Piney Woods planter and Amite union literary reflector. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1838-1838, 1838-06-16
Fkom he Washington Chronicle.
BANK INFLUENCE.

appearance Oh pdrtlHdh DETERMINATIONS
Yet it is truly one Of deep and urgent
Importance. Its terms may be said to
be hacknied but is, nevertheless, preg-
nant with considerations of the great
est moment. Look to the state of the
country,-look to the facts wherever
we turn. Is not most manifest
will any man deny, that the banks
through the Indebtedness OF the people
have compelied--yes, compelled the lie
gislatures of the State to legalize d.
rect, open, and palpaOle violation Of
the laws! Have they not forced the
State Governments every where to
sanction by law, only an iniractlon Of
law,-but a gross fraud on the public!
Have they not, instead of being made
responsible for these outrages, as pro-
vided' by their charters, absolutely
compelled theestablished Governments
ofthe States to unlawfully interpose,
and by abuse of their powers, saved
them from the penalties incurred!
VIII any man have the hardihood to
deny these facts7
But the outrage stops not here. Are
they not now using every means to
compel the Federal Government to go
even beyond the States, and to receive
their paper as money, in direct violation
of the Constitution, which neither re-
cognizes their issues, nor knows other
existence? Are they not pressing down
upon the people with all their power,
in order to act upon Congress through
them? Nay, more--are they not now
THREATENING MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS- WITH THEIR VEN
GEANCE, if they dare resist their
demands? That such is the fact, we
have no shadow of doubt; and we are
not in the habit speaking thus strong
" without sufficient reasons. There L
are members of Congress who owe \
them money;-and they are told, pery il
polite indeed, that if this or that mea-
sure pass, they will be compelled to
call in their debts. This is the mode in
witch they address themselves to the y
Representatives of the People, and of y
the States; and by which they propose ~
to take the whole legislation of the Co al
vernment in their own hands.-They r'
stand at the doors of the House of Re- SC
representatives., and Of the Senate, and CO
give the nod which makes their debt
ors tremble. sc
And start not the people at such l.,
state of things as this! See they no ,
danger in thus allowing the whole Go r1
to be thrown into the hands b'
Of a heartless oligarchy Of cxtraordlna- II
ty capitalists and money-chaneers. W
Will they stand by silent and uncon- ly
cerned while their institutions are thus e,
made the instrument of establishing a
permanent monied aristocracy on the :;
ruins of the Constitution! What is to "
be expected from this dangerous and Ct
tinginhuence9 Nothing--noth- u
ing but the debasement of the public a
morals and the overthrow Of our insti- r
tutions. Unless the Government be r
rescued from this fatal influence, Con- b
gress must soon become the most cor 4
rupt body that ever existed on the
face of the earth, They will sell their
constituents to the banks, with as little
ceremony or conjunction as they
would sell so much stock at the ex-
change. How can it be otherwise? ,
In such condition Of affairs they will
they must be, no more nor less than
the veriest slaves Of the banks, though
nominally representatives Of the peo-
pie. We put it to the banks to ans
wer. whether they have not threatened
members of Congress with their venge-
ance, if they dared, from sense of
public duty, to vote for the late Sub
Treasury Bill? That they have, we
have no doubt.
In this state of things the final ap-
peal of the Patriot must be to the peo-
Die themselves. If they yield. too, all
is lost-or liberty can only be saved
by revolution. The banks have for
ced, or are forcing another issue, than
that which looks merely to the recciy-
ability of their paper. They ar fast
raising another, and, to them and to
the country, a far more tremendous
question, vis:-Whether their charters
shaR longer stand? There is spirit
rising in the North, the Southern Banks
take no part in the contest,--being
generally in favor of Reform.) which
threatens to sweep these institutions
out of existence. The audacious course,
the high-handed proceedings of these
banks. but serve to stimulate this spirit