Elizabeth-Town gazette., 1819-03-02
MISCELLANY.
From the Aurora.

If the newspapers of Pennsylvania
fairly represent or express the feelings OF
the people, it is but TOO evident that un-
|exampled distress aud embarrassment pre-
vail 10 the interior as we'll as On the sea.
board. Whilst, however, all concur in
shelving the eristeace of evil, there is a
singular disturbance as TO the cause-one
man traces the evil only to the cupidity
Of the merchant in importing Injuries, as
|if luxuries would be introduced if there
was not an abundant consumption; anoth-
Ter sees all our misery resulting from
multitude Of petty banks, as if those
banks had risen like mushrooms, without
popular agency and third ceatends
that We should be prosperous, if the Unit
ed States Bank had not been created, as if
the bank had not been the work of the
people themselves. Without doubt, er-
traUdgance in expenditure, the substitution
of speculation for labour, and an enor-
nous abuse Of banking, have been the OBJ
vi0us causes of present calamities; and
the sacrifice of the rich industry of man.
ufactures has given the finishing blow to
the public prosperity but the real source
of distress lies deeper still--the present
crisis is the necessary consequence of the
abandonment by the people, Of the princi-
pies of free government; We have been
long yerging towards an hateful aristocra-
cy, and if not taught wisdom by present
misfortunes, must soon relinquish the
name as well as the virtues Of republic.
Iustead, therefore, of complaining of
merchants and abusing banks, as the crea-
tors of their distresses, the people ought to
themselves If the people had
adhered to the virtues of their fathers,
would there have arisen those banks,
which like locusts are now deyouring
their substance
If the people had preserved their re-
publican character, would luxury and ex-
have almost become national
characteristics?
If the people had cherished the liberties
handed down 10 them, would they have
established such multitude of corpora
t;ons, or aristocracies, as now exist in the
union
If the people had exercised their own
inherent rights, would the state present
the spectacle now Witnessed
The people are competent to guide their
country to prosperity, or they are not; if
they are not, the enemies of republics
have spoken the truth; but if they are,
where is the evidence of it {? why do
present evils exist! is il not evident, that
the very existence of evil, which might
have been Stunned, may be offered as az
argument against a republic!
If the people are competent to self-gov-
ernment, as we republicans say they are,
present evils must be the consequence. of
most culpable negligence; aud those
evils will not cease to exist until that neg
ligence shall be replaced by the energy Of
freemen. For il is in vain that the people
complain like pulling children OF their dis
tresses, il year after year they confer their
power upon the very persons who contri.
buted to create them. A reform will not,
cannot begin among those who are inter-
ested in abuses the people themselves must
act, or we shall remain in our present con-
dition: they must choose representatives,
who will strive to increase the quantity
and amount of internal iabour, better than
all the mines of the Indies, and Danish
speculations representatives who will
oppose the introduction of those Iuxuries
Of Europe and Asia, which corrupt the
morals and sap the foundation of public
liberty. SENEA'