Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-03-06

Dciofe, neNeVef3 TINS ufead!ui event
shall happen, we ask the permission of
his Holiness, and his devoted followers,
10 address to them the causes ofour un-
shaken faith in the policy, ability, and
advantage Of the State Bank, and the ho-
nesty and integrity of the members CT
both branches of the legislature, who
passed the law establishing it; and we
are confident, to be serious, that if the
opponents of the measure will give the
subject calm and dispassionate ex
animation, it is impossible for them to
arise from an attentive examination Of the
principles on which it is founded. And
here let us premise, that one of the
great principles upon which all legisla-
ton ought to be founded, is that laws of
the nature in question, are to be deter
mined by their effects upon the commu-
nifty at large. 1t is not the isolated case
OF few individuals that should deter
mine the policy of the meaaure, but the
great and paramount interests of the
whole people. The moment this prin-
ciple is lost sight Of, you are involved in
labyrinth of confusion and folly. Such,
then, we take it were the views
of the legislature in adopting the
measure referred to. If the merchant
shall urge that it does not answer his
purpose, because he cannot pay his east
err debts with il or because he has failed
to perceive how to convert it to such pur-
poe what IS that to the farmer? Has the
&C IN question caused dollar the less to
circulate of the description Of funds that
warc previously in circulation Nay,
has Il even prevented some of them, lik e
Shyloc6, from demand ing the penalty Of
NJ tnnd. His "pound oiilesh" may even
notreceive this money, the farmer will not
buy my foreign goods; and then 'Othel-
JOS occapation's gone : my cent per
cent. is lost; my avarlce will not be gra-
tilted" Would TO God that such might
belts effects. 1t would then do more
towards the accomplishment OF domes-
tic manufactures, and increase the real
an substantial independence Of the
country, than all the establishments oil
societies for the encouragem ent of do
xlcsic manufactures, and the elaborate
have been written for the last twenty
years. Stop the sale of foreign gcw-
gaws and luxuries-keep the farmer
from running in debt for these unneces-
sary and ridiculous articles, and you do
hin, the most substantial service. His
children and his children's children
~wiil rise up and call you blessed. -
But we fear that this benefit is not to
arise. The predominating passion fin
terest will cause every man in the COM
munity to accommodate himself to the
order of things and he will soon learn
tilc real and substantial advantage Of a
medium of our own, whose solvency is
as durable as the government under
which we exist; and instead OF refusing,
We shall find the merchant soliciting his
customers to pay him in these funds
Our remarks, as applicable to this class
Of the community, have no personal al
1usions. We are aware that the great
mass oil them are honest, respectable,
and virtuous members of the commune
ty; and we can bear testimony to many,
who are in favor as well as opposed to the
measure, as honorable and high-minded
men: but it cannot be denied that the |
pursuit of wealth is unfortunately calcu-
lated to retrench the natural literally Of
che heart, and to contract rather than ex-
Dand its sympathies, and SO change the
character, that, in the words ofthe great
est orators and statesmen that ever
adorned the British nation, 6 His desk
Is his altar, his ledger his bible, and his
money his Cod" The farmer, who is
Ill. A.. 4, bo,1. &c ~, co,,Dtc,, coJ