Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-06-22


JUDGES which exist among civilized people - the
prejudices ofthe poor against the rich--hc launch
ed out into the mos, bitter TRADE against merchants
that we ever heard as class, (he said there were
individual and honorable exceplions,) nine ienths
Of them, lie repeatedly averrcd, are inclined 10 an
Il republican sentiments - and necessarily and nat
urally inclined, it was argued, un The ground that
they were money seekers and money changers.
1t strikes us that the argument covers great deal
more than was intended. If there is one thing
characteristic Of the American people, it is the
spirit of money getting it abcunds among all
classes the farmer nj the mechanic, the ldCyer
and The .6ice seeker, we venture to say, as much ms
the merchants. indeed, if there is one more liable
than others 10 the charge Of wishing most money
and influence. with the least labor we nre nclin.
ed to Think it is lie who dotes upon er.essiue fees
dndfnt o6ireS. But this is small business for n
great lawyer, or for n - little editor We will
1uiiii.
Our speech maker next mounted the U. 5.
Bank, and there made desperate attempt to
make out the Wings to be federal ank mem 1t
was exceedingly unfortunate for him that he III
iery neglected to mention that n democratic Con.
gress chartered, the last U. s. Bank, and that dem
ocrdiic President approved il. Had he done This,
he might have argued (nt least with some show OF
authority that the locofoco legislature of Penn.
sylvana-wlch renewed the existence of that
bank, and which is now i,s guardian and ,,roiec.
nor in its fallen condiiion--s democratic
He attributed all the late and present prevailing
distress, panics and low prices to bank expansions
mud contractions; but did not state the fact that
locofoco legislatures have, since the bank war; alb
sululely granted nj least double the banking CAPT
tai that has been granted by Wing legislatures.
lie assaied The banks en- masse Mt one moment
granting that some were needed, but at another
saying, 1--WE quote his languagel "lhe contest is
between The banks and the people The banks must
be crushed no,c, or God knows whether we shall
have another opportunity" But MIR. Van Ness
did not even hint that he was most prominent
and efficient, actor in starting the old banking sys.
tenn in Vermont aye, the old UNIFORMED banking
system.
He declared tina, the sub treasury was nothing
new, and conferred no additional power uFon The
Executive in fact that it diminished executive
power; but he did not mention the fact that The
Globe once denounced il rs "subversivc Of the
whole pracIve of the government from the be
ginning > as increasing Executive power to i
dangerous extent, and exposing the Treasury tc
hosts of plunderers! And here remark upor
Mr.. Van Ness argument. Cold and silver il
the currency of the constitution ; by That instru
men, the appointing power ia conferred upon lh,
President, and by that also he cannot interfere
IN ,,Il .tnbh ,( I,r
gress; hence he inferred that the sub .treasur,
hill, which requires revenue to be paid in gold ant
silver, aud 10 officers appointed by the President
conferred no additional power upon the Execu
tive. This is retfogging Of the smallest kind
What if gold and silver is constilutiona-a ma,
ter which nobody doubts are we therefore to re
sort at once to the happy condition Of Cuba"
And what if the constitution coufers the right {
appointment on the President 1t is not the pow
er oil appointment which the wings say is enlarged
but that the bill brings the keepers OF the publ
money Oithin The reach Il that po,eer, and presen
not the slightest check against any abuse of
! which an ambitious and unprincipled Execmiy
might practise.
Another important topic Was introduced an
with protestntions OF the purity honesty un
economy of the ADMINISTRATION 90 excecdng
strong to imply the existence of at least susp
cion, on The part OF the orator, thut he was abo
10 draw largely upon the creduy of his hearer
well founded suspicion it would have been, ce
tninly. The text was The expenditures Of this Il,
; nlinlstratlon the assumption that It WIS not C
travagant-lhe argument this : in recent deba
in The Senate, he had heard prominent tedey
Senators Uhe only Senator who alluded TO es
mates was Senator Preston, himself democr
and descendent of Patrick Henry, acknowleL
that fifteen millions per aunum was fair estima
$ for the expenditures of the government The
y was no mistake about it indeed there was anot
| or gentleman in the convention who heard n
statement and who would bear him ou.; al
!! what, he now asked were tho actual expenditur
of the administration for 1899? lie appealed
the report OF the Secretary Of the Treasury
i that would he put down the federal ialsehoods
e bout extravaganza. That document placed Il
"ordinary am! permanent expenses" for 1889
the sum offs l3,325,s00 IS aye, less than hrte
. and half millions, or, al a million and Il hc
+ less than The federal Wing estimates % This a
: nouncement was received with cheers, indicate
e the most perfect confidence on the part ofthe n
y 'lience, that the orator had put final extinguis
err upon Wing lault-fnding, and triumphant
i cleared the skirts of the administration. The
e was certainly one however, 10 be exempted fro
Is any participation in The general oulburs of sail
y faction: the writer of this article who heard
Il debate in the Senate MS well as Mr. Van Ness n
= whoa possesses Secretary Woodbury's repo
: from which that gentleman quoted. But beit
= proceeding further, we will state more authori
~ lively the position of Mr.. Van Ness; cou
If which is rendered necessary, nasmuch AS the he