The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-05-14
WEEKLY ALMANAC.
MIR. BADGERS SPEECH.
SPEECH


SPEECH
delivered at the Great Wing Meeting in tho
County Of Granville, on Tuesday the 81 day
Of March, ls40, by George T.. Badger,
ESQ.,, and published at the request Of his Fol.
low.CGiiens.
Ma. CHAIRMAN IL avail myself Of the
|inyiiaon which has Just been gwen me, 10
express my opinions to this meeting Of my
citizens, on the condition and pros
poets Of our country. We have certainly
much TO demand careful scrutiny, and not
j little TO excite anxiety and alarm. Eiev
b. years ago, tho present administration
assumed the management OF public affairs.
fTbe general condition Of the country was
then sound --the currency and exchanges,
Trade and business, we're 10 satisfactory
Stale; and IN oil the pursuits Of life, indus.
Efy and prudence commanded the reward 10
(Which they are entitled. Whatever abate
|neBts in some particulars ought to qualify
hii statement, us general truth and correct.
ess cannot be justly ques,ioned--and with
Regard to the currency, IL subject 10 no
ba,ement. We were then. cpon the whole,
hap,,y and nourishing people. VIVA, has
peen The effect Of these eleven years upon
ur affairs What is our situation Ro,r
eurely 90 one is so Ignorant as not TO know,
hat our situation u materially changed
lr The vofse--lhat this effect has been in.
liious and even disastrous. We were told
hat or currency fine best in the world was
not good enough, and that We must have a
better To accomplish this, course ofex
tauments was commenced upon the Bank
ng aud credit sysieni--upoa the property
4od industry Of the country. Zach eSpefI
|neui was ushered 10 with the promise Of
golden results and though each 10 time was
allowed by signal failure, the assurance
MAS still az strong IN favor Of the next and,
ue xere told, that ltlle faith aud patience,
#ould enable us 10 reap from that, the har
vest Of which the former had been found 80
barren. Tho great good tic highest bles
ping which our rulers promised us--was
bard money currency--an entire specie car
rulation--and from time TO time, during
these years Of experiment, tho month, al
rnos, the day was fixed. when the paper
bags should disappear, and golden shower
should GIL our purses. But still, as the ap
pointed time approached, II was found con
senient or necessary 20 postpone The accom-.
Iplishmeu,, It'll another and more dlsian!
day. And how stands il with rs now =
Alter the ten years OF patience and suffering
constant fluctuations 10 the price OF labor
and Of produce--are VIC any nearer to The
golden age Of prosperity BY no means.
The price Of our staples is nos deprecated
beyond all experience, since the war OF
1872. Cotton, for example, even N the
favored region Of Alabama, Is selling at i've
cents; our debts are unpaid, and money dal.
" becoming scarcer. The bank notes, 10.
deed, are disappearing, but alas no ap.
proach is yet made TO the hard money sub
sliute. Meantime, u bankruptcy seems TO
have oyer,aken the treasury Of the nation.
A short time ago, our revenue was 50 large,
OVERLOOKING even beyond tho extragagenl cx.
! pendl,ures Of the administration, that II was
necessary 10 devise some way 10 dispose OF
the surplus, in order TO avoid the ,nconve'
ncnce and danger Of large accumulation
|, was concluded TO ask the states to take
charge Of this supeffluous fund, and an aet
. was passed for lis distribution but scarce
had the execution of the law commenced,
when I, vas found necessary to suspend IT,
The public Golfers we're empty, and nj eve
~ session Of Congress since tho election o.
Ms. Van Buren,, loans have been required
10 deiray the expenses Of the government
On every application it has been urged, ina
the want vas merely tomporary-that IN
stead Of a regular loan, IN issue OF treasury
notes for tho moment was all that could o'
required, and that tho immediate pressure
over the revenue would answer oil the de
mands upon il. Bu, these opinions, llk'
tho promises Of specie circulation, hay'
oil been doomed TO dsappoiu,ment--ai eacl
session, new reasons have been found to
the issue Of Treasury notes. and they seen
now TO have become tho regular mode c
supplying the public necessities. They ar
preferred by tho Administration becaus
they arc loans in disguise--but howovc
disguised, they are loans in fact, and sho'
that sur affairs have been grossly mlsmar
aged, when 10 time Of peace with all io'
u have tre'led the present and last Admin
trs,ion as one, because Mr.. Van Buren, protcss'
but 10 follow in tho footsleps Of his nrodecesso