Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1839-03-07
General Assembly Of Virginia


| I'm. Rires 10 tie Senate Of the u S.-dsIircrcd an
The Senate ct Yirginia on the lGM Of FeL lo:9.
! Rr. ANDERSON said, he had ialtfred himself that
the prolracted and elaborate discussion in the other
House would have relieved the Senate from the necessity
Of continuing it that the abuse which had been
poured on Mr. Rlvrs would have saaIed the most un
releuting Of his enemies: and that no Democratic lie.
publican al least would have felt his duty 10 renew tie
attack here After having heard The most bitter denun
cia,ions by distinguished Wings against him, for the very
able and efficient support which lie gave to The leading
M osures Of The late Administration, Qhe success OF
which, the whole Republican party believed 10 be essen
al 10 the best interests of the country he was not lit
lie surprise and mortified TO nf the champions
O; Democracy here join in The cry against him lie
had hoped that The remembrance OF Mr. Rives former
distinguished services in support Of Republican and
measures his many hard fought battles aud glorious VIC
torres in defence of them, and his moral virtues and Il
publican principles would have stayed The hand and 81
fenced The tongue of every Republican at least although
he might feel ii his painful dnty to vote against him
lie was not surprised hear the beGest vuperallon
hraped upon him by the Wings, for they had felt his
blows and could well appreciate their force, and tie
highest compliment which they could pay him, is (al
time when they suppose he Is dead pnlillcaly) To sui
level A, his naked bosom their enycnomed shafts -
There is danger tina, the dead Lion may come 10 life
again He must however, be permitted to say, that
coarse persona abuse OF political opponent was UNIV Of
tn statesman, and unbeconing the character Of plr
GINA gentleman. The gentleman from Cnipeper, (hr
SmilhO had charged Mr.. Ryes with inconsistency and
dsseron of the principles on which he had been elect
ed 10 the u S Senate He relied alone on paragraph
which he had read from speech delivered by HIM IN
the u S. Senate in January, 1884, upon the removal If
the deposes in support OF This charge: -
This single PHI all that can be found in all oi
the writings and numerous speeches vi Mr. RVes, to
support charge OF inconsistency and chan5c
of PRINCIPLES and III order to give 1t The least appeal
anCe of sustaining he charge 1t necessary 10 tear II
from he context The charge 49, that MIR KIvfs was IN
! January l-I4 IN favor Of the u s. Government col
Letting lis revenue gold and silver and that lie then
pledged himself to bring forward and support he Sub
| Treasury system Now for The proof Inc only Pfcoi
offered by The ge eman from tul percr, was The follow
ing paragraph taken from tie speech OF MIR kives be-
fore alluded to: Sir Of all the reioms social, PUiilI
CAL o. economical required by the great interests Of The
country that which IS most urgently demanded, and
which, promises in its hmcnt the largest re-
suits Of utility security, and public benefit IS beyond
COMPARISONS the restoration oi the Government, 10 what
il vas intended by the trainers VI the Constitution 10 be-
! u hard monfY Government. We are too much IN The
habit Mr. President, Of regarding The crhS o The paper
system as necessary and tncuraHc, and OF beng con
ts ut Nth the Gcu>ye paatiun oil those evils, supposed
to he derived from The controlling supremacy oil Va
tonal Bank. Nothing IN my orln'on is more oehons'fa
hlr than that The great evil "l that system lis TunouS
fluctuations arising from alternate expansions and con-
fractions Of bank issues, making lottery III elect oil
private fortunes and converting all prospective contracts
and transactions into n species OF gaWbhg-no'hIhE
can be certain than that these fluctuations nd we
have striking proof OF il in The present dIscSses oil
the country are increased instead al being diminished
by the existence Of an institution OF such absolute as
ccndancy that when it expands The State Banks expand
with it, when II contracts those banks are 'o'ceu, III
sell defence contract also Whatever influences such
an institution may be supposed 10 exert III preserving
the sounduess OF the currency, That obIec! would he
much eficc'nay promoted by return as j0r as
practicable metallic circulation. TIL first step to-.
! wards that return is 10 let The Bank OF the u. ) 60
dawn. It's being withdrawn the convenience oil
travelling alone, would mms diaiey cTeaica demand Tor
rod coins substitute, and enforce the Necessity Z"
correcting that under valuation OF them at the uIInt
which is said have contributed 10 their disappearance
In concurrence with thus let measures he iakrn ms II rs
believed eft ctua measures may br taken 10 discourage
End SUPPRESS the circulation Of bank notes under GER
tain denomination, ten or twenty dOiars) OF which The
effect would be to produce another accession TO The me
! laIIc circulating medium The ordinary channels Ut
circulation being thus supplied with gold and silver The
Government would be prepared. without hrdShP TO The
public creditor, 10 require payment OF lis dues IN spe
Gle; and thus realise REFORM than which more could
be more deeply interesting, in every aspect 10 the safety
md prosperity of the country Sir, this Is the whole
of the evidence produced against Mr. Rvcs, support
Of the charge of inconsistency. Let US now anayze It,
and see what amounts to: Mr.. Rres advocates the
restoration of the Government 10 what it intended
BY the trainers Of the Constitution 10 be, haTd money
Government, and contends that the Ma ional Bank
does not preserve the soundness OF the currency, bui
TINT il would be much eiteclua!iy promoted by
return as lar as practicable, 10 metallic circulation.
"A. does suggest the Utopan scheme OF dispensing
with banks altogether or OF putting them down great
! nd
nc nded but he admits that rAcusre metallic clICu
,,iou is alonelher ;mpaccnble. ii, nee hr used the
term hard money Government IN limited sense; such
a Government, for instance Us would furnish ha'G
money or metallic circulation ior all common or ord"a
~ purposfs The correctness of this intrrpfetali0n is
c,n,ai.v sustained By the mode which he proposes Cor
rr,LncnG this reform The first step is To lee The Bank
Of the 5 20 down. Cd. Raise the standard value al
cold 70 as to prevent 1t from beng exported; ana 81
Adm, such measures will et"ciuay discourage and
su,,rees the circulation of State Bank notes under
| certain denomination Qrn Ur twenty d"IlaTs) which
would necessarily greatly increase the metallic cIrcuia
linn nv introducing into circulation gold aud silver IN
tho MACE of the bank under twenty dollars when
| tho Government would be prepared without hard.
shin IN The public creditor require payment OF It's DUES
in spece Mr.. Rives does not say that 1t would be r."
ner or necessary for the Government to demand lis dues
n snecie when all of the Bank notes under twenty dot
lars shall have been Withdrawn from circulation and gold
and silver shall be introduced IN their piacche says
Iha, the Government, would then be prepared to do il
THAT is if il should be then thought wise and eIpedeni
the Government having by system OF legislation with
dawn ar driven from circulation all Bank under
twenty dollars and introduced gold and silver in their
stead having thereby furnished the people with the
of ing their taxes IN gold ana svsr "oun De
prepared to demand it Of them in specie without any
| a,dsEip upon them 1t might be contendcd from the
conclusion Of the paragraph that MI kVes was IN favor
Of collecting the revenue IN specie when Inc reform
which he proposed should he accomplished out II Will
he ascertsned upon a critical examination OF 1t, that The
reform of which he here speaks refers to the u Bank
going dow the raising of the standard value cams
and the driving from circulation all Stale Bank notes
under twenty dollars and he intended alter this great
reform should have been accomplished 10 recommend
tho crlrctru of The evenuc specie (Which cannot he
inferred from fair InlePretaon he cannot be required
in order TO he consistent to support system ior the col
lection Of the revenue gold and silver before Tins re-
form, has been commenced IN lhe STATE BANKS;
when instead of all OF their notes unoer twenty dollars
being Withdrawn from circulation, there are millions IN
circulation under FIVE dollars 10 the exclusion OF gold and
silver The difference between Mr.. T. sand Mr. " bn.
rem system for collecting the HoVeInmcnt
IN specie this the former, by wise system OF gs-
ation proposed furnish the people with gold and sill
yer in place Of bank notes 10 pay their lakes before they
should be required TO pay them in specie whilst The lat
proposes TO have the revenue corrected IN goa ana
! l.a..n Ln ll.l:l