Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-06-28
LETTER NO Z.
TO Martin Van buren,,
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED Stairs,

1
Sir-Tho 6scai instrument that had wo<k-
cd for nearly twonty years, without Percsp- :
tible jar distributing over the country 'ts en-
riching benefits, was oow rendered powevlesa
The great monetary system which had 80
nobly sustained for the same period, was eve-
ry where felt to DO going to pieces, and every
where were 10 be seen ruined foftnnes~ Mo~
ken up familes, and broken hearts! In tho
mids; Of all this was audible, every wherea
the voice Of that foul -mnulhcd organ, the
Globe, breathing forth among the peaple
assurances that all was wel Every false
hood was ornamentcd with label, on which
WIS tho inscription, in substance, "All's true
that our Globe asserts" signed "Andrew
Jackson" This induccrsnt was powerful
among the agricnliurists, (fr the reasons l
stated in my last among The ignorant, ani
The carrupt-hut those who bconged Ia tlie
intelligent commercial, business, and lahoFs
ing classes, contemplated this gross sttesRPs
at deception with the contempt u B'erIted.-
Ii required something more potent than ina
certificate of Andrew Jackson, 10 sustain tho
sinking fortunes Of the thousands who were
daily falling victims to this policy. Men, s'r.
who feel the scorching effects OF hra, arc nok
apt TO listen to the assurance that the teesins
is only imaginary. With oil such, the de-
laration--"Thcre is no pressure which any
honest man may regrct'-and that other no
less insulting scptirsent Of your "illustrahs
predecessor" that "all who trade on borrow
ed capital ought to break," "and that other IL
hellious and vcious assertion, that ut thore
is pressure, The Bank makes ir-l soy, sh
such declarations and sentiments like theses
were heard and treated by the intelligent and
I, virtuous with suitable scorn. But, sir, con-
temp.ihle as they were, they afforded you
q shelter. You shrunk under thcse worss
than raven wings, and rested Tor Pro~c-
ton under their overshadowing iaH"oneos.
! The Globe, on the one hand, aud Andrew
jackson on the other, were oil you regarded
az worthy Of your grateful homage. There
was net an intelligent eye in the nation, sr.
,hu, did not see in you the master spirit ofali
this mischief, and that did not bchosa you
croucAing for protection beneath the shelter
of these two protectors. The wonder was.
aud vet is, tina, SO much suffering was, end
continues TO be, borno with so much patience.
In any other country, sir, md among any
other people,--to the honor Of the American
name let il be spoken,b your head, and the
heads of your associates in your work OF op.
preston. would have heep brought to tho
block. You owe your security, wholly ta
your being the President Of people who
prefer TO suffer rather than, by lawless vio-
'ience, stain their hands with blood, even tho
it be with the blood Of their oppressor. Thu
glory Of the American character 10 TO ba seen
: in tho respect Of tho citizens for tue laws.
: and in G.c constitutional mode Of getting rid
/ of ,yranis. And you will find, sir, that spir-
! il rs pure and as brilliant as that wh.ch AZ
! ,radinted Charlsstown, and made bunkers
,, Hul immortal, and crowned other places
with glory, will consign you to that lafa-
nous Z" niche that you wsro ordained ta
fill"
I You were foisted into the Presidency nmid
! the jars and cmbarrassmen,s that were tha
natural result Of the pet bank system. Your
agency in producing this disastrous state ct
things had been by many overlooked. All
such cherished the hope that upon your &C.
cession to the Presidential cilnir, you would
pursue course Of policy that would promote
the general welfare, and rescue your nasnt,
aud fame from the disgrace which would
otherwise attach to both. You were looked
10, sir, by oil such persons, Tor rehei !or the
present, and a guarantee that Tor the future.
| or as far as that future might embrace your
| Executive existencs, there should be no moro
such ayonizing spasn,s felt by tho people,
Those who thus hoped knew very hute Of
your charactcr-and they have the proofs ia
! their own continued sufferings that their
| hopes were misplaced. They now ace, str,
| at YOU entertain most thorough contempt
fur all interests except your own, and those
| of the party that sustains and upholds you.-'
| You had marked out the map of your deslgps.
! II was simple, but powerful. Your "ilfvstri-
ous predece essor" had announced that when
the Executive shoulL invade Congress With
his fayors by appointing members to Office.
corruption would be the order Of the 0ay."
There was no man living who felt mora
thoroughly the truth OF this declaration than
Yourself, And this, sir, allow me to say. was
the lever BY which he (undcr your guidsncel
lifted aside the financial system 90 devised
by Washington, and Hamilton, and aRcgwsrd
adopted BY Madison, and tumbled our pros
perity into one common rnn. And hetc, sus
lies the secret Of your eillustrous pFedsces-
sor's" popularity. Ii was this that, ~ tho
Congress and out Of il, made him immcvahie,
II was not his virtues, nar h" WISDOM
such as made Washington popular, Xaa
knew. sir, where tho fsrruginous masses were
and YOU knew how to make tho lightning play
into them. No matter what the policy was
TIM, was to be sustained, il was only required
10 unfurl the flag in the Congress, and out
of il. having on il the motto--"I reward my
friends" and the policy was sustalned-when
instantly il was put down to tho 'Npprop'na
roice Of the people !"
! We'll, sir, the famous, should rathsr say
infamous especic circular" was the devised
instrument To effect a separation between
the government and the banks. Nosh"g
was more certain than its effrcts-nof even
the destruction by the worms OF our Sousuetn
waters, Of our ncblest ships, ~ exposed 10
their ravapcs. The consequence was. ms'
under its influences the banks we're eomper
led to suspend specie payments or coso~",
| The same u!,crns,ive that those yoras.oas
worms offer, even TO the most mng".uccw
shio~escape TO the dry dock, or sink sF.
| / csnno, contemplate this cold -blooded de-
v;cc " ;,Lout a shudder! You had csioicd
these deposits banks into your power. They
were made 10 believe that they were, ,u-
decd. the pets of "fhe government y and that
: while cloud after cloud was rn'sed, and char,
gcd with the hcrcest fires, and commissioned
70 bear the heaviest thunder for the utter rn-
IL of the Bank Of the United States, and us
off GERS, they should be securc, and rest ~
snfo,y-or, if q Cash should IMPURE any of