Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-10-13
S p E E G. II
COL. BENZ. FANEUIL HUNT,

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA,
Delivered Mt the request of the Democratic
Republican General Committee, Mt the
Mass Meeting OF the Mechanics and Work.
ing Men Of Kew York, In reply to the Doc
trines of Daniel Webster, ON the Currency
and n Ma! Ion al Bank.
FELLOW CtrIzENs:-
trust that in addressing an audience 10 which
am personally stranger, shall not be thought TO
intrude apoa your patience am your felow-citi
zen, equally Interested with you IN the great aud
eventfui contest which now agitates this whole
country, and shall conf.:s my remarks to those
topics in which we have a common int rest. 10
address o vast q multitude of free American citi.
zens, assembled to deliberate the most mo-
men,ous question which has agiated this republic,
is an honor which duly appreciate. The time has
arrived when the people OF these United States are
to decide the vital question, whether the govern
ment is to be administered by the democracy which
framed it, or the arisiocracy which has uniformly
opposed it. The democratic character Of the con-
stitutOn OF the United States, the strict enumera
ton Of what powers the people Of the several states
satisfied to conide in the general government,
the cautious reservation OF all power not granted to
the Estates to or the people. THE popular
toue given to the electors Of the chief magistrate,
all emanated from the democracy that had struggled
through toll and blood to shake OF the trammels of
a transatlantic monarchy, and erect on these west
ern shores proud democracy, based upon the eter-
nal truth that the people possessed the ability Tor
selfgovernment, and that equality OF right would
always enable honest industry to reap sure reward
The United States government WAS established
chiefly to cheek the abuses of an rreGeemabe paper
currency, and to establish general power, capable
Of uniting the strength and resources of the whole
Unisn, TO peace at home to list aggression
from abroad, and to manage those general matters
which equally affected all the states-carefuly re-
serving all internal concerns TO the states and the
people OF the states believing tht the least control
over the actions OF the citizen, consistent with equal
rights ALL is best calculated To secure life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness The antagonist party
L. fn n~ul ..At.Ia taA nAnt
similar to the of Europe, and the perfect
subordnstion OF the states to the federal head This
constituted the original distinction between the two
great parties which first divided our country, and
continue to form their distinguishing characters
tics. And the ime has now arrived which is to de-
eide whether the destinies of this country to be
directed by the one party or the other; whether the
struggles Of the revolution to secure to us ard
our posterity the blessings of democracy, or are
to end at last in the Of the aboring and
industrious classes to moneyed srstoe racy, whose
roots reach In all probability, beyond the Atlantic
L he same party which in the vention urged the
| adoption OF a consolidated national government,
armed with all the attributes Of monarchy, after
suffering mortifyin defeat there, struggled to
complish ia the constrsctiOn and administration of
the constitution, what they had failed to engraft
upon its provisions. The Indebtedness which arose
cut OF the revolutionary war, gave counteaarce and
excuse for the adoption Of the funding system, and
ultimately the creation of a national bank: and from
that period t, the final payment of the public debt,
the government has been compelled to submit to
that expcdisnt, although it never met the cordial
appreciation OF the republican party, and received
reluctant and hesitating consent TO its constitution
atty. When the democracy Of the country placed
in the chair Of state, that man, who, gallant and
skfu soldier, had rolled back the impending wave
vi foreign INVASION and protected the capital OF the
valley Of the Mississippi from the tender mersies of
rutalsss foe, and elevated the and flag Of his
county to the proud height where trust they will
ever remain he perceived at once the danger to the
independence OF this government from a vast mo-
neyed institution, deeply interested in aceumula-
ting wealth for its stockkoders at every hazard
the public veal. His st Ring integrity even his
enemies have not dared to question; his sagacity in
discovering the coming fase of the United States
Bank, is nov the theme Of ealogy with every can
did statesman. The very nature of such an insttu-
tisn 10 TO demand perpetual renewal Of its priv-
leses, and enforce that demand by placing the com
munity in ITS power by arbitrary expansions of its
issues, and, once securing them debtors, to work
upon their fears and wants by contractions equally
arbitrary. His firm resolve, his honest purpose, and
the confidence Of his fellow citizens in the purity Of
his motives, enabled him to shake off this inc ubus
from the naonal Treasury. and leave the people FREQ
to organize their financial affairs unawed and an
trammeled. It's president boasted that better char
ter procured, and bot short time since left its
management, and declared IL TO be in the full tide of
successful operation and yon behold il reel
ing and staggering IN the very asones Of dissolu-
tion. The preseat democratic administ ration after
an unsuccessful effort TO indulge the strong predi-
lection of portion OF the people, by committing the
public revenue to banks chartered by the states and
permitting them 10 discount upon IT, found that many
Of these banks refused to redeem their paper,
store the public funds. No alternative was left but
for the sovernme. 4 TO retain the public money in
the national treasury, until IL was paid away to the
public creditors. The freedom from debt, the re-
duction Of the revenue TO the wants Of government
all combined 10 Afford the acceptable opporuni 10
return Go the simplicity aud safety contemplate by
the trainers 1.-THE constitution, to raise more
ncy from the people than the public necessities
quIrs and TO disburse IL directly TO those for whom
Il was designed aud appropriated.
The present president, who succeeded General
Jac kson, and reared in the school Of demscracy
accordingly began his standardization by recon-
rnending TO congress the establishment II trea-
sury o the Union Tor the safe keeping OF the public
revenue, and alter fall discussion before the peo-
pie, that measure has been adopted; and the lth
Of July, 1870, IL became the law Of the land. And
for this the wing party, the nucleus Of which il that
party which, from the foundation of the government,
has struggled to involve the administration in all the
neshes OF finance, banking, and stock-jobbine-
swcllcd by allies Of every hue, and male ontcns Of
every shade, have declared war OF ext, rmination
against the administration, and have wsg,d IL with
every weapon which savage or civilized warfare |
has offered to them. The conflict has now reached
its ultimate point TIE crack OF the shzrpshooters
has ceased-the rAttlisg Of the musketry Is over
and the roar Of the deep-mou,hed cannon is |
hushed, and the victory now awaits general charge
al,ns the whole line. The enemy Is led on by It's
renowned champion, full Of fame and full Of hope
lie has selected this beautiful city, the Commercial
emporium Of the western world, HE last field. n
you, the unterri6ed democracy ef the land, viii! |
stand by in the conflict, strong do feel in the
trua and justice Of cause, that will stand the
onslaught, and believe me, uy friends, this Goah
ofthc wings shall no. escape us. Already his voice
il resounding among his followers, and 10 echoed
by the palaces OF wealth, IN another quarter Of your
city.
Tshall address myself TO your erstandings, not
your feelings. appeal to your Judgment, not your
passions, and shall do my best TO defend the prine
pies aud measures Of the demoe ratio w.
ia relation TO the three great topics which the
wings rely to destroy the confidence ofthc people in
heir wisdom and int, gritty the question the cur
rency, the reorganization e the mtis, and the |
conduct of the Florida war.
lay down the following proposition. touching |