Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-11-30
EXTRACTS
Fo@ tie Speech Of M. PRESTON,
ta The Ssaalr Of IL Uasls{ Cfaf~s

~rtt~& W wv. Nd< - = O-N
|" Ae Ssnsis Of he Uaiisd States.
My own opinion hs, always been,
that the banking system was the child
OF commerce. and the handmaid OF IL
berry. IL is ono OF the II. ainsprings Of
the great civilization Of the last $50
years. II belongs 10 free States, and
free States have grown free undsr its
influences. Its birth place was free.
snd commercial Holland. and England
and America have fostered il. Run
your eye. SIR. over the map Of the
world. and you will 6nd that IN proper
ton a. its nations are free. civilized,
and commercial. this institution has
been cherished aud developed. All
the peaceful triumphs Of human intel.
Iect which day by day s,lrtle us into
wonder and admiration, all the slo,iou,
results OF modern society. all the mag.
INDECENT achievements OF human indus
Try, whose aggregate has made the last
century more replcle with human hap.
piness and with the promise Of II for
hereafter. than the whole tract Of bis.
tory beforo--ail this hiss been acsosn-
panied, promoted and viviacd by thai
Organized sysiein OF credit which is IT.
self. ior efficiency. complexi,y, aud
eonirollabili'y. the most wonderful en-.
s'na that the tasked. excited, and vic
tor'ous ingenuity ofmodefn times has
produced. IL has mnde England mi.
raeie, and has. IN a generation. built us
up into great nation. Isbanking Eny-
iaud less happy than hard money Spain.
or we less moral than hard money Mex.
'eo! unques,iona5ly the banking sy.-
tenn, like all other benehcent iasti,u-
lions. may DO and has been occasion
ally perverted and abused. Con,titu.
tional government itself IS subject 70
morbid action or vicious control. we
are al TINS moment assembled here 10
deplore and remedy the elects OF mis-
rule and usnrpation. Have our repub.
hcan Institutions failed because they
sre IN this crisis; Has the Consii,u.
ton run out because il has been a5us.
ed J.! Shall we go back TO hard money
and despotism, abolish banks and The
Constitution, because We are smartiny
under temporary evils, produced by the
INSTRUMENTATION OF both. Denouncc
the breeze which WATTS your commerce
through the world. because il may be
ia.hed into tempest. Deprecate the
showers which fructify your fields. be-
cause they may descend in torren,s.-
War against the blessed light Of Hen
ven itself, because ia scorchiny rays
may ~ither . harvest. Sh.ll we se.
about to supsrsede these kindly minis.
ters oil Natures bounty, by arrogant de-
wees OF our own. o. endeavor 20 bring
them into disrepute by our unSratelul
forgetfulness Of their good. and exaggc.
ration Of their svil,
Mr. President. tho can't word Of the
day Is divorce Of Ban!, and State. The
Hon. Senator from Pennsylvania has i,
often on bis ups; but a. the gentleman
aTgues that the union slways wac in
violation Of the Constitution, II is rather
aeastinH of than q divorce. But what
70 the divorce the Administration pro
Poses A divorce of this Goyern n,e mt
ffom the State banks, from the State
currency, from the whole monetary
system OF the States and Of the People.
You divorce this Government from its
eumbrous and Restraining conncxion
with the country, that you may be free
70 we'd IL TO the money. You divorce
it from the banking system. that you
may, with licentious polygamy, mar.
" II 10 ten thousand sub. Treasuries
making the whole land u Government
harem.
Mr.. President. I depreca,e this mad
and ferocious warfare against any of
the institutions Of the country, against
the U. S. Bank formerly. against he
Stale banks now. II does not appear
TO me that this root and branch policy,
this tesring up things established, 10
euPPly their places With now theories.
however neatly Constructed, or care,
fully elaborated, Is the part Of prudence
and wisdom. Ny nature and habits OF
thought, confirmed by the terrible ex-
pensnce Of the last four years. make
me . Conservative. hesitate at eve.
~ proposition TO destroy, that YOU may
build again. II any OF our institutions
have suffered damaze. let US repair
ihem; II any portion of tho vast edifice |
OF our prosperity has been injured, le,
us with . cautious and reverend hand !
restore what has been lost, strengthen
vhat remains. adjust tho proportions. |
81 you choose, proceeding IN all With
sedaie and steady purpose Of not weak.
sning the deep foundations. Let us
not. ear, with fantastic caprice tear
down the solid. add let me say glorious
fabric Of our prosperity. that we may
Try. by a. futile device az the lamp Of
Aladdis. 70 build up another in one
night, Of fairy marble. add gold, and
gems.
The rejection in tho receipt Of the
fsvenue Of The notes Of specie. paying
banks is the great revolution proposed
BY the present measure: this IL intend.
ed ns the vital stab 10 the banks, IL,
70 be . Standing diseredit of those IN
Stitutions, and the excuse Tor the Go.
VeFnment 10 issue paper Of ils own 90