Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1840-04-02


along for dollars a cord, but the times are
go hard, and money so scarce that I've had |
to sell tor considerable less lately, so II you
have mind to take this load, you can have
it for 4 dollars as must raise 6O dollars to
paw my interest money at the Savings Bank
by the last Of the month. -
oh. I'll think of it. How goes politics
out your way, no backing out among our
friends in your neighborhood, hope /
F. can't tell certainly as to that, as l
don't go about much. I've heard, however,
that some of our folks don't like the sub
treasury, and the new idea of brir ging down
that, and by gingo! don't much like it
myself, for don't think it's real democracy
that, to make money worth more than it is
now, and our farms and produce and labor
worth not half as much.
o. ii. o, this is because you don't under
stand it, or else you have been reading some
ofthe Wing speeches of John Davis or some
other stuff of that kind but I'll explain 1t to
your entire satisfaction" The Independent
Treasury Bill is intended to reform the cur
rency, and do away with the paper money,
and introduce gold and silver in its place, the
government setting the example by receiving
nothing but gold and silver for all its dues
from the people, and paying out gold and sill
government notes this it is true will reduce
the value of property and the rates of wa
ges, but every thing else will fall in proper
fion, 80 you will be Just as we'll Off besides
getting specie in payment for every thing
you sell for cash.
F. But suppose any one thing am obli-
Eed to pay for don't fall in proportion to the
value of my farm, or the price of my pro-
duce, will l be as we'll off then?
OH Well, but you'll have the satisfac-
ton of handling the yellow boys, and the
hard dollars when you do get any money,
besides you will get your hired men at much
lower wages; didn't you tell me some time
ago that you had to pay very high wages to
your hired help!
F. Yes, to be sure, but when I come to
think on it, sold my corn for dollar a BUSH
el. my hay brought me $l8 ton, and my
potatoes SO cents a bushel, and got easily
IS cents pound for ell the butter my folks
made, oats went brisky for 81 1-2 cents, and
if did have to pay or dollars month
more than shall now for help, it was made
up more than ten times in what l got for my
produce. So the reduction of wages will
help me but triAe, and will make the
hands am used to hire feel plaguey mad,
and we'll it may-for what your Specie Sub
Treasury system will enable me to pay
ILSIlIS Will hCCP tuCL oIiNSt oAu IASAS
than all that, me and my sons do great
part of the farm work, and what we do will
amount to just so much less, according to
your grand scheme of reduction.
o. H. But you don't get hold of it yet, if
you can buy just as much for what you raise on
your farm you will certainly be doing just
as we'll as you ever were in your life.
F. Yes, but have got hold of a little too
much of it to be come over in this why, can
assure you, were it not for your great i, it
might be we'll enough, but there are many
things that the products of my farm have to
pay for, that will not or cannot be brought
down in proportion to the reduction on the
price have always obtained for them
There is molasses, sugar, tea and coffee, and
many other things not affected by the price
of labor in this country will cost about the
same, and my 60 dollars interest money,
which is the price of the use of the $1,000
borrowed from the Savings bank on my
farm when bought it, will not come down,
last year when my interest came due, |
sold to Squire 80 bushels Of my best
corn, for which he paid me cash in good
Middletown Bills, and took it right over to
the bank, and paid it the day il was due, but
according to your system of reduction
would have to sell at least l20 bushels ofthe |
same corn, 10 pay the same debt with until
could pay the principal, and that never
could do, tor my interest money and other
expenses would take every cent could raise
by hook or by crook under the reduction
system, and in fact my whole farm would |
have to 60 for the mortgage, although have
paid thousand dollars ofmy hard earnings
on it, but you reduce the value of it one half, !
and my little all would have to go for moth
ing. So you see have got hold of some of
it, and that amt all, mean to profit by it too
.. II. Certainly you don't mean to join
the Federal Wings, and be called "Trait-
or" by all your old associates!
F. They may call me what they please
but don't intend to sacrifice my interests,
and support measures that would reduce the
value of my property at least one half-de-
stroy business, and in fact injure every
man in the country, excepting such as live
upon fred salaries, or those who had large |
sums Of money laid by: pray do you anti
cipate the government reducing yoar salary
y. II. o! Certainly not our salaries !
and emoluments are fixed by law.
F. And you expect to be paid in gold and
silver!
o. H. Yes, according to the "specie
Clause"
F. Then don't wonder you are in favor
OF the reduction system. Why, your $4,000
would then buy as much as $4,000 would
now, you would be laying up money mighty
fast, while should be selling you wood at
$2 cord, butter at 10 cents pound, hay at
rs a ton, and you should procure every 9TH |
or thing about in proportion, you could not
then say but that you were growing rich |
partly at my expense. Think I've got hold
of pretty much the whole of it now.
o. H. Then suppose we shall have TO
set you down as Federal Wing!
F.. AS to that, have supported what
thought was the Democratic party now, ever
since was made freeman it is true did
not make much inquiry about it, but these