Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-19

| NNotCsNUl1 anu Anuut COulittOf, credit. public and
private, which is At last the honest m m's fdetd and
the poor mans paIrimony, and manufactures, al
ecknow edged its ro,rut Influence, while al Ian
eushJd and p.uCd under Us overthrow and reStruc
non. What a contrast was presented 10 this happy
sccnt when the fatal experiments Of thinkers IN cur
rency commenced their operations. Commerc,
tagged, manufactures persisted, agriculture suffered,
the trNdeSman aud the !ablrer were thrown out OF
employment Credit was lost, confidence was de-
Stroyed, not only IN men OF character, means. and
influence, Tut in The stability of the institutions OF
the country. DISORDER, confusion, and disS,uSfac.
ton, reiSned throughout the land; when the Peoplc.
the mighty People, rising IN their strength, accom-
p'iShcd q great civil and political revolution. and
drove their opprsSsors from powcc.
What, then, were we required to do7 What is
demanded OF US by the nation1 Why were VIC
summoned here Ivy the venerable patriot and soge
whom the People had called TO the helm of state.
and IS now no mhrCi Was II to 90 noihins1 Was
II IN mockcry that we were assembled To LAUGH
over their mlscries, and fiddle over the flames OF
iNonef ps was II TO relieve them Of their distres.
SEES, and the Governments OF its emblrrassments,
Sir, let not gentlemen tDlk to me about the issue,
that were made up IN the Presidential election. tbere
werr many, no doubt, that had an influence on the
pubic mind but there was one great, absorbing.
overwhelming question that lrv ut the foundation OF
the whole, and that WAS the currency question. But
l viii not ash that the election Of General uarti-
son shall be taken as a decision of the PeonI. IN
favor Of a hank there has been a more dit.c, and
unequlNocai deciSion made in another form-and
WHAT'S Ihali IL Is the majority ofthoir Represen
tauVes standing on tins floor, and in their name de-
mandine the measure "A majority exceeding in mum.
bers the entire representation of Virginia ana South
Carolina united, from which the main opposi,ion
now comes; that Is the test OF public sentiment
and the only legitimate test that can be npn'icd.
But II may tc said with great prnprtctv tb,, e ~,
did not make the issue last fall of Bark or sub.
treasury, the other party made Il for us. There
was not a paper throughout the whole country, at
tached TO the political fortunes Of Mr.. Nan Rnrsp
mat md rot raise the ruesfEnr pE h,,L- -. -. -
II was inscribed on every banner, and at the heal
OF every paper, and IN the mouth of every man tho,
addressed the People and | deny heir right now
TO deny their own issues. There were orbsr roII,.
tsral issues, no doubt; and there may have been
some lew anti bank men that voted for General H,r-
Tlson but did any sub Treasury men yot. nrains,
Mr.. Van Burcn2 Il there were a dozen in m. n
states ltiS more than | know, and more than | be-
he't; ana the currency question from the first was
ahI now is, oetwecna bank and the sub Treasury.
For a single momcnilel me turn nv aucn,io, IN
Inc amendment that has been adopted in The Sep,,.
as a compromise, IN relation TO the branching pow
CT some agency IN ~eitsctng that compromise had
oseh osc6Oeu 10 me here and IN the public nrip,s
ami | have no desire 10 avoid any .esp1,sib,;t v ,bo,,
may attach 10 me. The amendment itseIf ron,,ir.
nothing 10 recommend It 10 my flyor. Ip~refe-reJ
tne original Senate bill, and, II It cumorumises anv
ihIrE, Il was only to ensure lis passaSr ,b-o,.L ~
Senate, when 1t was ascerlained Thai n.,,Lcr ~
other b!Ns could pass. IL had produced m I .tTs.,
AMI | am satisfied. | have made a sacrr6cc ~ -
private opinion TO concI.Iate a small portion of m.
party into whose hands the des,inies of the ,oT,,.,
have been placed. BY the passage Of the E,'i 49,
DO all that could be asked oil us; we will b,vc dc.
charged our duty. The responsibility viii no, ~,
on Us, and II it is assumed in another nuar,,r =
defeat the bill, 1t will Ce our misfortune, bit no, onT
fault. "O'oE'
have other objections TO many features NJ ,bis
oII that | Will not now discuss. IaIlude To nrc 80
parucu,ar-l mean that which excludes f,,.irno.s
from holding stock, although they are no, onIy =.
p5ived OF all power over their own mo~ey. bu, - al
right TO vote even for directors OF the institution
| yield TO this o"ly because 1t may be corrected
hereafter, aud because | DO not wish 10 create INV
fertilizer difficulty 10y amendments. As lonc as ,bey
VIII Furnish US with their money. and subject il 10
our entire and exclusive control, so long will we
have a power over them that we may find eminent.
y useful, both IN peace and wl~.
In conclusion. Mr.. Chairman, let me say ,bssa
are the views | entertain on this subject. Errone-
Gus, probably, some Of them may be, but thgv ars
honest and sincere, uuinhuencei by party c5nriI..
rluons or tear Of cenuuca;1n. nave taken tie
Constitution as NJ guide, and he public interest q,
my end, and shall fee. myself more than c-mDen.
suied 1! | sha.. have succeeded in sheGdin, any
Iig"t uPon the Oewidered aid prejudiccd mind ,f a
srE.e individual. Or shall. have contributed IN any,
degree towards the establishment Of an institution
without wu.ch feel assured inc Government, md
It's citizens can never be restored 10 prosperity and
Ha- piress.