Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-10-20

idhc pOHlps...lis Nlppllgs soon decay
1ui spare me- giant me Piiys tear
10 socin my wC-and mourn my bier! CHARLES
FROM soeTH CAROLINA CORRESPONDENT or
The NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
10 the People IF he United States.
1t is the duty of every citizeB i'm a fl &c coun
Try to" take care that ihs republic receive no
detrment." And the requirements of this du,y
are more extensive than isgenerally ina gined.
II not only requires us TO WELD the weapous of
war against lie invaders of our SOIL but also
10 Weld The weapons of uath against the
propagators ct political error. Aud il is Il
sut0ect OF sincere regret that the nature aud
extent OF this duty seem to be so little und.r-
stood. The press, beyond all question. is The
most powerful means of controlling pubic
opinion. Yet, the most i'm rortant and difficult
questions are lett Tor discussion to those.A..o
are wholly ignorant OF their true natare aud
character. The Statesman thinks il beneath
his dignity TO embark in newspaper discus.
slop, although his own measures are misreDre
sehted by the ighoraBt or designing. Bmi ia
cannot surely be beneath the dignity Of pat
riot Statesman To correct political delusious IN
Tie only efEcient mode of doing it, In tins
country The sphere of oratoryis limited, and
the opportunities oiexertiugi it only occasional.
its impressions 100 are comparatively mom' IL
tary. we are, niOfeoVeC, people Of d re lie CT
ing aud considerable cast Of mind. A dispa.-
siOnate argument IN print, therefore, Wiil have
more eject Tran the most cloQucnt ,pe eelI
even II the orator could have all the people of
the OuIy means by which The voice o! lie Da,-
iiot can he maize audible from Que extremity
10 tiIG other OF our extensive country Yat
ihis oracle of'iseiiom Is meaSufabiy abandoned
10 the MINISTRY OF an Interested and a merCe.
nary pnes thood, whuSeTsspucs. IS are circulated
As the voice ~! political wisOn,. HeJce Al is
that we see 80 little diSpassion reasoning 81
Little lsberal;iy, aid 50 much intempcraie zeal
In most Of The poiiiicai discussions carried OH
III our rew*pape'a. No mAu scarcely Viii
ebgage In tilA-1. bat jioGe Who aTe personally
interested ~ tie qaestiCn, or who are Ike
n'lnionS aud dependents OF some man IN power
whose characters they are resolved 10 .nib!a
zoliI al tia eSreIsG OF tfi"i aud delIclcy. |
lave been leu int0 thG>u reflections l,y the
complaints winch have iaticrly aboun,isd IL,
me papers on Tie subject of tiie NATIONAL
BANK. i!iat Institution has been denounced
aud cauinuiai~d by nuueTpus editors and
e''d!sti, w!i" seeni 10 be Wholly unac Q,lainted
with The principles OF banking generally as
we'll as With the object and the effect OF The
National Bank, and yet, OF the able statesmen
"ho biot thai great national Institution into
existence, ROT one has coudesceuded to ref,te
the caluiiu, eS that are in circulatiou though
lhey have II III THEN power to do II most eficc-
traiiy. 1 nave heard these calumn,es with The
deepest concern, Us they are aimee at an iusti
tatcn OF vital importance 10 tie poiit!ca! an
Foil'!neTciAi ptosp pert; OF ;lIIS country have
no personal IuieFtst IN the National Bank nor
"a any other bank but, have deep sake ia
the prosperity al my country [ shall ,herp
u
ms humble efforts TO the refutation of the
c'ArseS which nave been made against this
repi0bdted institutions. In the FIRST place
however. wlllihSIte your attention TO the
source anu The principle from which these
charges proceed. The source is the state
bdrhs ihe principle is seii-interesI And
here must be permitted 10 deplOre The over
whining Influence of the state banks partcn-
larry as 10 operateS on tie presses OF tie conn
ny. When You take from commercial cities
the ineu who are interested in these banks n,
stockholders aud officers aud also those who
, are dependent Oh them as borrowers Won finJ
very &c" remaining who afford patronage 10
newspapers. now, most OF these are pnbIisIle 1
IN commercial cities, and there ,n,.st centre
their hopes Of patronage. Its, therefore, an
EASY mailer 10 trace The influence OF the bank
over nc presses. lie banks control the
merchants, aud the merchants control he
preSseS, al by the powerful spring of self.
interest. Hence ~ is, that the nc~sDapef -
have so generally c0ncurred in denouucip, lie
National Bank. do not charge tie banks or
Tie presses "Iiii corruption, Every nue 1, ian
understands The frame and Dependencies OF
the hnindB mind aHd now tue Judgment of tbe
m9st npIight IS influenced by seiiinterest can
easily reconcile what have said With the gen.
efal integrity % liIOsc to whom il relates
ibs immediate aud oStensible cause OF the
Complaints against tue National hank is ti,.
refusal OF tll2 mother bDE, aad Tue severn
bimches, IeclProcaliy 10 pay specie Ior tie
iGies Of r1ch sthcr. II IS sald That ihs predic
%
tutICn have G0t been fulfilled, because in kAs
faxed 10 produce general currency or. iu
OiEer wOrda, because its bills have not proved
70 be AZ pas ineScTy part OF The Union. Now
ihe auiburs of that institution sever promise
OF predicted any snciI thing. The statesman
must be SfOssiy aud slIamtinlly ignorant of
banking, VINO Coutd fora moment iadnlse sucl
an expectation. There Is not aii uteIlis emf
merchant IA tie UniJH who could have beeu
ine dHpe VI such promise. The titur /,
utterly Inconsistent with ihe fixed aud mali
sDie principles Of commerce. II the bank M
Philadelphia were to issue bi Is to the amount
Of Ohiy one "lliOs " dOdTs aud had u,e min @,
OF meNirO * Pcfb wiIeIewith To redeem them
ihese bdiN worid De below par ~ y. Orleans
in d Rance Of all tie necTOmlucy Of human
bsiSldion. For, although tie holder Of % bn
~ New Orleans would he CERTAIN to Obtau
specie on presentIng his bill 10 te bank vel h,
must incur the expense OF Transporting Ib,
scene from The bauk to New OIlcaus Thr
presents an eternal barrier 10 tae creation nf .
general paper currency, ~ tie sense abuy,
explained. Tie Diiis OF any bank viii tn ia,
nature a. thugs, se as much below par as IA,
expense Oitransportlng specie from lie hank 1,
the place where tbey circulate The fact 10 j.,
suTe may De varied by the sOnrse Of exchange ;
matter distinct from the present question
Aud eveu n the mother bdnk aud lis branche.
we're TecipTpca!!y 10 pay specie tpr the bills %
zach other, tlie great desIderaiuin would no
b. accomplished, uuie q, branches were estAh
Hshed in every city, town. village, aud neigh
bofh0od, ~ the Ufion. For. as long as tHet
should DO places remote iTo.u solI t.ie mothe