Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-03-23

what never could have beer submitted to I;
not because the people would have resisted
that is not what nean; but, IL is what
could not have b. en- Carried Into effect, q
tor the same Reason that the man couidn
have two skins from the oarcase ct the
same cat. Ii the quantity OF the Bank pa
per were diminished, lis Uaidle gvonid T1se
and ii It's value rose, the value OF the inter-
est upon the National Debt would rise ~,
SO therefore. t. enable the people to con-
tinue TO pay tn: interest upon tue Debt, the
amount OF the interest NUT be icsscned,
* whas would that be but n farfidl sfomge :
So, that, turn ana twist the thing whatev-
err way you will, you still bud It the same
you still find that the system must 50 on
i'll all ITS parts, or be put a stop to alto
gethcr."
Now,w come to the illustration OF these
doctrines, by what is actually p 'ssns IN
England, where all is convuis>d as Tar as
money is concerned. The paper money
has been greatly diminished III quaint ty.-
The guinea, which, at one time. was sold
for nearly, o. quite, sos. is now worth only
about 2ls. 81. The paper is nearly as
good as tue gold. The vAlue of tbs paper
i, rSiscd--and, mind, l say, that, 1t tue pa
per keep ut its present value, or any thing
near it, for two years from this day, and II
the sums rais al CHI account ct the national
GebC continue. during that time, to be what
they are now, wall De content to pass. for
the RESI- OF my life, for that most degraded
OF human cha 'actcrs, an ideot.
The cans 9ueuce of this rise in the val
tie Of paper money, has been 4 fail OF more
than a half in the price ofgrG;n Of all sorts,
and of nearly half in that OF all other
agricultural produce. The farmers and
the landlords have been strang ly puzzled
to know the Cause OF this fall. AS it took
place or began to take place. about the
time OF tue heacc oflSi4, they ascrbed it
to the imhortatiops jronI France. These,
doubtless, had some eff ct; but they were
inadequate to the effect really produced.
The landlords, alarmed for their rents.
called for a corr bill that is to say, law
TO prevent the importation of corn, when
| wheat is under los. bushe'. This law, at
ter great deal OF noise and nonsense, WAS
| passed and the price of wheat has bcen
falling ever snce, til ut last it IS come to
an average OF about 6S. a bushel, all other
grain beng lowered in price in the same
| proportion, and cattle and produce Of al
sorts keeping pretty nearly even pace with
| chem.
Now, figure to yourself Farmer Joe
national debt is 500. year. In order 70
pay this to the taX-gatherer, he used 10
! sell j0yty bushels OF wheat, the average
| price being. for many years. about i5s "a
bushel. But now, he is obliged to sell u Aun-
| dyed bushels of wheat, in order to get money
enough 10 pay his share Of the debt Hozp
! long co you think lie Can endure this p
| AHd, you will observe, that his rent, and
| al the direct taxes, to pay the expenses ol
the royal family, judges, sold ers, sailors,
| &c. cOntnue the same III nominal amount
| as they were previous to the fall III the
price Of his produce.
In some cases, the landlords have lower
ed their rents. But though this be little,
and very little, relief u the farmer, the
| income of tue landlord is diminished in
| whatever proportion he has lowered his
! rcnts--and in that same proportion are d.
ninshed his means of paying ts xes. The
| farmers and landlords consume less of tax
| ell articles they thus endeavor to defend
| themselves against the indirect tGccS--but
as every thing they can buy is taxed. the
| trades-people suffer here along with the
revenue. Thus, every thing, labor and
| all, is become q che0fcr, as they call it /;
and every one is in a state OF decay, eX-
| cept the place-man, the pensiongr, the sol
| der, the sailor and the fuad-holdcr.
Never, III the history of the world, was
| 50 great change produced, in so short a
| time, OH any community. Paper money
is like drains or opium. Ii produces an
| exhliratioa that is quite wonderful but
| the depression that follows is not less str-
| king. 1t animates and sets in motion ev-
| cry fore in the frame Of society but, it
| leaves behind it a morbid melancholy. a
| listlessness approaching the inactivity OF
| death. In a cGricatXre, published souhe
years ago. John Bull, i'll the shape OF an
animal corresponding with the name, was
represented as loaded with taxes from his
horns to his tail, and Pitt as feeding him
| with one tound notes. Never was any
thing more apt. AS long this feeding
| was literally kept up, John went on under
| every addition to his load but, now that
| the feeding has been curtai q, he begins
| to stumble.
The whole of society here has b en-
! pulled up by the abundance Of paper mo
ncy. l viii give you an instance. Thirty
or forty years ago, and perh lps, twenty 1--we
! years ago, the farmers, who used 10 attend
| tae market at FArIham, the town where |
| was born, used to walk to the market, or
| ride lame old horse, to sell their corn.
| When they had done this in the market
| place, they used to return to the place
| where their horses were put up, and there
drink a pint of beer, price I'd. and perhs ps,
add ID. worth Of bread and cheese, or get
a dinner for Cd. or Cd. aud then 20 heme
The greater part of them were dressed in