The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-10-01

admoDish and warn us, in peace 20 prepdr'
! Tor war and the very fact that we are rea
dy aud prepared, may save US from many
) bloody wars. Money is The sinel0s Of trar
and you can no moro defend the liberties o
the republic without money, than you CO,
without men and the munitions OF var. 1
IS the duty Of the Government 10 be Away.
ready for any event or conflict. Ii our coun
try were again engaged IN belligeren
contest with some powerful foreign foe
where would the President and the adyo,
Gates Of this measure iind the necessary
ways and means to defend the nation with
hard money alone Would they tell our
gallant officers ard soldiers, you must moi
dgh, and defend tho country, unless you
get hard money aud that it is uaconsiltG
toHdl TO receive any kind OF paper curren,
cy Or, would they tell the people, the
constitution is made Of India rubber, and
that II IS Unconstitutional to take paper cur.
rency 10 time Of peace, bQ. that Il is con
siiu'lonal IN time al waf Suppose our
fathers in The revolution, and IN the last
war, had refused 10 ti.hi the battles uf lib
er'y until and unless iiey were paid IN si
Yer dollars and gold CON; then the Ameri.
eau eagle ncver would, nor could, have con.
quered the British lion, and this free coun
( try would yet have remained colonies de-
pendant on Cd England. Suppose, during
The first or last war, some paper hatlng aud
hard money loving s'u'eSlGG0 had seriously
proposed TO Congress 10 conduct and carry
on tie war BY tue use aud medium of specie
only: how many advocates would he have
nund' None, N the republican ranks
Sdch man would nave been marked and
SCI down as the enemy Of liberty, @ho vas
plotting treason against bls repubIlc.-
Such nan would not have beca called
whig because II vas impossible to collect
from the people specie enough to pay the
army and navy aud civil list. The Gdup
lion Of such a pullcy would substantially
and virtually have struck our flag, and SUI.
rendered our country, 10 the government Ct
p king. lnihe days that iIied mems souls,
The question was, w,l you base liberty and
credit, or tyrunuy ard no credit When
a great question u liberty was involved, our
lofty patrIuts did nol Stop 10 count the cost,
OF to weigh dollars ard cents in golden
scales. No, indeed. Ii they had stopped
lighting when the hard money gave out, aud
had moi been permitted 10 use credit, for.
cign tyfaat's boots would eyennow be walk
ug rough shod over the nights Of tfcemen.
Let Us again return TO facts and figures,
and ascertain the peoples portion of the
specie currency, sad see how II will affect
and operate upou the business, trade, and 10.
dgstry Of he country. A!ier :ho payment
Of the public taxes, and annual demands of
the Gcncyal Government, ia time Of peace,
mind you sc saved and retained, out d
eighty millions, three dollars in Silrer or
specie TO each individual in the United
States. Does any reasonable man, not
blinded by party prejudice, seriously believe
three dollars, aud no more, will transact the
business o.. aay individual Win civilized
lreemen be conten. and satisfied With that
small sam Of money | answer for my
constituents aud myself, no, never. /; vii
not boy food, or clothing, icr oue person
4 XII net erta pay ta-rcS. Ii will afford
no money 10 sustain and facilitate trade and
commerce. VI here are VIC 10 procure funds
TO purchase the nccessaries and comforts OF
lile, such as salt, iron, sugar, coffee and
many other articles How is the capital
ard currency 10 be obtained, to purchase
The cotton Of the planter, the gram Of the
farmer, the wares OF the manufacturer, and
the goods of the merchant! Sir, am op
posed 10 retrogradlng and returning back TO
SEM savage state Of soctty, living on
black broth, wearing rude and und-essed
skins, aud using metal money as the only
currency. Such notions are too antique,
too ante dluyian, too far behind the i'm.
provements Of the age. We want more
currency our share Of forty five millions is
too small and our share Of eighty millions,
without giving dollar TO support Govern.
.meu,, IS still TOO hitle; far less than the
necessary wants aud Just business Of Hgri
culture, manufactures, and commerce 70.
uuire and demand. Touhom shall he peo
pie loof, IL they do not look to Government,
for good currency? In every civilized
country, it is the duty and high prerogative
Of Government to FIX the standard value OF
money, and to control and regulate the cur
reucy. Two of the great objects Tor which
Government was instituted are, 10 furnish
uniform sound currency to the people 10
tho transaction Of their lawful business, and
10 prevent imposition and speculation by the
circulation Of deprecated currency. We
have tried 10 introduce gold and silver into
more general circulation; still there is
great scarcity, and not enough 10 answer
the purposes OF the Government and the peo.
pie. Now, what is 10 be done will
not wage war against wise Providence,
because the precious metals ore SO scarce
aud hard to find, and because we cannot Gil
the pockets Of every body with gold and
SILVER.
Mr.. Speaker, | hold these propositions
that Government is trust TO be admins.
tered, aud not a property to be enjoyed; tina,
tho trustees are IN duty bound TO administer
i, for the general benefit of the many, and