The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 183?-1840, 1840-01-10


written the embarrassments Of the country
were not peculiarly '.mercantie.'' They
were general, pervading alike all branches
of industry, and they so continue to the pre-.
sent day. The refusal of the government
then to extend relief, is arefusal TO the peo-
pie generally, and not to any particular
class.
When this message was written (l837) a
general wide spread ruin was abroad over
the land. Embarrassment, bankruptcy and
ruin visited every neighborhood in the Uni
on. The domestic exchanges, or means of
transmitting money, were in perfectrui and
disorder. Congress was called together to
deliberate, and intense expectation and soli-
citude was experienced by all-~yes all, the
Van Buren, party no less than other men, as
TO what congress would do. Over this scene
Mr.. Van Buren, calmly folds his arms and re-
commends to congress to do-nothing!--ab-
solutely nothing! The government can take
care of itself--the forty millions must come
some way--let the people take care of them
selves. "It is not within the constitutional
province of the general government to do
any thing for them. Every one for himself
in these exigencies.
Thus, for the first Time did our govern
.ment turn its back upon the American peo-
pie in the hour of their severest trial. And
the excuse is-'swhy the United States Bank
has acted very badly" Well verify, is this
a good reason why the peoples government
should refuse to legislate for their general
welfare!" A bank acted badly! And there
fore, the people of the United States shall
have no benefit of the general government!
We ask plain honest men to look calmly
upon this subject. 1t is not only totally
new idea in this country-a doctrine never
thought of or advocated before, and one OPP
posed to the highest and best interests of the
people, but it is at war with the every day
practice of congress, both now and ever
heretofore. And no less at war with the
conduct of both Jackson and Van Buren,.
We venture to believe that an important
report to either house of congress, by the
committees, either of Ways and Means, Pub
lie Lands, Finance, Commerce or Agricul- |
ture was never made without labored ar
in reference to the general situation
of the trade and mercantile business of the
The interests of the people gener-
ally, forms the real or ostensible grounds for
most of the recommendations in all those
reports, or the reasons why various things
are done or omitted in them. An important
Dill of a general nature never was passed by
congress when the situation of the trade,
currency, exchanges, "mercan-
lie embarrassment" or prosperity of the
country, did not form the ground of much of
he debates upon it. Where is the man so
eckless of his reputation as to say that a
Message at the opening of session, was
ver made to congress (ercept by Pan Blu
en) that did not abound in recommended
ions and suggestions upon the very subjects
Excluded from the consideration of congress
" the above quotation? What was the spe
lie circular issued tor! Have we not been
old as often as there are stars in the heavens
hat ''the over issues of the banks" "bank
,redit'' and s'bank loans'' called for it! Was
lot almost the sole argument in favor of the
leposite bank system that the state banks
could perform exchanges and furnish sound
as we'll as the United States Bank
lad done? And has not that ever been the
irst argument against National Bank, I'M
il very lately it has been demonstrated to be
% perfectly ridiculous that the party are
shamed oft! And yet all these things are
mot within the constitutional province of
he general government" We have some
pecial sayings of Van Buren, himself on this
subject laid aside which we shall call up be-
ore long.