Madison Whig advocate. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1839-1841, 1839-10-26
suh-Treasury and the American Revo-
uiinn.


luton.
The Wiligsof the present day arc nc
the only Whjgs whose chief characteristic
consists in their opposition to sub-treasur,
schemes with sthe specie clause" TIL
Wings of 1776 were, also, opposed t
the scheme when it was endeavored t
be forced upon them by the selfish ty
ranny of the British Government. w,
will not exact from our readers the be
lief of this fact upon our unsupportes
assertion. 1t stands recorded upon tho
faithful page of history, and, therefore
challenges successful contradiction. II
the ..History of the War of the Iude
pendence OF the United States of Anne RI
ca, by Charles Botta,' Vol. 1, PIP. 35 and
Sc, we find the '.sPecie clause enume
rated as one of the causes of that war
The American Colonies had for consi-
derablc time carried on commerce with
the West Indies. "This commerce pro-
cured for the Americans an abundance
of these metals, (gold and silver,) and
enabled them 10 make ample purchases
of English merchandise; and furnished
their own country, at the same time,
with a sufficient quantity Of gold and
silver coin" The pernicious policy of
the British Government resulted in the
destruction of this commerce, ssto the
great prejudice, not only of the Colonies
upon the continent, but even of the Eng
lish Islands themselves, and particularly
of jamaica
''But" says that eminent historian,
.'the English Government did not stop
here; as if not satisfied with having en-
cited the discomfort Of the Colonists, it
desired, also, TO urge them TO desperation.
In the month Of March, 1854, the Par
lament passed regulation, by which.
If on the one hand traffic was permitted
between the American Colonies and the
French Islands of the West Indies, and
others appertaining to other European
powers; on the other, such enormous du-
ties were imposed on merchandise i'm
ported from the latter, as to create, as
usual, an almost universal contraband,
IN every article, with immense disad-
vantage to the commerce itself, and
equal prejudice to mercantile habits and
Probity. TO croscn SO great an eril, il
was ordered, by the same bill, that the
sums proceeding from these duties
should be paid in SPECIE, into the treasu-
ry of England. The execution Of this
ordinance must have completely drained
the Colonies of the little money they
had remaining, to be transported to Eu-
rope.n
1t was contended by the friends of this
financial experiment." that the specie
must infalIibiy flow back into the Co
lonics.n But they were asked, ss,chy
cause this treasure TO frdrel with no little
ris1 and expense from America to Eng
land. and thence back to the place from
whence II came; thus imposing the ne
ccssiiy Of passing through so many and
50 different handsl Perhaps, they said,
IN order that it might have the honor of
visiting the British Erchequer--or as
Mr.. Van Buren, would say, the "Lnde-
pendent Treasury
Are there any-any dear lovers of
modern democracy, SO blind as not to
perceive the striking similarity between
the pernicious, anti~comme rcial policy OIL
the British Government and the Waig
resistance thereto, of 1864, and the like
policy and like resistance of the Wings
of the present dayi If so, | envy not
their stupidity The administrations oil
Gen. jackson and Mr.. Van Buren,. their
friends will have it, are one and the
same in policy, the object of the latter
being TO "carry out the measures Of the |
former. Let US revert, then, for mo-
mens to their policy and soc whether we
are borne our in the comparison.
When the people Of the United States
elevated Gen. Jackson to the Presidency
TO "ciennse he Augcan s,ablen which |
they were told had become filthy, and
the Cove rnnant from the abuses and
corruptioDs which they were persuaded
were enormous, he commenced his poIicyl
b. telling the people their currency, the