Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-02-22
WHOLE NO. 41Z.

tend directly and strongly TO that result
Under pretencc, then of design to return
10 currency which shalt be oil specie, we
are likely 10 hive a currency IN which there
shall he no specie Mt nil. Ve are in dangeY
OF being orer,rheinpd Nth irredeemnWs paper
mere paper representing moi gold nor siiperS
30, sir, representing nothing but BRorsr PRO-
N,sEs. BAp rAiTH. BANKRUPT CORPO-
RATlONS, CHEATED CREDITORS, e.
A RUINED PEOpLEw
And now, Sir, we see tho npshot OF tffo-
Experiment. We see around us bankrnpe
corporations, and broken promises but we
see no promises. more really and emphatical-
" broken, than those promises Of the Admin
istration. which gave us measures ot n better
currency. These promises, now broken, no.
toriousy and openly broken,if ,hoy cannot
be performed, onght at least 10 be acknow~
ledgcd. The Government ought not, i'm COM
mon fairness and common honesty. to deny
its own responsibility, seek to escape from
the demands of the People. and to hide itself
ont Of the way. and beyond the reach of the
process Of public opinion, by reueating into
this sub. Treasury System. Let it, at least.
come forth; let it bear part Of honesty and
candor; let i, confess its promises, it it cam
not perform them; and, above all, now, even
now, at this late hour, let it renounce schemes
and projects, the inventions of presnmptionr
and the resorts of desperation, and let it ad~
dress itself, in all good faith, to the great
work of restoring the currency by approved
and constitutional means.
But Sir. so far is any such course from all
probability Of being adopted, so little ground
of hope is there that this sub Treasury system
will be abandoned, that the Hon. member
from New York has contended, and argued.
in his place, that the public opinion ia more
favorable to this measure now proposed, than
to any other which has been suggested. He
claims for it the character of tavorie Wits
the People. He makes out this sub-Tren-
sury plan to be quite high, in popular estlms~
tion. Certainly, Sir, if the Hon. member
thinks so, he and see with different eyes,
hear with different ears, or gather the means
of opinion from very different sources. But
what ia the gcntlemnn's argument? 1t is
this. The two Houses Of Congress, he says.
reflect the wishes and opinions OF the people.
and with the two Houses Of Congress, this
system. he supposes, is more acceptable than
any other.
Now, Sir, with the utmost respect for tho
two Houses of Congress, and all their mem
bers, | must be permitted to express doubt.
and indeed good deal more thnn doubt,
whether, on this subject, and at the present
moment, the two Houses do exactly reflect
the opinions and wishes Of the People.
should not have advcrted 10 the stnte of opin-
ion here, compared with the state OF public
opinion in the country. if the gentleman haG
rot founded an argument, on the suppose6
disposition of the two Houses, and on the
fact, that they truly set forth the public opin-
ion. But since he has brought such an ar
g,ment, it is proper to examine i's founda-
ton.
In a general sense. undoubtedly, Sir, the
members Of the two Houses must be under
stood to represent the sentiments Of their
constituents, the People of'he United States.
Their acts bind them, as their Representa-
tives, and they must be considered, in legal
sense, ns conforming to the will OF their con-
atltuepts. But, owing to the manner OF our
organization, and to the periods and times OF
election, it certainly may happen, that at a
particular moment, and on particular sub
iect, opinion out doors may be one "ny.while
opinion hero is smother. And how Is 1t now.
if we may Judge by the usual indications p
Does the gentleman hope for no vote, IN this
body, for his Bill, but such as shall be, IN his
opinion, in strict accordance with the wishes,
as generally understood, and most recently
expressed, in the State from which that vote
shall come?
shall he exceedingly sorry, Sir. for in
stance, to see a vote from Maine gwen TOT
this Bill. hope may not. But if there
should be such vote, can the gentleman say
that he believes, in his conscience, 1t will ex-
press the wishes of minority of the People
of that State? And 80 of New Jersey. and
one if not more States in the West. ap,
quite sure that gentlemen who may give their
votes, will discharge their duty, according t0
their own enlightened judgments. and they
nre no way accountable to me Tor the manner
in which they discharge IL but when the
honorable member from New York contends
that this Body now accurately represents the
pnblic opinion. on the Sub-Treasury system,
we must look at the facts. And with oil pos
sble respect for the honorable member,
must even take leave to ask him. whether, in
bjs Judgment, he, himself, is truly rejecting
the opinions and wishes of majority Of the
People of New York, while he Is proposing
and supporting this Bill Where does he
find evidence, of the favor OF the People OF
that State, towards this measure? Does hs
find j, in the City? In the Country! In
the recently elected House OF Assembly p
In the recently elected members OF the Sc
nate /? Can he name plsce-csn ne Jay
venue, for the popularity OF this measure, I'D
the whole State Of New YORK! Between
Montauk point and Ca,taraugus,and between
the mountains of Pennsylvania and the north
end of Lake Champsn, can he any where
put his finger on the map and say, here is .
spot where the Sub-Tressury Is popular p
lie may find places, no doubt, though they
are some W hat scarce, where his friends hove
been able to maintain their sscendency, NOT
,oilhstn,ui;pp the unpopulnriiy of the mes
I .,ro but csp he find one place, one spot ~
1 ,pv extent. i'm which this measure Of rclief ~
! the choice, the fayorte, Of majority OF the
! Peope'