Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1839-01-12
FULroS, Nov. 70, 1898.


GesrlEMES:--Want OF time, and the general
rule which have followed with respect TO public
dinners, viii prevent me from having the pleasure
Of accounting the invitation with which have been
honored by YOU on the part Of the Democratic citi
Gems OF Galloway county am glad TO see my lel-
ow-ctzens generally, and travel slowly, stopping
at intervals for that purpose. shall remain IN this
place until Tuesday,and shall be happy Ia exchange
sautauons and to make the personal acquaintance
Of all who shall give me an opportunity OF dong 50.
For your kind invitation am duly thankful and
grateful; but il does not come within my general
rule Of action to accept any public honor or 10 meet
INV fellow citizens in any formal or pubic way
wish 10 see the citizens generally without form or
ceremony, aud at any hour during my stay which ~
convenient To themselves and hope IN tins man
ner to see as many, and TO meet them as commo-
dousy, and agreeaby, as could be done III public
assemblagc | had the honor to explain MYSELF on
this point 10 the members of the committee Who
prosecuted the invitation, and dater myself that the
mode Of Intercourse which propose will be genor
any understood by the citizens, and prove Rceepta
Bile to them.
have great pleasure, III travelling through the
State in witnessing the universal prosperity which
pervados the land, and contrasting II with the pre-
dictons Of ruin with which my ears have been stun
ned for several years in Congress. Our crops of
every kind are. the most abundant ever known, and
that il blessing for which we are indebted To
bountiIu providence aud TO the industry Of the agr
cultural and lahorng classes. We have the best
prices ever known for produce, property and labor;
and that is blessing lol which we are indebted 10
the overthrow of the monopoly Of the Bank OF the
United States, TO tho increase Of gold and silver
among MS, and 10 the general policy Of The admins
trations of General jackson and Dir. Van Buren,.
We have hard money for every body, so that every
citizen that pIenSes can get "the better currency
the same nc an "ofiee holder; and for this we are
indebted To the hrmness Of the Democracy, which
would not Weld TO Federal fury, and to the integrity
Of the New York banks, which would neither be
begged nor bullied by cotton bag-etters' into an
indefinite prolongatono Of The suspension
A few wears ago, and especially when we had
national hank and Federal administration, the price
OF produce labor and property was only about the
one third or the one half OF what Il now IS and
farming was then considered the poorest basness
which could be loluwcd and New Orleans the
meanest market that could be found. Now all tins
Il reversed. Prices are now the best ever known
farming is the best business which man can lnlow.
and New Orleans is among the best markets in the
Union The main cause Of all this depression for
merly was in the conduct of the Bank OF the United
States in collecting and carrying oil specie, IN ac-
climuatinR hills Of exchange upon New Orleans,
and in making vast loans 10 few monopolzIng Ia
yortes, who could then knock down prices as low
MS they pleased. The specie which has been col
lecled and carried from the south and west, IN the
short space Of ten years previous To 1881 amounted
10 above forfy-hro millions of dollars, "a full pro-
portion OF il from Missouri0 drain Of the pre-
cious metals sufficient OF itself TO destroy Nil prices,
TO derangc all dealings, TO paralyze all industry,
and cripple all local banks These were the causes
OF the depression some years ago The main cause
Of our present prosperity is in the increase of our
specie che breaking down OF the monopoly OF the
Bank Of the United States, and IN releasing New
-. .,ff ha hran ~ tI,.t
place. The specie in the Union has been increased
in six years from twenty millions to one hundred
4nlliuns Of dolarS--an Increase which is OF tse
sufficient To raise prices, TO restore dealings To inVg
crate industry, aud 10 enable all solvent banks IL
nav specie for their notes.
NV residence in st. Louis, where there was a
branch of the United States Bank, and my travels
in other parts, and especially in New Orleans
where there was another, enabled me to observe
tho workings Of that institution, and to see that 50
far as business was concerned, il was nothing but
collector and exporter Of specie, and a iavorer o.
monopoIizets, Hsurers, aud politicians; and that, 81
far as politics was concerned, Il was nothing but !
Federa machine, working necessarily 10 elevai,
Federalism and to depress Democracy; and seeing
all this was one OF tho foremost 10 take my stanC
among those who were ''uncompromtStngfy opposed
10 the renewal Of its charter
The prosperity which now gladdcns the land tool
lis commencement, and has been in a regular course
Of increase, from the time that we first broke III,
power Of the tank at the veto session OF 1882
with the exception Of transient interruptions from
the panics:) and II will be permanent il the bank
and its coniederates will let il alone But they vii
not let il sione. They will NOT let prosperity contn-
ne, because that prosperity fatal to them The
Federal party, with all its forty names, has never
been able to live upon any thing but public distress
Public prosperity kills them, and this they know
Public caIamiiies revive them and therefore, vi
see the same iBSolyent ezultaton IN al ller leader
over every species Of national misfortune, whethe