed ! and why should the Ad
niiiiistriitiun, now or ever, be sheltered from
that shower Is not currooc.y a subject
over which the jtoMer and tlutv of Govern
the nt extend ? Is not Government justly
responsible, for its condition ? Is it not, of
iieceSsFt v vvTio'Ily '"ahd'"e1itlrfcly uridef the
control and regulation of political power ?
Is it not a rriatler, in regard to which, the
People eaniiol, by any tossibilily, protect
themselves, auv more than they can, bv
their own individual efforts, supersede th.
necessity of the exercise by Government
of anv other, political power ? What can
tii-: Peopl" do for t!i. uiselves, to improve
rim eurrMicv 1 Mr, 1110 uovernment is
i ,'stlv answerable for the disasters of the
currency, suing always those accidents
which cannot at all tunes be foreseen or
provided against. Jt is at least answerable
for its own neglect, if it shall be guilty of
it, in not exercising all its constitution.!
authority lor the con- ction and restoration
of the curr. in v. hy does it, how can
it, shrink from this responsibility .t Whv
does it seek not the hturcls of victory, nor
ihe reputation, even of manly contest, but
the poor honors of studied and eager c
scape ( Sir, it never , can escape. The
common sense of all men -pronounces that
ihe Government is, and; oug1il 16-he,. ahd
rrrnst be, ainwcrable for tber rerhttrorr of
the currency of the eoimtrv ; that it ought
to abide, and must abide, the pel lings of
the storm ot imputation, so long as rt turns
its back upon this moavnious question,
and seeks to shelter itself 111 the safes and
.the vaults, the cells and the caverns, of a
sub-Treasury system.
But of all Governments that ever exist
ed, the present Administration has least
excuse for withdrawing its C e from the
currency, or shrinking from its just respon
sibility in regard to it. v
Its predecessor, in whose. footsteps it
professes lo tread, has interferedfatally in
terfered, with that subject. That interfer
ence was, and has been, the productive-
cause of our, disasters. Did the Admin
istration disclaim power OVerll currency
in l.i, when it removed tne deitositcs 7
And w hut meant all its subsequent trans-
actiorts, all its professions, and "all its
forts, for that better curreficy which it
promised, if, in truth, it did not hold itself
responsible to the People of the United
States for a good currency? From the
very first year of the late Administravroii
to tbe last, there was hardly a session, if
there was a single session, in which this
duty of Government-was noCackTiowlcdg
cd, promises of high improvement put
forihrsrw
benefits already conferred. It professed
to -erect the great temple of its glory" pii
improvements ot the currency. -
And, sir, the better currency, which has
b een so long promised, was not a currency
for the uo vernment,- but a currency for the.
People. It wm not for tho use of reverwie
merely, bjut for the uwrof the whole com
merce, tra,de, and business -of -the nation.
And nowj.whan the "whole industry, busi
ness, and labor of the country is harrass-
on us by its own interference, Government
talks with all possible coolness of the great
advantage it would be to adopt a system
which slii.ll shield itself from a thick-fail-ing
shower f impotaiioflf. It disclaims,
it renounces, it abandons its duties, and
then seeks an inglorious shelter in its pro
fessed want of power to relieve the Peo
ple. We demand the better currency ; we in
sist on the fulfilment of the high and flat
tering promises ; and surely there never
was a Government on the face of the earth
that could, with less piopriety, resist the
demand; yi t, we see it seek refuge in a
bold, cold, and heartless denial of the com
petency of its own constitutional powers.
It falls back from its own undertakings,
and flatly contradicts its own pretensions.
In my opinion, it can find no refuge, where
the public voice will not reach it. There
can be no shelter, while these times last,
into which Government can retreat, where,
in it can hide, and screen itself from the
loud voice of the country, calling upon it
to come forth to fulfill its promises, or at
least, now that these promises are all bro
ken, to perform its duties. The evils of a
disordered curreficy are evils which do not
naturally correct or cure themselves. Nor
does chance,, or eoo4 luck, often relieve
that community which is suffering under
them. Thoy require political remedy ;
thev require provision to be made by Gov
ernment ; they demand the skilful hand
of experience d statesmen. ' Until some
just remedy be applied, they are likely to
continue, with more or less of aggravation,
and no' man can tell when or how they will
end. It is vain, therefore, quite vain, for
Government to hope that it may retreat
from this groat duty, shield itself under a
system, no way agreeing cither with its
powers or its obligations, and thus escape
rcjyrpacbcs, by attempting to escape respon
sibility. Mr. President, when I cpntcrnpjate the
condition of the country ; when I behold
this utter breaking dow n of the currency,
tliTsw
trious classes, this acknowledged inability
of government to pay its debts legally, this
prostration of commerce and manufactures,
this socking derangement of internal ex
change, arid the general ctash of credit and
confidence; and when I see that three
hundred representatives of the people are
here assembled, to consult on the public
exigenev ; and that repudiating the wis
dom of our predt cessors, and rejecting all
the lights of our own experience, nothing
is proposcd for our uloption to meet an . c
im rgeucy of this character, bnt the bill be
fore us, I confess, sir, the whole seems to
me some strange allusion. I can hardlv
persuade mvsclf that we are all in our wak
ing senses. It appears like a dream, like
some phantasy of the night, that the open
nig light of the morning usually dispels.
There is so little of apparent relation of
means to ends ! 1 he measure before u?
has so little to promise for the i relief of ex
isting evils; it is so alien, so outlandish,
so abstracted, so remote lrom tne causes
which press down all the great public in
tercstslthat I realty find it difficult to re
gard as real what is thus around mc.
Sir, some of us are strangely in error.
The difference between us is so wide, the
views which wc take of public affairs so
opposite, our opputions, both of the causes
of present evilsand their appropriate rem
edies; so totally unlike, thitune side or the
other must be under some strange delusion.
Darknrss! thick darkness, hangs either o-
ver the supporters of this measure or over'
its opponents,. 1im.k anu.tlic.l ubUc-judg-
rnent, I trust, will sooner or later disperse
these mists, and men and measures will bo
seep in their true character. I think, i d
dced, 1 bee already some lifting up of the
foT. .-
The honorable, member from Xew York
has said thai we hare, now already existing
a mode of conducting lh . fiscal affairs of
the country, substantially sitch as that will
bo which this bill will c?tab!uHh.We mriv
judge, therefore, he says, of the future b
the present. ,A Sub-Jreasun svstem, ml
fact, he contends is now in operation, and
le hopes thevf3untry sees so much good in
it s to be" willing to make it permanent
and perpetual.
XVjr. President, there is fault and failure
somewhere. Either the constitution has
failed, orbits administration fails. The
igrcat end of aliform and satisfactory re-
ef-lgulation of commrrsQjB not answered, be
cause the nntional curfcficy, sn indispensa
ble instrument ot mat commerce, is not
preserved in a sound and uniform state.
Is the fault in the constitution itself
Those wlipartirm that it is, must show how
H w as, if tht bo so, that other Adminis
trations, in oilier times, have been able to
give the People abundant satisfaction in
relatron to the currency. I suppose it will
b7 saTrTrnrnswe
tiitjo has berii violated ; that it was qrigi-
nally misconstrued : that those who made
it did hot understand it ; and that the sage j
and more enlightened. rxliUciaii.s - of uur
times see deeper and judge more justly of
the Constitution than Washington and Ma
dion. Certain if is, that thev have more
respect for their pvin esacity than for all
the wisdom of otherW, land all the experi
ence of the" country -lse they -find-thern-
sclves by Uheir partypoUtics and party
r.omiairjflja.ui.fiTfrQra,aU abihtfot-ad
ministering the Constitution according to
formei1 successful practice. -1 7
The present system, he insists, must at
least be admitted not to have obstructed 01
impeded the bencflctat action of the 'im
mens resources of: the country. Sir, this
seems to me a most extraordinary decloraV
tion. Tbe operation and energy of tim
resources of the country not obstructed'!
The business of the community not impe
ded ? Why, sir, th'iB can only be true up
on the supposition that the present evils
are no way attributable to the policy of gov
ernment, that they all spring frorli some ex
traneous and independent cause. If the
honorable member means thai the disas
ters which have fallen upon us arise from
causes which Government cannot control,
such as overtrading or speculation, and
that Government is answerable for nothing,
I can understand him, though I do not at
all concur with bin. But that the rcsour.
ccs of the country are not now in a state
of great depression and stagnation is what
1 had supposed none would assert. Sir,
what are the resources of the country t
The rst of all, doubtless, is labor. Does
labor find itself rewarded, as heretofore,
by high prices, paid in good money t Tbe
whole mass of industry in commcrco and
manufactures, does it meet wfth. no eh
structiori, or hindrance, or discouragement?
And commerce and manufactures, in the
agregate, embracing capital as well as la
bor, are they too in a high career of suc
cess ! Is nothing of impediment or ob
struction found connected with their pres..
ent condition ?
Again, sir ; among our American resour
ces, from the very first origin of this gov
ernment, credit and confidence have held
a high and foremost rank. Wc owe mora
to credit, and to commercial confidence,
than tiny nation which ever existed ; and -ten
times more thin aay nation, except
England. Credit and confidence have been
the life of our system, and powerful pro-
ductivecauses brail our prbiperity."" They
hare covered the seas with; our commerce,..,,
WpTeWsfiMWeem
tional debt, excited and stimulated the
manufacturing industry, encouraged labor
to put forth the whole strength of its sin
ews, felled the forests, and multiplied oar
numbers, and augmented the national
wealth, so far beyond all example, as to
leave us a phenomenon for older nations to
look at with wonder. 1 And this credit, and
this confidence, arc they now no way ob
structed or impeded? Are they now not
ing with their usual efficiency, and their
usual success, on the concerns of society
The honorable member refers to the ex
changes. No doubt, sir, the rate of for
eign exchange has nothing in it alarming.
Nor has it had, if our demcstie concrns
had been in a proper condition. But that
the internal exchanges are in a healthful
condition, as the honorable member alleges,
is what I can by no means admit I look
upon the derangement of tho internal "ex
changes as the precise form in which ex
isting evils most manifestly exhibct them
selves. Why, sir, look at the rates" be
tween large cities in the neighborhood of
each other. Exchange between Boston and
New York, and aiso between Philadelphia
and New York, ia ll to 2 per cent. This
could never happen but from a deranged
currency ; and cin this be called a health
ful state of domestic exchange?
I understand that the cotton cron hmr
done much towards equalizing exchange
between New Orleans and New York t and
yet I have seen, nnt many daya since, that-
in o'tfici r places of tlie South, 1 believe Mo-
bile, exchange orvNew- York jcas atji pro- ,
mium of 5 to 10 per cent.
The manufacturers of the North can sav
how tliej" havV found, and hc thoy: now"
find, the facilities of eichinge. I do not
mean exclusively, or rfncipally, the largo
manuiaciuresotcotiorr and woolen fabrics;
but the smaller manufacturers, men wbo s''
while they employ many others, still be
stow their own labor pn their pwn!csrpital ;
the shop manufacturer such manufactur
ers as abound in New Jersey Connecticut,
and other parts of tho North. I would ask
thogentlcmin from these States how-thesa
neighbors of theirs find exchanges, and tho
means of remittance, between them and
their correspondents and purchasers in tho
South. The carriage makers, the furniture
makers, the hatters, the dealers in leather,
ui all its branches, the dealers in domestic j
hard wars : I should like to hear the results
of thcrifttornal exchanges'; as well as the
general question whether, the -industry of
the country has encountered any obstacle
in the present state of the currency.
Mr. Pesident, tho honorable member
from New York stated correctly, that this ;
bill has two leading objects.
The first is, a separation of the revenue,
and the funds of Government, from all con-
n exxonit iLitja - concems-of -Jjadixidttala..-
A J r .. .: , . ..Tr
4nd of corxrations : and especially a sepa
ration pf these funds from all connexion
with any banks.
The second is a gradual change, in otir
yflcra of ttWBcjr! be carried "en till
we.,csn accomplish the object of an exclu
sive specie Or metal ic circulation, at least"
in.' all payments to government, and all dls--burscments-
by .Government. - t : -
Now, sir, I am against both these prcr
position, ends as well as means.
I am against this separation of Gorm.
3-
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