Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-18
MAJ poWNINo,s CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, 18th July, 1884
TO mig old friend Mr.. Dwighk Of the New- YORK

AS NIGH as can calklate, my last letter to you
telled YOU the story (amone other things) OF the
Storm off Cape Hatteras and the Two Polies;
Well, since then Congress has cleared Out ana
gone to hum and the Ginera has cut STICK too
and gone to the Hermitage and Pm hangin on
here vet for spell, to give the new cabinet a
lift. for Mr.. Clay advised me that seem that
most of the folks now in the Cabinet are new
hands, it would be but fair for me to remain
here and keep an eye on things, and might
take charge of his rooms till Congress meets
agn.
see by some of the papers, some folks say
have gone to Portland to print newspaper
there; and others say have got paper in New
York; and don't know what all. Well, now
all can say about it is, amt got so far down
in the world yet, as to set up any newspaper Tor
Twin; it is much as can do to write letters
for you to print in your paper; and il folks think
they are worth reprintin in other papers, that
ant my business. But wont be accountable
for any letters bearin my name, unless they are
first printed in your paper. If folks VIII koun,
terfit EN-, | can't help it. II shows they must
be pritty good, for never knew chap to koun-
terfit bills Of bad bank; for if the jenewine
bills wont pass, it will be jest as bad for the
kounter1its.
was pretty busy when Congress broke up,
takin leave of the folks; and the last place to
see IN al. was at the Branch Bank OF the Y.
States; for every one on EN- who lived 70 miles
of. brought the money that was paid to EN- out
of the treasury pet bank here, right round to the
U. S. Branch Bank to change it oil for bills
with Squire Bidde's name to EN-, for the others
wouldn't go no how when you git out OF the dis
trict And when the Gineral was about goin
off too, Major Donaldson he got check on the
pet Bank, where the Gneral keeps the peoples
money here, for $780, and cum strait round "a. to
the U. S. Bank to change it off for Squire Bid
dies bills. Why, says ], Major how is this says
|, wont the people take the pet bills yet on the
way to the hermatage?-Well, says he, they
haint got use TO EN- yet, but they will arter
while, when they cant get nothing better. We
ry well, says ], that's about my notion too; TOR
our folks says are pritty much like the Scotch
man, who said he was always pretty well con-
tented when he got the best the house afforded.
Since Congress has been gone, have had
more time to think about matters and things IN
the money way, and | have got more than
a bushel of letters from Zekel Bigelow, in Wall
street, about money matters; and have come
to the notion, if something aint done pritty
quick by the Bank Of the United States, we are
goin to see trouble agin this summer, and afore
Congress meets agin, that will be worse than we
have seen yet.
| Congress has been passing good many ap
preparation bills, and what with the Interest on
the public debt, and the sums that the Post o.
flee and some other offices are in debt as nigh
five millions of dollars wanted out Of the Urea
sury this year; and where the money is to come
from ] can't see yet for though the Secretary
of the Treasury says the duties on imports will
be pretty large, am afraid he haint calculated
enuf for the amount that the merchants will
claim back for the exports, for if they can't
find market here for the goods they import,
they will ship good jag on 'em off to other
markets, and then, by law, git back from Gov
eminent the amount Of duty paid on such
goods, and that makes plagy hole in the ac-
counts.
Now, it always was the fashion afore this pla-
gy war began agin the U. s. Bank, Tor the
Treasury Department and the Bank to rub no
ses together, and watch all the time when the
Treasury had to pay away money; and the
public debt, and the expenses of Government
would be paid through the Bank, millions on
millions of dollars, without the peoples feelin
on if, and this was about the way ont; the Bank
was well known in Europe, and every body had
confidence in it, and was ready to lend money
at low interest whenever it wanted it, that when
pinch would come, all Squire Biddle had to
do was to draw money from the foreigners, in
stead Of maxim our own countrymen pay up,
and then pay it back by degrees, leetle b1 lee.
tie till he had whitfield it down to the leetle eend
oil nothn. The pet banks can't do this, folks
abroad don't know 'em, and folks at home no.
Their, 100 miles of.
are now fix'd. The Treasury must call on the
pet Banks for the peoples mony, and over 20
millions Of dollars must be paid up right Off, and
tie pet banks must take it from our folks who
have borrowed it from 'em; and this comes pa-
gy tuff as times now are, and no trade goin.
As soon as see this, set right down and rt to
Squire Biddle about it, and telfd him he must
come right out and loan more money. He an
swer'G and telld me he did not dare to do it,
for Congress, and the Gineral. and all the folks
of that party, said the Bank of the United States
must be wound up; and if the Bank now in the
face of that went to extendn its loans, they
would all say it was ony to git friends, jst as
they did afore; that the Gineral said the coun-
try was never more prosperous than it now was;
and the ony way for the Bank to act for the
safety ofits stockholders, (and they were nu-
merous old folks, and young orfans, and inno-
cent foreigners who had put their money in that
stock was to wind it up gradually, so that, by
the time its charter run out, there wouldn't be
such an everlastin sum to pay by folks who had
been borrowin of the Banks. Well, this was
trDe emf and see exactly on which toe the