Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-02-07
CONGRESS SION AL.
MR.. WEBsTER'S REMARKS,
In the Senate ON the 1St instant.

Mr.. PRESDENT:-InlS Is dll C'Oiitiui AhoiiiOht.
On the great questions which occupy us, we all
look for some decisive movement OF public opin-
ion. AS wish that movement to be ffee intel
Iioent and unbassed-the true manifestation OF
the public will desire to prepare the country
for another assault, which perceive is about
to be made, on popular preJudlce-another at
tempt to obscure all distinct views 1.-THE puollc
good-to overwhelm all patriotism, and all en-
ightened sef-interest, by loud cries against false
danger, and by exciting the passions ofone class
against another. am not mistaken in the omen
Il see the magazine whence the weapons OF
this warfare are to be drawn. | already hear
the din ofthe hammering of arms, preparatory
to the combat. They may be such arms, per-
haps, as reason, and justice, and honest patriot
ism, cannot resist. Every effort at resistance,
it is possible, may be feeble and powerless; but,
for one, shall make an effort-an effort to be
begun now, and to be carried on and continu-
ed with untiring zeal, till the end OF the contest
comes.
Sir. l see in those vehicles which carry to the
People sentiments from high places, plain dec
laratons that the present controversy is but
strife between one part of the community and
another. hear it boosted as the unfalllng Sc
curity, the solid ground never to be shaken on
which recent measures rest, MatMe poor natw-
rallv hate the rich. Il know, that under the
shade Of the roofs of the Capitol within the last
twenty-four hours-among men sent here to de-
wise means lOl tllC puUlS SAFETY anu VIC PNCAiS
good-it has been vaunted forth as matter OF
boast and triumph, that one cause existed, pow
erful enough to support every thing, and to de-
fend every thing and that was the natural hd-
tired of the poor TO the rich
Sir, pronounce the author ofsuch sentiments
to be guilty of attempting detestable fraud on
the community. A double fraud; fraud, which
is to cheat men out of their property, and out of
the earnings Of their labor, by first cheating
the m ont of their UNDERSTANDINGS
I" The natural hatred OF the poor to the rich"
Sir it shall not be till the last moment of my eX
istence-it shall be only when am drawn to the
verge of oblivion-when shall cease to have
respect or affection for any thing on earth, that
will believe the People of the United States ca
pable of being effectually deluded, cajoed, and
driven about IN herds, by such abominable frauds
as this. If they shall sink to that point-if they
so far cease to be men-thinking men, intell-
gent men-as to yield to such pretences, and
such clamor they will be slaves already; slaves
to their own passions-slaves to the fraud and
knavery ofpretended friends. They will de-
serve to be blotted out Of all the records offree
dom: they ought not to dishonor the cause of
selfgovernment, by attempting to exercise it,
they ought to keep their unworthy hands entire
y off from the cause ofRepublican liberty, ifthey
are capable of being the victims of articles so
shallow ofhicks SO STALE so thread-bare, so Of
ten practised so much worn out, on serfS and
slaves; and the Victims too, of wicked and ne
farious designs, so thinly OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, deep
in purpose and in wickedness but shallow in
their pretences.
rich!" "The danger of moneyed aristocra
cym power as great and dangerous as
that resisted by the Revoutionp' " A call to a
new Declaration Of Independencen
Sir, admonish the People against the objects
of outcries like these. | admonish every indus
uious laborer in the country to be on his guard
against such deluson. tell him, the attempt is
to play off his passions against his interests and
to prevail on him, in the name of liberty, to de-
stroy all the fruits of liberty; in the name of pa
triotism, to injure and afflict his country; and
in the name of his own independence to destroy
that very independence, and make him beg
gar and a slave. Has he a dollar? he is advi-
sed to do that which will destroy half its value.
Has he hands to labor? let him rather fold them
and sit still, than be pushed on, by fraud and
artifce, to do what will render his labor useless
and hopeless.
Sir the very man, Of all others, who has the
deepest interest in a sound currency, and
who suffers most by miscellaneous legislation in
money matters, is the man who earns his daily
bread by his daily toll. A decayed currency,
sudden change fprices paper money, fading
between morning and noon and night: when all
these things exist, it is the very harvest time of
spectators, and Of the whole race of those who
are at once idle and crafty; and Of that other
race-the Catilines of all times-marked, so as
to be known forever by one stroke of the histo-
RAMS pen, greedy Of other mems property, and
prodigal of their oa0n. Capitalists, too may out
live such times. They may either prey on the
earnings Of labor, by their cent. per cent, or
they may hoard But the laborng man, what
can he hoard? Preying on nobody, he becomes
the prey Of ALL His property is his hands. His re-
lance, his fund, his productive freehold, his all,
is his labor. Whether he work on his own
small capital, or on another's, his living is still
earned by his industry; and when the money of
the country becomes deprecated and debased,
whether it be adulterated coin or paper with
out credit, that industry is robbed of its re-
ward. He then labors for a country whose
Jaws cheat him out of his bread | would say
10 every owner of every quarter section of land
IN the West, would say to every man in the
East, who follows his own plough, and to eve
ry mechanic, artizan, and laborer, in every CT
y in the country-I would say to every man,
every where, who wishes, by honest means, to
gain an honest living: "Beware of wolves in
sleeps clothing: whoever attempts, under what
ever popular cry to shake the stability of the
public currency, bring on distress in money