Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-02-27
Twe,sey-fifth Comgress---2d SEES!
SPEECH OF MR. WEBSTER OF MASS,
ON THE SUB-TREASURY BILL.

SPEECH OF Mr. WEBSTER OF Mass,
ON THE SUB-TREhSURY BILL.
Is SESArE- Yedaes&ny, Jan, 81, 1883.
"Le, the Governmen, attend to It's own BUSINESS a"'
q let the People attend 10 theirs.
"I.et the Gnvernmen, take care, that It seen,rs
sound currency for ita and let u !eaFe Gil ne
rest to the States, and to the People
These oninous sentences. Mr. President, have been
ringing in my ears since they were uttered yps'e'
day by the member from New York. Let the Govern
ment Of itself and let the people take care OF
themselves This is the whole principle and policy Of
the Administration at the present most cr't'cal MOMENT
and on this great and oil absorbing question OF The cur
rency.
Sir, this is nm i'll boding announcement il has no
thing of consultations nr solace. of hope in it.
1, will carry through all the classes q" commerce ano
business nothing hit more encouragement ana oeFp''
fears And yet it is but repetition II IS only renew
ed exhibition Of the spirit which was Dreamed pf
the Message and the Bill Of the last srsslon OF "h'ch
this Bill is also full and which has rervaded rec"
1npndalinns and all the measures OF Government sn''
Nav Yet confess that not, even yet, sn faIilnf
with it, accustomed to hear such sentiments aV"wrn
ss that they to asnnish me. am either cropping
in thick and papabie darkness, myself in regard 10 Inc
objects Of the Constitution and The duties OF Congress
under it, else these principles Of public policy thus
declared, at with nur most p"siive ana urgent
obligations The hon. member made other observations
indicative Of the general tone OF political feeling
Among his chosen topics of commentator OF the hi he
fore us prominent was, 10 shelter The Ad'n'nsr"
ton from that shower Of as he expressed Inc
idea hich would always beat upon 1t. as II heats now
when disasters should huppen to the currency lndree
And why should the Administration, or ever be shell
tered from that shower Is not currency subject over
which the power and duty Of Government Extend Is moi
Governnr Justly responsible for its condition? is II not
Of necessity wholly and entirely. under The control ana
regulation Of political power? IS n"i matter IN re-
gard which, The people can"t, nv any possibility pro
tee, themselves any Gi"rs trn they cnn by their own
individual e:os supersrdr ths necessity o: the exercise
by Government. "f any other pai:ca pnwPr Whatcan
the People do for Ives 10 improve the currency
dsasp
Of the currency saving always hosr accidents which at
all times cannot 5r fnrseen provided against IL is at
least raha fur its neg cct if il shall tie gully
of it, in exercising sill lis constitutional authority Tor
the curcc,nD and restoration o. the currency why
dnrs H. hos it. shrink ftaia this responsibilities
Why does ii retreat, from It's own dny why dHes II
SEEK the lnusls of victory not the reputation even
Of manly contest but the poor h"nors OF studied and
eager escape: Sir it can never escape. The common
sense nf oil pron"nnces, that the Government is,
md ought to be, and must be auswerube for the reguia
Of the currency of the country; iha 1t ought to
abide, the pelings of this storm Of mpualion, $" long
es turns lis back. npnn this mnntnnus question: and
seeks shelter ari: in the safes and vaults The cells
and the caverns, of Sub Treasury system Bat Of ali
governments that existed, the present Adn'ns'ra-
Ton has least for Withdrawing its from the
currency, shrinking from lis just responsibility in re.
gard 10 il.
predecessor in whose Footsteps it proesses 10 tread
he's inteered fatally in;eered with that subject That
interference was and has hrn the productive cause %.
our disasters. Did the Administration disclaim power
over The currency in 1853 when it removed the Dspo.
si!es And what meant all lis subsequent transactions,
all lis professi"ns and all Efforts for that better
rency which it Promised if in truth did not hold itself
responsible 10 the People Of the u. for go"d cnr"n
cy! From the Trrr first year of ihe late Administration
10 the last, there hardly SESSION if there was
single session. in which this duty Of Government was
not Acknowledged Promises q! high improvement pu'
forth OF loud claims of merit asserted, tor benefits al
ready conferred II pressed 10 erect The great temple
ofits glory improvements Of The currency And SIT
the better currency, which has been SO long pronIss'
not n currency for the Government but currency
for the people. II no, for the of revenue merely
but for the uf The whole cul.mercr ,rsdr aud husi
of the nation. And now, when the whole Industry
business and labor Of The country is arnssed and dis
tressed nv the evils brought upon by Its own ineT
ference, Government talks with all possible cnulness "'
the great advantage il will be- Ia adopt system whc
shall shield itself from thick falling shower Of mpua
tons. 1t dsclams it renounc"s II abandons liz duty
and then seeks ing"rions shelter in lis protested
want of power IL relieve the people.
We demand t,r b:tier currency; we insist on the ui
flment of the high and Gathering promises anG surr
there government on tho face ct the cart IN
thai could with less poprirty resist the demand yet
we see it seek refuge bold cold, aud hrariiess de
nial Of the competency Of its own constitutional pow
srs IL falls back from its own undertakings. and fay
contradic's its pretensions In my opinion, II can
find no refuge where The public will not reach 1t
There can be no shelter, while these times last, int
which Government can retreat, and screen itself from
the loud voice Of the country, calling upon to come
forth 10 fulfil its promises, at least now shat these
ptomiees ore all broken, TO perform lis duties. hr
evils Of disordered currency evils which do NJ" ma
tnally correct themselves Nor does chance n
good luck often relieve that community which is snf
fering under them They require political remedy; They
REQUIRE provision ,o he made by Government; they d.
mand The skfui hand Of experienced statesmen. Until
some just remedy be applied they likely TO continue
with less nggnvatnn and no man can tell when
or how they will end 1t il vain, therefore, quite vain
for Government hope that it may retreat from this
great duty shield itself under system. way agree
ing, either with its powers or its obligations, and thus
escape repr@aches by attempting toescape response
bility.
Mr. President. there is fault, and failure, mewhrre
Either the Constitution has failed lis administration
fails The great end of a uniform and satisfactory re
ruaiinn of commerce is not answered. because the Ma
onal currency indispensable in.trumen, OF that
merce 10 not preserved in sound and uniform state
manner.
Is the fault in the Constitution itsef' Those who at
firm that it s must show how it was If that be so, thu
other Administrators IN other tmes have been able "
give the people abundant satisfaction in relation 10 ,h;
currency I suppose il will be said, in answer 10 this
that the Constitution has been violated; that it orr
sinaly mscons,rued; that those who made il, did no
understand il; and that the sage and more enlightened
politicians OF our times deeper md judge just
w. of the Constitution, than Washington and Madison
Certain it u.s. that they have respect for their
sagarity than for all the wisdom IF others, and all TIN
experience of the country else they And themselves
by their party politics, and party commitments, cot OF
from all ability of administering the Constitution accord
ing to former successful practice.
Mr. President, when contemplate the condition o
the country when behold this utter breaking down
the currency this wide spread evil augment among al
the Industrious classes, this acknowledged inability
Government pay it's debts legally, this pros,ration
commerce and manufactures, this shocking dernngo
men, of internal exchange, and the general crash
dir and confidence and when see that three hundred
Representatives of the People are here assembled 1,
consult the public exgency; and that, repudiatiag thu
wisdom Of predecessors and rejecting all the light
Of our own experience nothing sproposed for adop
ton TO meet an emergency of this character but th
bill before Us, confess Sir, the whole scene seems
TO be some strange illusion. eau hardly persuade
Sself that We all in our waking senses II seem
X, dream like some ptunasy of the night, that TN