Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-27
- - 7=77s7 - : =
POLITICAL.


POLITICAL.
MR. BUCHANAN
The Opposition, feeling that they could not answer
the arguments of this gentemans speech in favor OF
the Independent Treasury Bill have been engaged IN
nsrepresentng his remarks the subject of the wa
ees of labor This msre representation has been made
directly in the face of the language of the speech IT.
self, and tho whole current CT his remarks. One OF
the chief topics of Mr. Buchanan was, that "ths bill
would benefit the laboring man as much and probably
more than any other class of society" After esta-
bshng this position by clear and incontrovertbe ar
pumens he proceeds to prove that that country IS the
most prosperous where labor commands the highest
wages and by the highest wages, he declares that ne
means not ''the greatest nominal amount IN rreceem-
able and worthless paper but where "labor commands
the greatest reward-'swhere one day labor will pro-
cure not the greatest nominal amount Of deprecated
currency but most Of the necessares and comforts OF
life" To illustrate this proposition he refers to the
period Of the Revolution, t'when day work com
handed hundred dollars Of Contncna! paper but this
would scarcely have purchased breakfast.
elf therefore, (says Mr. b. you should, in some de-
gree reduce the nominal price paid for labor by rcduc-
ing the amount of your bank issues within reasonable
and safe limits, and establishing metallic basis for
rour paper circulation would this niure the laborc:
Certainly not because the price Of all the necessar'es
and comforts Of life reduced in the proportion,
and he will be able TO purchase more of them for one
dollar IN sound state of the currency, than he could
have DONE the days of extravagant expansion, tor
dollar and quarter. So far from njurng, IT will
greatly benefit the laboring man. twill insure to him
constant employment and regular prices, paid in a
sound currency which, of all things, he ought most Ia
desire; and it will save him from being involved in ruin
BY recurrence of those periodical expansions and con-
fractions of the currency, which have hitherto con-
vulsed the country.
Are not these positions self:evdent: Who or
who will con,rovert them: We all know that during
the last year, consequence OF the monopozng spirit
abroad and our then boa:cd credit system, the price
of beef such extavagant Standard that our
laboring men were in danger OF being reduced to the
dep!orable condition of European aborers, who af
ford to use meat not more than once per week. ~
the wages of labor keep pace with this increase OF
per pricesa We all know that they did not. Will not
every laborng respond TO the truth and justice OF
the following remarks Of Mr.. Buchanan
oWhat is il he 1the labofng man ought most 10 de-
sire; Constant employment regular wages, and uniform
reasonable prices os the necessatcs and Comforts OF lie
which he re luircs Now, sir what has been his con-
di,inn under our system of expansions and contrac
lions. He has suffered more by them than any other
class of society The rate of his wages is fixed and
known and they are the last 10 rise with the lnceas
ing expansion and the first to fall when the cores
bonding revulsina occurs. He still continues TO re-
ccivc his dollar per day, whilst the price of every art
Gle which he consumes IS rapidly rising lie IS al
length made to feel that although he nominaly earns
as much or even more than he did formerly, yet, from
the increased price Of all the ncccssares of life, he
cannot support his family. Hence he strikes for high
or wages and the uneasy and excited feelings which
have different periods existed among the iaboring
classes But the expansion at length reaches the
plodlnr point and what does the laborlng man now
suffer? lie is for thrown ont of employment
altogether. Our manufactures are suspended; our pub
lie works are stopped; private enterprises Of differ
en kinds Abandoned and, whilst others are able tr
weather the Storm he can scarcely procure The means
Of bare subsistence.
After all this, what must be thought by every candid
man of an Opposition who would Systematically msre
presen, the views of Mr. Buchanan this SUBJECT, and
attempt to create impression that he the enemy
not the friend Of the laboring NAM The publication
of the speech Itself conclusive reiutaton OF this
calumny.
Fooled in this attempt, another is resorted to Of still
baser character. The Mudisonan, editorial OF
this morning saws that "sevcral very important
fences Of this Speech as delivered before the Senate,
are said 10 be omitted in lis publication: and that Mr.
Buchanan has written letter TO Connecticut for the
purpose Of 'counteractng tho declaration made by
him in the Senate that the effect OF the Suh-Ireasury
would be nuliif the tariff BY bringing the wages OF
labor in ts country 10 equality with The wages OF
labor in Tie hard money despotIsns OF Europe !" 1t
IL absolutely false that Mr.. Buchanan made any
such declara,ion any other having the most remote
resemblance to IT, No who knows him would for
moment believe such calumny. II IS first uttered
By the Madsonan month after the speech was deli
vcred. Where the Editor all this time: 1t IS d..
recty at with the whole current Of the speech, and
is in itself perfectly ridiculous. We ourselves heard
the whole speech of MIR Buchanan and the notes of
taken at the time, by Reporter before us;
and we declare that do not believe that speech
delivered in Congress more faithfully correctly
reported Not sing lie sentiment has been omitted
or and the very language used by the speak
or has been carefully preserved. lie speaks deli
tcra;clv that Of all the gentlemen in the Senate lie is
the most easily reported. We shall conclude these
marks by extract from this speech, III which MIR.
Buchanan shows his devotion to the interest of the la
boring man, and pays just tribute OF respect to that
class of our citizens
we arc also charged BY the Senator from Kentucky
with desire reduce the wages CT the poor man Ia
Sor We have been often termed agrarlans on cur side
Of the House. II is something new under the sun, to
hear the Senator and his friends attribute to us &C.
tirc TO elevate the wealthy manufacturer at the cx-
rense OF the laboring man and the mechanic. From
10y SOUL respect the obOrng man. Labor is the foun
dation Of the wealth of country and the tree
laborers Of the North deserve respect, both Tor their
probitv and their intelligence. Heaven forbid that
should Go them wrong! Of all The countries Oh the
EARTH ought TO have the most consideration for the
laborng From the nature of our institutions,
the wheel of fortune is constantly revolving and pro-
ducng such mutations IN property, that the wealthy
man Of to- day may become the poor aborer of tomur
row. Truly, wealth often takes TO itself wings and
flies away. a large fortune rarely lasts beyond the
third generation, if itcndures SO long We must
all know instances Of individuals obliged to labor for
their daily bread, whose grandfathers were men OF
f,-tune The regular process Of society would almost
seem 10 consist of the efforts of class to dsspate
the fortunes which they have inherited, whilst another
class BY their industry and economy, regularly ris
ing TO wealth We have all, therefore, common in,e
rest it is our common duty to protect the rights Of
The laboripg man. and if believed for moment that
this bill would prove injurious TO him. it should meetmy
unqualified opposition.
again Sir: who, do you suppose, held the greater
par. Of the worthless paper othe one hundred and
1--WE broken banks 10 which have referred: Certainly
Il was not the keen and wary speculaor, who snuf(s
danger from ar If you to make the search you
would find more broken bank notes in the cottages of
the aborng poor, than any where else And these mise
rabe shinpasers where are they: After the revus'on
of 1887, laborers were glad TO obtain employment on
any terms and they often received upon the express
condition that they should accept this worthless trash
in payment, Sir, entire suppression Of all bank
notes Of a lower denomination than The value of one
weeks wages of laboring man, is absolutely neess-
sary for his protection lie ought always 10 receive Ms
sbe sborer is most interested in having sound and
asah,a currency.