Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1834-02-27

sure and the general currency. The People
petition and rrmonstrate. aud fiji the city with
their Committees, sent here TO expose their
: grievances. aud tn solicit speedy and edeetual
rrdrcs.. Under these circumstances, the gen.
tleman from Gcosia rises IN his place. and
tells ~ that all discussion, in presenting these
petitions, is Improbable and, demonstrating
against II, he expressed the hope that hercsf-
Ter the business may be silently transacted.
Z tell the gentleman from Georgia, aud he
may tell the President, that, when the Con-
strtutiou has been outraged, the liberties Of
the country brought in danger, aud the high
est interest Of the People put in jeopardy,
the senate will not be silent--Congress will
not DO siIcut--the People will not be silent
Until am prepared 10 bow my neck TO the
yoke Of desPotism, for one. { will remon-
stra.e, and protest. aud loudly proclaim the
danger impending over us. I have doubt
that discussion is painful, and prcsokingly i'm
pertinent, 10 tho tenant Of yondcr White House
that he would prefer dead silence and u
uiversai submission but ! trust that these
miserable petitions, ~ the Senator from Geor-
gia denominates them, viii continue tn come
In that the country will become sensible TO
tho reality OF the existing dangers that di--
cussiou, in every form, and on every occ aston,
viii take place and that, finally, the Con.ti-
tuition and the laws will resume their accus-
toned authority.
The gentleman processes TO perceive, in
these miserable petitions, party purposes, and
the objects OF party only. lie believes that
tho sole design OF the vast movements, Of
which We every day hearts TO displace those
In power, and TO introduce others. Why, SIR,
would the thousands, and tens OF thousands.
q at are every day and every where assem-
biing, and expressing their grievances, in un.
exaggerated language, meet for such q pur-
pose only, Would the men Of business quit
their Workshop, their compting-rooms, their
Offices, aud many Of them at great personal
Inconvenience, repair To the seat Of the Gen
eral Government for any such object, Would
they come here 10 present their miserable Pc
titions' No election Of President, Of mem
bers Of Congress, or Of members OF the State
Legislatures, Is just NJ hand. Most OF those
elections arc n far removed. in point Of time,
rs they well can be. That Of Chief Magis-
trate IS three years distant.
If We did not know that, in many instances,
the People, without distinction OF party, met
and united in these petitions, or without as
scmbling together, subscribed 10 them, We
might be perfectly sure that nothing but Sc
we're and pervasive distress, actually felt, and
still greater anticipated, could occasion the
general excitement Of which we have daily
proofs.
And what arc the remedies BY those in pos
session OF the Government None, none
Idle, and visionary, and chimerical schemes,
arc indeed sometimes thrown out, but they
even are seriously proposed. A member,
not now in his seat, mir. Rives,) has suggest
ell one Of these schemes, which is to Danish
oil paper from circulation, and 10 resort ex-
clusiSely TO hard money. more wild and
impracticabie project never ents rcd the he ad
Of man. IL would be q gross imposition up
on the community (of course ! do not mean
any thing disrespec tful 20 the honorable SEN
Z ator,) TO attempt such n purpose. Congress
has no power 10 accomplish IL. How can il
effect the destruction, or reach the State
Banks: What authority has IL to put them
down How utterly unavaling would be the
measure OF refusing TO receive their notes in
payment Of dutiesi They would still be US.
cd in oil the business society, and, choking
up all the channels Of circulation, would f.
nally force themselves, as they did in 49,
and 1916, into the general treasury, as the on
W means left to the People to pay their con-
tributions 10 the Government.
Hard money, Why, sir, let US glance NJ some
OF Tie obvious effects Of 4 rrsort To tie precious
metals as the only me;um of circulation. The
whole currency of the United States may be sta
ted at shout $3.50, 600 o0O. ninety in convertible
paper and thirty Ia specie, either ia the vaults Of
the banks, or IN the hands Of the people. This
sum OF ono hundred aud twenty millions is the re-
preventative OF the property Of the eouatry, and
constitutes the means Of tranSaeting its business
IL represents tie value, determines the price, and
- the instrument Of affecting alterations OF the
property OF the country. What would be the
immediate effect on property IL the sudden With
urawai OF the paper currency Of the eountTy; that
IS To ssy, three-fourths Of II, actual currency
Property would sink down 70 onc-fJurth OF its
present value IL would sink lower For VIC
Know that, when property isgthrs siiy falling the
Tears OF men IN advance al the nctuai dcprrs-
zion, and carry them 90 point much below W hat
X onghttp D. ~, "a the opposite case, when AZ
- rs.S, their hopes carry them ahead OF tlle &C
fual rise, ami t!te spirit Of speculation prompts
Shcin 60 give morc than iis actual value.
81 W lat would BE- the effect upon drbts' Every
man. u iircr-toufths ot the currency ere strick-
an down, would have To pay four dollars Tor every
one ne oSed A single example will illustrate
thc s'stc at things. suppose man Co De
worth $1,000 and to owe $1,000. lie could, In
the present state I'd things, pay 0T las debt and
have rcsiduum Of So, 90 Hut ia the contin-
gcney supposed, It would take his whole proper
" and probably more, 10 pay las debt, aad lac
would b. left destitute.
Nor Is sneh project desirable, II Il were prne-
hcshic, and Cougress poSsessed power 70 adopt
and enforce H. 'II,e Introduction Of bank notes
INTO the precious metals. Al the will Of
We holder, % great facility IN he Transaction OF
w" business and commerce of mankind Some
common standard 81 value exists in all forms OF
l'unan society. II supcrscdes ven IN ia savage.
tisie, The practice q siinplc haricr. The sabsii-
tui'on of the prcciogs tnctal-, Cor tir rder OBJ
Jcris cmpl yed, 10 the first stages at commercial
opcrHilons, was not greater improvement than
That oi substituting sound, safe, and convertible
paper currency 70 tie direct employment Of me-
tsliic medium. Such paper. we'll regulated en-
itied 20 and pose SAM the confidence Of the pub
nc, saves labOr. economics TINE, and Avoids risk
Compared 10 a rufnbrous metallic currency a A.
Nhat sails, or the poser u steam arr To oars IT,
haVi CATION or Rsil- roads and Nc Adanfzed road,
AFs 70 natnr-'i and unimprJscd highways. IN to-
.e'inE. y metallic currency indeed Who be-
lisves u possible VINO thinef it.t socist, can b
throHn back from its prcscht advanced staio GEN.
,nnc' Why, ~ az look u ns elect upon sis-
&C nperE'ion Hos ar The three millions II d,i-
,rfs nunusily received ior public land. h. b. col
c'cd ~ specie Arr thy 10 be sagDned srrass
mourn ANS 10 the rctnotc land Office of t,c
~ and ~agDuei back again
Ne, sr' you may pet down thc Baak and re-
lust 70 ei'ri's 80, ofiser United States Bsns ami
& fini uien' Hundreds q other Htnks I,, ,,,d
our eontsOH, VII spring up. Ike mushrooms.
n every difretion. 30 spi,s ~ you. Aeting uth-
~ eo''eeFt irrcsponsibl' ca you, each u,n -
az softs 81 no aas 90 t'rue oct o. tsst,.r uti