The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1840-05-29
VOLUME l.
S.ALUTATORY.
RE-pUBLIsHED by REQUEST.

n compliance with the usual custom the under
ned, in this, the first number of the SPIRIT OF
AGE, proceeds to give, as briefly as possible,
exposition Of the course he intends to pursue III
conduct of his paper
At the outset, the principles which the AGE will
,ocate shall be defined boldly and distinctly
conductor, believing that political science con-
of something more than mere system Of art
Juggling and dexterous slight hand, will never
found among those who conceal their principles,
nd their meaning and mystify their actions to
the teachings ofPoLICY. To worship at the
nlble shrine of TRUTH, to gaze in her face as a
r, and to speak her teachings fearlessly, but can
|ly, will be his only aim.
conformity to this principle, it may be distinct
understood that the Age, will sustain the pres
Administration, and at the present, more es-
rally the great reform measure OF the times, the
dependent Treasury Bill. This plan of keeping
public moneys, as the necessary antagonist OF
National Bank, so little understood, so much a
Bed, will receive particular attention. In fact
re never has been but one side to the great ques-
n and tits remarkable, that the opposition have
en- able to make monster so terrible and OF
bpostion so simple and easily to be understood,
4 whose utility, when stripped Of the mlsrepre-
,tation and f,ishood which have been thrown u
ind it, is as clear as the sun in heaven.
The change in the policy of the country is not
the collecting of the moneys; for the lndepen-
Mt Treasury Bill proposes to collect the money
the Government in the same manner that it al
VS. has been collected. Not in the disbursing of
public moneys for the Independent Treasury
4 proposes to disburse the money of the Govern
,nt in the same manner that it always has been
Bbursed. The only change in the financial de-
rtment of the Government which the lndepen-
mt Treasury Bill proposes is, a change in the man
of keeping the public money. The principle
yoved in this change, can be placed before the
bic in the simple question, shall the Government
nirol its money, Shall the money which the
ope lend the Government to carry ON its bust
49,, be placed in the Treasury oftho United States
beet to the control of Congress, bound by the
institution and restrained by the power of
W or shall it be placed in the hands of an inst-
ton, to be used for specializing purposes by its
anagers which institution Is under the control
no power, is entirely independent Of Government,
II, as in the suspension Of specie payments, set
Q government at defiance, refuse TO refund the
oney, make it a bankrupt and use the money Of
people 10 Cypress The people, This is plain and
nple statement of the principle involved in the
dependent Treasury Bin. This plan for the safe
Eeping of the public moneys was first proposed by
r Jefferson. Since his day, the democratic party
I'VE been steadily striving for its established, while
federal party, have slriven as steadily to estab-
III its great and deadly antagonist, National
ank.
'IIu vo,it;on Is assumed that tho line q, demnrE
ion between the two great political parties which
I'VE existed since the formation OF our government,
rs been the best manner of keeping the public
oncys--thai the federal party have always been
favor Of and that the democratic party opposed
Il National Bank, as the fiscal agent OF ,hc Gov
tnment. To sustain this position it will be neces-
nv to refer to the earlier part OF the history OF
ar con(cderacy.
The difference ofopInon, whrh existed between
r Jefferson and Col. Hamilton in the convention
hich adopted our constitution Is well known. !,
III not, at this late day be denied that the latter
i,h ID to give what he called "more permanent
aracter TO the Government" than was acceptable
Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison and their friends
e said "no,hing but Il permanent body, can check
he inprudence of democracy lie therefore adj
oca,ed Senate for lif, ''Thc people said he,
are turbulent and changing they seldom Judge
determine right" lie was therefore for making
&c Government strong aud the people weak, so
,at III, former should control tire latter. "See'
mid Col. II. "the excellency Of the British
Executive. lie is above temptation. Nothing
hort of such such an executive "a king) can be
lficient." lie therefore advocated a Presi-
ent for life. These high monnrchical principles
'ol Hamilton endcavorcd to ingrall into the constr
htion bu, filling in this, he proceeded immed-
tely upon being appointed Secretary OF the Treas
~, to for,ify, after the English manner, by con.
TRucTIoN, what the members of the convention
ad refused to do by LAW, those, as he called then
weak and unguardcd points in the constitution y
lark the principle upon which he acted.
"NIen" said he, ''can be governed by one o
wo motives alone, FORCE or INTEREST,"
Force" said he, Sin this country Is out of tn
ucstion, and the interest therefore OF the member
nus, be laid hold OF to keep the legislature in uni
on with the executive" Acting upon this princi
lie, his first object was to secure to himself par
Y in Congress who would concede to his views AM
AIRY out his principles. In order TO "lay hold o
he interests" the people, he procured, durln'
he two first sessions of congress the passage Of act
unding at par, the certificates issued by the cont
rental Government, and which had been bought u
less than one tenth their value. So completed
id he succeed in "laying hold OF the interest O
he menbers' of congress, that Mr. Jefferson re
marked at the time, "that the whole action Of th
legislature was under the direction of the Secreta
" OF ITtisuIN s7o i"i hN h''" ''N'' 49,
admirably still said Mr. Jefferson, "ihe machln
was not complete. The effect of the funding syi'
en- would be temporary it would be lost with tn
oss of the individual members whom he had enrich
I'd, and some engine of influence more pernlaner
must be contrivcd while the myrmadons were ye
IN place to carry it against all opposition. The en-
zine was the BANK OF THE UNITED STATES
Ie procured the passage Of the bill charterng tn
Bank in 1871 which, in his report, the same veal
he declared was not mere matter ofpriyate prop
ertv but vast political machine Of the highest i'm
pof,ance to the State" So far all was well for hi
scbemes. lie had assumed the state debts funded III
money of the revolution, & created a national deb
netting on the English maxim that National Del
IL National blessing. lie had lastly established
National bank which like the Bank of Engandwou
bind every man by his interest, who held share
the Bank ofthe Government TO support the Cover
ment This was modelling the Government precise
upon the English plan, which he had previously d.
clarcd'was the best model the world ever saw. -
This was to keep the laboring class in debt ioreve
This was to create aristocracy Of wealth, conf
all the honors ofthe government as the elder Adam
said they should be conferred upon the RICH TIL
was to divide the political community, ns he said a
political communities "ought to be diyided--into ii
rrw and the MANY-the first the RICH and ii