Litchfield enquirer., 1838-02-22
ADDR ESS.
TO THE ELECTORS OF CONNECTICUT

TO THE ELECTORS OF CONNECTICUT.
Fellow CrI2ENs-The moment is at hand when
you will again be called upon exercise the inesti.
mable privilege offreemen-THE ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
Upon the due exercise Of this right by the People Of
this country great and paramount interests now de.
pend.
In other nations, when rulers forget the obligations
which they are under to the community when they
contemn public sentiment, and trumple under foot the
rights Of the People; when remorseless oppression
stalks FORTH and brushes to the earth nnumerable vic
tins; when the great purposes for which governments
are constituted and men enter into society are disre-
garded, and institutions which are intended TO pro-
mote the happiness Of mankind, are perverted by
wicked men for base ends and, in short, when a
whole nation, happy and prosperous, finds itself
without adequate reason plunged into abyss of
calamity and wrhing under intoerable evils, the only
remedy to which the aggrieved resort is the right
of revolution-they must appeal to the sword, and
break the rod of the oppressor by actual force.
But, happily, in this country our free institutions
possess renovating principle, and can obtain
dress for the most fragrant grievances through the
dunn of THE BALLOT 1t lis believed that the peri
cd has arrived when the People Of this country should
peal of freemen when language Of indignant remon-
STRANGE should reverberate from the polls, and when
public sentiment should be concentrated and brought
to bear upon the authors Of our msfortunes till it shall
overwhelm them as with an avalanche.
We ask the upright and well informed citizens Of
Connecticut to look at the contrast between the past
and the present-between the aspect of things few
years since, and the existing posture Of affairs,
whether public or private. Then the People were
universally prosperous and happy; our commerce
whtened every sea the busy hum Of industry was
heard in our manufactures and workshops; and the
husbandlnan obtained ample reward tor his tolls
But now, have before us PROSTATE and bleeding
nation blow has been given which has shaken So
ciety to its center-enerprze has been arrestedin-
dustry has been -parazed-poyerty has obtruded it.
self into the dwellings Of the rich, and Unsuitable
has fastened it's relentless hands on the poor. cur
rency, which among the best on earth, has been
destroyed the nation has been bankrupted, & we wit
the sad specacle OH whole people Who equally
gfrghted ,nhether they contemplate the PRESENT OR THE
FUTURE. How has this surprising change occurred
Why are our ships chained to the wharves-why are
our manufactures under the lock- and the implements
Of our artisans covered with gnobe dust?
The be conaprehended IN ONE WORD, arkich
should stand forth in the history ofhis country as
BEACON to future generations against sntrusting
the destnies Of great nation UNFArrHFuI HANDs-rT
IS THE DrREFUL WORD EXPERIMENT..
In an unguarded moment gallant soldier, to whom
the People Of this country had conded their interests
permitted few unpnncipled men gain his ear, and
he commenced through their influence series of ex-
perments on the currency, which it is to be feared
will infict deplorable evils on more than one genera
tion He was induced to tear the main spring from
the watch, to remove the balance wheel from the en-.
CINE, and to overturn an institution which was created
by WASHINGTON. and was afterwards recreated by
MADISON, and which for forty years was every where
present, facilitating the financial operations of the 60
vernment REFRESHING excessive issues by the local
banks. regulating The exchanges, maintaining the
equilibrium Of the currency, giving to property stabi-
ty to enterprise adequate scope, and to all branches
Of industry sure return.
The first experiment having been consummated,
the same distinguished individual entered upon
second He organized chain of State institutions,
and attempted clothe them at least in part with the
attributes Of National Bank. BY peremptory
mandate he removed the public monies from their e-
gal depository and conferred the custody and disburse-
ment Of such monies on the selected institutions. He
confidently and repeatedly predicted that this arrange
ment would ensure to the country all the blessings
which we had derived from U. s. Bank. As the
experiment progressed he awaited himself of every op
portunity to sound its praises and as he retired from
the chair OF State. be congratulated himself and the
public on the success Of his stumble endeavors" to
give the nation " better currency" While this ex.
pertinent was pending. the surplus revenue in the
hands of the deposit banks greatly Augmented
These institutions required to discount freely on
that surplus TO render the experiment more accepta.
bic TO the People The State Legislatures (most of
which were under the control Of the friends Of the ad
ministraton) created multitude of local institutions
and bank capital as well the issues Of banks were
enormously increased. The currency became dam
gerousy inflated BY its deterioration, every species
Of property suddenly rose and scenes of wild specua-
ton ensued that are without parallel in this or any
other country. The spirit Of adventure infected oil
orders Of society induced men to enter into rash and
impraccable engagements; created deusive appear
ances Of wealth, and engendered habits Of prodgality
and extravaganza.
In the very midst Of this experiment. the late Exec
utve entered upon third. He undertook to make
war upon the immutable laws Of trade. He issued
his famous specie circular, directing that nothing but
the precious metals should be received in payment for
the public lands. He seemed to think that it was de-
srabe that the gold and silver Of the country should,
IKE the children Israel be banished from the haunts
OF men into the wilderness. Il removed from the
seaooard' where it was wanted, into the interior,
where 1t was not wanted, and where it was wholly
useless even to the surrounding population. This was
too much ior system That was already tottering to
rum. The silver cord Was loossd. and the pitcher