The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1838-10-31
From The Peuglkespsie Journal.


THE SPECIE Clause or TINE Sun Treasury BnL,-
Never was parry driven 10 such miserable shifls
and expedienls az he one now sustained by Mr.. Van
Buren, In the hopes Of gaining votes and maintain
ing the asceDdaDey. Their motto seems 10 be that
Of the Jesuits--Me end saRetifss The means. With
one or exceptions, the Loco-fo papers seek 10
eyade and cover up The points in controversy TO keep
the people ignorant Of the designs and purposes Of
the adIninisration-to conceal its principles until
AFTER the election; and In no instance Is This dupciy
and unfairness 10 be more distinctly traced than
In the manner In which The Sub treasury project
Is treated by them We have met with many indi-
viduals, now supporting The party" who have
assured US, with apparent honesty, that the Sub
treasury bill did not contemplate the exaction Of
specie-that the payment of the government dues In
coin was aop no part Of Mr. Van Buren's project,
and that the Independent Treasury would be matter
(if authorized by Congress) Of useful economy,
simplifying the action Of the government and max
ing It more democrac!!! his kind OF stuff Is
supposed by many TO have its origin In truth and
reason, simply because they in the columns Of
every Locofoco journal in the land-asserIion pass
rs for argument, and alsehood for truth merely for
the want of little investigation. Mr.. Van Ruren
contemplated the collections Of the revenue in specie
In his recommendation Of the "expedienl" as APP
pears from the following language:
ITO say that the refusal Of paper money by the
government introduces unjust discrimination be-
tween the currency used by il, and that used by ind
viduss in their ordinary affairs, IN my Judgment 10
view matters in a very erroneous light The Consu-
ton prohibits the States from making any thing but gold
and silver tender in the payment Of debts; and thus
secures to every citizen the right TO demand payment
in the legal currency To provide by law that the go
vernmenl will only receive its dues in gold and silver,
is not to confer any peculiar advantage but merely
to place on equality with the citizens, by reserying
TO it right secured to him by the Constitution"
Mr.. Wrights BILL introduced by him into the Sc
nate and drawn under Mr. Van Burens eve, and by
direction Of himself, Mr. Calhoun, Mr. Benton, and
Mr. Gouge, as lobby members, has the following pro-
vision:
Section 81. And be IL further enacted That from
and after the hirty-fr day Of December which will be
in the year thousand eight hundred and forty three
every officer agent engaged in making disbursements
on account Of the United States Of the General Post
Office, shall make all payments in gold and silver coin
only or in such notes bills or papers, issued under the
authority Of the United States, may be directed to be
received by law and any receiving dsbursng officer,
or agent who shall neglect eyade, or violate the pro-
visions Of this and the last preceding section Of this
act shall forfeit oil compensation then due to him."
This clause was stricken out in the Senate when
Mr.. Calhoun voted against IT, aedging that the life
and essence Of the bill was gone, and its passage
would be mere farce without the specie clause
This bill was sent to the House of Representatives,
and was permitted 10 die by ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT
Mr.. Cambreleng bringing up new bill with
clause similar TO the above in all its essential iea
lures. ..t.:
Does all this look like an abandonment of the
specie project the hard money sysema No! il has
been abandons by the administration It is the
point upon which they resolved TO sink or swim
the question now TO be tried by the country and
accords precisely with their other principles Of
agrarianisn, Fanny Wrghiism anti-credH, anti.
bank, anl-sma bilism, and all other disgraceful
isms Of which Mr.. Van Buren, seems so anxious TO
assume the paternity. Let man be deluded or
deceived In this matter. Hard money--a metallic
eurrency-is darling measure of the party, as
means to effect the destruction Of the State Banks,
AND SUB Treasury GOVERNMENT BANK, the grand
end and accomplishment so devouily and desperate
ly sought Having laid violent hands upon the peo-
pies moneys wihout lae the party hope TO sanction
their assumption By lar, and secure an immunity for
the future through gained by The treachery Of
the past. Lett every honest man "pause and ponder"
before he assists in the infection of fatal stab 10
the prosperity honor, and safety Of his country. If
from any mistaken attachments TO party, men aban-,
don, and authorize the abandonment by their ser
wants OF principle, and led by to sustain the
they abhor then will this last, brightest
expertm' mt Of a free government, based upon popu
lar intelligence and virtue, have proved indeed but
the baseless fabric of a vision !"
Gorerno, Pennington.-The following sound and
valuable extracts from the message of The Governor
of New Jersey should be generally circulated and