Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-05-22
FOR THE SPECTATOR.
NOMINAL BANKS-NO. Ill.


should be guarded with as much scru-
pulous exactness, as was the fire in the
ancient temple of Vesta. In no possible
case should it be permitted, to overstep
its sacred dictates. Sap the foundation,
and the temple reared by the blood OF,
thousands, and of treasures and priva-
tons innumerable, totters and tumbles
into ruin. Innovation once admitted, be-.
comes a precedent; then men proceed
with less reluctance. The overturninr
Of a government is not the work of a day.
Small and almost imperceptible may be
the steps by which such events are ac-
complished, but continual friction wear
eth the adamant. The first step may be
a popular one, SO was the prescription
of Caius Marus, for at first none but bad
men were prescribed; but ,he1principle
was established, and Rome felt its dread
full consequences.
| ------Facilis est dcscensus Averni,
sed revoeare gradunl, hic labor, hoe opus est.
| 1t is better, says maxim of the COM
mon law, even to endure a particular
evil, than to violate general principles
So in this case, far better to endure the
scarcity OF circulating medium, than to.
create it, contrary 10 the fundamental
principles of our government.
Iremble innovators, for on you will be
poured the anathemas of those, who be-
hold the sad day when our government
with all the glorious privileges which to
1t are inherent, shall become extinct
Variability is indeed stamped on every
thing human, and alas, we are called to
behold the drawing of the dragons teeth,
which must, if like causes produce like
effects, one day over(urn our govern
ment. This 10 those unacquanted with
causes and effects, may be matter Of
wonder, and may be considered as tho
desultory vagares of disordered brain;
but lesser causes than tranlpling under
foot the supreme law of the land, have
produced greater effects. Did not tho
rape OF Helen produce ten years war
| and the destruction of Troy? We know
that human nature is the same in every
| age and cline. Revolving IN our minds
what effects certain causes have pro-
duced, we have good data for our con-
illusions what other given causes will
produce. When people disregard the
Ilrst principles OF their government, and
entertainments begin, they always end in
a transformation of things. The canker
has commenced at the root, and unless
the disease be eradicated, this generation
may not pass away before all the fears of
the rejecting ones be realized. That
"very useful body of sages," met for USE
full purposes, might have thought they
were doing the heohle a service by tram
pllng under foot the palladium of our Ii
berry; SO might have thought Robes
pierre in the days of the French revolu-
ton. 1t is not every man who can be
useful as a legislator. Theory and even
profound thinking is not all. If so, why
condemn Locke's plan of government for
| Carolina. A legislator should thorough
ly understand human nature; should be
intimately acquainted with the causes
which have produced the overthrow Of
kingdoms and empires, and be able to
draw the inference, that if such cause
produced such an effect in such a coun-
try, the same cause would in all human
probability produce similar effect in
this country. Above all, he should be
intimately acquainted with the constitu-
ton of his own country, which he is bound
to support. But when men disregard
the sacred tie, that binds man to man,
and man to his God" what faith can be
placed in their solemn pledges?
Verbose essays Of interested partizans
| to prove what every body knew and adj
mitted-that is, that our finances were
derangetl, that banks existed in every
kingdom in Europe, and that the Bank
OF the United States has in part ficti-
tious capital, comes very short of prov
ing that the state of Illinois has MOI. ex-
ceeded the rights guaranteed to her.
After proving the fact which no one even
doubted, that the United States Bank was
partly based on credit, writer, with fa-
nalic zeal, " arrectis auribus," cries out,
Why, may not the state of Illinois en-
ploy its credit as well as the United
States Were ii not for the improperly
OF opposing reason to ridiculous ques-
ton, would say, the United States in
their aggre gate capacity, have privileges
which are withheld from individual
states; for example, the United States
in their aggregate capacity, may declare
war, &C.; but it yet belongs to the legal
men OF this state so to define the constitu-
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