The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-11-07

steau coue OF knavefy, as revouinB as Criminal
The staunch democracy Of old Berkshire,
1.-THE county Of our nativity;
"Land Of the forest and the rock,
OF dark blue lake and mighty river,
| OF mountains reared alon TO mock
The storms career and lightnings shock,
My own green land iorever,o
put forth in a recent Address the following
just sentiments, conceived and dictated in q
proper spirit. The Boston Post remarks,
they will be responded to by the democracy
everywhere. They viii be perused with cor
dial satisfaction.
| BERKsHIRE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
! "The question is how are we to get rid OF our
| present difficulties We know of nothing better than
to recommend reason which Is the best remedy for
all difficulties in human affairs; of nothing better
than TO separate the subject from all prejudice, vio
lence, and party sefshness The political broil
which we have had, and which is still kept up upon
this question OF the currency, is in our opinion,
disgrace 10 the nation. The question is business
| question, question of pure political economy a
question as to what is best for trade, commerce and
manufactures, what Is best for rich what is best for
poor, what is best for the whole people II is this
Can paper currency be used With safety, and 50,
rhat form Of paper currency is tie best? This Is
question which has agitaied the civilized part Of the
world for hundred years, and upon which the most
honest In this natl IN have been divided for
fifty, and are yet. Do not suppose that we recon-
mend neutrality upon such question; there can be
noneutrality in great questions Of politics and po
cal economy A man must be decided on one side
the other or he is nothing he is nobody he IS lost
to the community. So clear are We against United
States Bank, and against continuing State Bank
Monopoly, that we would not vote for father
brother, as long they held different opinions;
that is for political Office where the matter would
be touched by legislation. But then we would al
low, that they might be as honest as could claim
to be, in differing from them, and as to all minor
points, we would compromise the matter with them.
The greatest troubles we have had from the begin
ming, have been happily settled in this way. Ours Is
history of compromises; the disinterested part Of
the people must give their minds to the subject come
out boldly, and settle for themselves. To compro
mise, however is not to give up the point in dispute
] nobody can be expected to do that.
"Many Of those who differ from those in opinion
think they have better reasons than we have. That
they have reasons, and such as may well appear to
them sufficient is quite certain. Twice has United
States Bank been chartered and during the greater
part of forty years there has been no controversy
about il. SO as to the State banks for nearly the
same period, the whole people have united In Great
! ing them; only differing about the number 10 be
| created, or the particular terms upon which they
should be chartered. What argument does this
furnish for the suppression Of all temper and for rea
soning out the matter fairly with those who are OPP
posed to us.
"This currency question: in all its bearings seems
TO in reference to the successful progress OF hu
man affairs the most interesting that be- and,
far United States Bank Is connected with II, the
objections to such institution appear unanswera-
| BILE
"The affairs of Government and the affairs Of
private people should be kept far apart as possible
and for the plaines reason that is II politicians and
people who hold Offices can by law get into the peo-
Piles pockets, they will be sure TO empty them into
their own Let us not here, or forget, that Gen.
Jacksons objections were not 10 this or that bank,
but to all banks having such powers. This is the
grateful acknowledgment to which he is Justly en-
| titled"
The Address urges that the objections to United
States Bank are unanswerable, account of the
enormous monied power necessarily connected with
any such institution. 1t takes up some recent decla-
raiions of Mr. Webster, and replies to them as fol-
| lowSi
"We repeat it, that the people of the United States
never had the currency which Il Is attempted to
| make them believe that they had. We admit that
the bills Of the banks Of the United States were at
par through the country but who had the bills Of the
banks Of the United States who could get them
We will venture TO say, that in the county of Berk-
shire and in nine out ten counties in the United
States, not one hundredth part 1--WE might probably
say thousandth) Of the circulation from hand to hand
was in United States money. In lieu of it, what had
| wei A local currency; State bank bills; an ire
| sponsible currency; currency which nobody was
| bound to redeem by their own property; sometimes
a currency made up in part of broken banks, doubt
/ full banks, banks from remote States, sometimes at
| ive sometimes at ten per cent. discount; SO that
every species of spurious stuff has at times been put
upon us, especially upon the poor and Ignorant who
knew least how to protect themselves. You see,
therefore, what sort of currency we have had even
in the best of times Fellow citizens, ii is delusion
| il Is clamor; do not give way to II; do not, like
children be frightened by an array of great names
exercise your own judgments; keep cool time will
| bring us all out right"
The following views are expressed in relation to
an admixture of paper with the currency
"a paper currency then, to certain extent is in
dispensable: as convenience is inestimable, com
pared with Juggling about every day gold and silver
The people of the United States resorted to because
il had these qualities and they will never give up
But it has been abused grossly abused and to such
degree that these abuses can no longer be tolerated
The abuse has proceeded partly from ignorance, but
more from the monopoly character Of the system, by
which the Bankers much more elsewhere than here
have enjoyed unrighleous profits at the expense of
the people at large. Having monopoly, and know
ing thai their profits would increase in proportion TO
the notes they let out and kept out, they not
1 able to resist the temptation Of great gains. The
| results we have; the country has been flooded with
irredeemable paper, by which prices have been in
lated to the great injury of the poor classes whose
wages in such times never keep pace with the rise
in prices And this consider the worst, the most
selfish feature in the system, and that is that those
are most injured who can least bear it, The end has
| been, as might have been expected, stoppage OF
| specie payments, to the dishonor of the country
through the world dishonor which every citizen
ought to feel and never to rest satisfied till it is
washed out"
Of then, In the present progress of Improvement
| a reform of our banking system, which has now
twice brought nearly universal bankruptcy upon
the country, be necessary, (t universal in the
first instance with the exception of New Engand,)
what is that reforml Very unfortunately we think,
small portion Of the people are in favor Of plan
as impracticable and ruinous as any thing we can
think of-and that is an exclusive use Of metallic
currency This seems to us precisely the same le-
gislative quackery over again; is only out oil the
h. Grn L L. haiti