The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-09-08

Al he great mass Meeting al Saratoga, on The 100
august, 1910.

movement of the people That revolution in publ
sennment on some important questions of public polio
mas begun, and Is IN progress is in vain to atienp
10 conceal, and folly TO deny What will be the ex
tent oi tins revolution what its immediate effects upoi
political men and political measures--what ultnla
influence y may have on the integrity of the Constitu
uon anu tue permanent prosperity of the country, re
mains 10 be seen, Meantime, no one can DENY tina
an extraordinary excitement exists in the country
such AZ has not been witnessed for more than half
eeniury-not local nor confined to any two, three
or ten States but pervadng the whole from North Il
South and from East to West with equal force ane
intensity For an effect so general cause of equa
extent must exist. No cause local or partial can pro
ducc consequences SO general and universal In
parts Of the country indeed local causes may in som,
degree add to the fame; but no local cause, any
number of local causes, account for the genera
excited state ofthe public mind.
In portions OF the country devoted TO agriculture and
manufactures, we hear complaints of want of market
and Of low prices. Yet there other portions of the
country which are consumers, and not producers Of
food and manufactures and purchasers they should
it would SEEM be satisfied with the low prices OF
which the sellers complain; but in these portions too
Of the country there dissatisfaction and discomfort
Every where there Is complaining and desire for
change
| There are those who think this excitement among
the people transitory and evanescent. | not OF
that opinion So far as can Judge attention TO pub
lie affairs among the people of the United States has
increased IS increasing and Is not likely TO be dmin-
ISntu IN part Oh nut
over. This certainly is the fact if we may Judge from
recent information. The breeze Of popular excitement
Is blowing every where Ii fans the air in Alabama
and the Carolinas, and am Of opinion when itshall
cross the Potomac and range along the northern Ae-
ghanies, it will grow stronger and stronger until
mingling with the gales of the Empire State, and the
mountain blasts OF New England it will blow perfect
hurricane.
There are those again who think these vast popular
meetings got up by effort, but say that effort
Tntfh anl and .H..r Eaat fhat, a.
There must, then be some general cause that ami
mates the whole country What is that cause Ii is
upon this point propose to give my opinion to-day.
have design TO offend feeling but in perfect
painness to express views TO the vast multitude
assembled here. know there are among them many
who from first to last supported General Jackson. |
know there many who if conscience and patriotism
had permitted, would support his successor and |
should i'll repay the attention with which they may
honor me by any re,ilng or dcnunciation. Again, |
come play no part Of oratory before you Ii there
have been times ands occasions in my life when |
might be supposed anxious to exhibit myself IN such a
light that period has passed, and this is not of the
occasions, leone to dictate and prescribe TO
Ii experience not short in the affairs of gov
cnmen entitlc my opinions to any respect these OPT
Mons al the service of fellow itiZchs. What
shall state as facts shall hold myself and my cha
rncter responsible for; what shall state opinions,
all alike at liberty to reject or TO receive asking only
such fair Interpretation of them as the fairness and
sincerity with which they uttered may claim
w chat then has excited the whole land from Maine to
Georgia, and that gives Us assurance that while we
here meeting in New ork in such vast numbers,
other like meetings are holding throughout all the
States That this be general in its effect
is certain for it agitates the whole country and not
parts only
When that fluid in the human system indispensable
to life becomes disorlered corrupted or obsructed in
its circulation the head the heart alone suffers
but the whole body, head, heart, and hand all the
members and all the extremites, affected with de-
bility paralysi numbness and death The analogy
between the human system the social and political
system, is complete and what the life blood is TO the
former circulation money, currency is 10 the latter
and ii that be dsordered corrupted para ysis must
4 fall on the system.
/ The original, leading main cause then, Of all our
difficulties and disasters is the dsordered state of the
| Treasury. This is perhaps not perfectly obvious
truth, and yet one susceptible OF easy demonstration.
/ In order to explain this the more readily, wish to
bring your minds to the consideration of the condition
and the vast affairs of the United States. Our coun-
try is not small province canton but region ex-
tending over large and diversified surface with po-
puation of various conditions products, and pursuits
II is this variety that consists its prosperity for the
different parts become useful one to the other, not by
identity but by difference of production, and thus each
by interchange contributes to the interest of the other
Hence our internal trade-that which carries on this
exchange of the products and industry of the different
portions of the United Staes-is of our most inn
porant had almost said the most important interest.
Its easy ana silent not always
bic but dAusing health and life throughout the sys-
tenn by the intercourse thus promoted from neghbor-
hood to neighborhood, and from State to State,
Let explain this little in detail y on here
in grain-growng State. Your interest then, is to
have consumers, not growers of grain. The hands
that in the belt of Garth in which grain best succeeds
grow wheat, are interested to find mouths elsewhere
to eat who, they raise The manufacturers of the
North and the East need the grain ofthr middle States,
and the cotton the South and these in turn buy the
| ~. Il
interest hul IS in some degree brought about by the
/ regulations o. foreign Governments. Our manutac-
lures find sale in Europe and much of our grain is,
under ordinary circumstances, excluded from its mar
kcts In Franceit is never admitted md in England
contingcny ana uncertainty only, and in manner TO
tantazc rather than crafty the American husband
man,
This internal trade moreover; moves as it were in
circle, and not directly the great imports of the
country are made in New York, whence they pass to
the South and to theWest but exports not main
" from New York, but from the South the main i'm
ports then made at one corner OF the Union, and
the exports from another The same thing is true OF
other branches Of trade. The produce of Ohio, much
of descends the river to New Orleans but Ohio is
supplied with foreign commodities and domestic fabrics
mainly through the New Y ork canals the Lakes and
the Ohio canal The live stock of Kentucky goes to
the Caronas, but Kentucky buys nothing there, but
transmits the money to Baltimore Philadelphia, and
there procurcs what she wants to be sent TO her
across tho Alleghanies
This circuit of trade in country of such great ex-
tent as ours, demands, more than any country under
heaven, uniform currency for the whole people; that
what IS money in Carolina shalt be so elsewhere that
what the Kentucky drover receives, what the planter
I of Alabama sells for, what the laborer in New York
gets IN pay for his work and carries home to support
his family shall be of ascertaincd and uniform value
This Is not the time, the occasion fer an essay
or dissertation on money; but mean distinctly to ex-
4 press tho opinion, that until the General Govern
mcn shnl take in hand the currency of the country
until the Government shall devise means, say
not what Of raising the whole currency to the level
1 gold and silver there be no prosperity
Let us retracc briefly the history of the currency
question in this country-a most important branch Of