Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-03-25
FOR THE SPECTATOR.

have heretofore arranged himself, may with
out inconsistency sustain. That il is his
purpose to administer the governments accor-
ding to the principles thus avowed, no one
capable OF doing justice to his character for
sterling honesty and integrity can for mo-
mcnt doubt; nor can any one acquainted with
his devoted patriotism and warm hearted phi
lanthropy distrust his intention by every
means in his power zealously to preserve the
honor and promote the happiness and prosper
ity of his country. Confidence that he has
II properly supported, tho capacity to carry
these good intentions into effect, is justified
by the ability which he has shown in long
experience in civil affairs; and to aid him in
doing so no has surrounded himself by set
OF as able and honest advisers as ever consti-
tuted the cabinet of any President. ButGen.
HARRISON comes into power under circu,nstan-
ces ofextremc difficulty. With an exhaust
ed treasury, diminished resources, a national
debt Of unknown but fearful amount, a cur
rsncy extremely deranged, commerce, agri-
culture, manufactures, every great interes
languishng, the national defe noes in dilap-
idated and ruinous condition, perhaps no
President ever came into power encom passed
by difficulties so formidable as he will have
to encounter. The exertions Of no President
whatever his qualifications may be, though
assisted by the most able advisers, can re-
trieve the country from its fallen state and
IN ~,
support of the people. 1t is not indeed to be
presumed that that powerful faction, the au-
thors Of the evils under which our country la
bours, will give any aid to an administration
every successful step of which in restoring
health and vigour to the nation, will stand
as reproach to themselves; certainly not; so
far from their aid, their most strenuous oppo-
sition, stimulated by tho deepest malevolence,
is to be expected. But may not that rirtuous
part of tho supporters of Mr.. Van Burcn's
administration, constituting no doubt the great
majority of thcparty, who seek alone the good
OF their country, with the most perfect con-
sistency and propriety unite with the Wings
In sustaining the efforts OF Gen. Harrison for
suffering the same evils--we alike desire the
honor and welfare of our common country.
Then why not repudate party spirit-unite
as brethren and GO for our country, our whole
country, and nothing but our country. Does
not patriotism, do not cur dearest interest and
every noble and generous feeling demand that
We should do so. The alarming and critical
situation Of our beloved country imperiously
demands ofcvery good citizen that he should
take this subject under his most serious and
solemn consideration.
Connected with this subject is the charac
ter Of the currency: The idea Of making it
exclusively metallic, however we'll intended,
appears to me to be fraught with more fatal
consequences than any other scheme, having
no relation to the personal rights of tie citi-
Zen, that has ever been devised. Ii any SIM
gle scheme could produce the effect of arrest.
ing, at once, that mutation of condition by
which thousands Of our INDECENT fellow-citi-
zens, by their industry and enterprise, are
raised TO the possession Of wealth, that is the
one. 1T there is one measure better calcuat-
ed than another to produce that state of things
80 much deprecated by all true republicans,
boards, and the poor sinking deeper into PEN
nry, it is an exclusive metallic currency. Or
If there is process by which the character
OF the country for generosity and nobleness of
feeling may be destroyed by the grcatincrease
and necessary federation of usury, it is an ex-
elusive metallic currency--President Harri-
sons inaugural address.
The business Of the views here taken is
demonstrable, and indeed obvious to every in
telligent mind. They are however in direct
opposition to those taken by General Jackson
and Mr.. Van Buren,, who were but too sue
cessful in deluding the ignorant POI or into the
suicidal policy Of supporting measures cal
culated to consign themselves to a state Of
hopeless Indulgence. For Gen'l. Jackson,
(whose labours In relation to the currency
have been well compared to those of bull in
China shop, for certainly the skill and intel
ligence required were about as appropriate in
the one instance as the other.) the plea of
ignorance may be made. Ilehas too the fur
ther apology, that his passions and prejudi-
ces were worked upon, among others, by that
most mischievous set Of men in the commu-
nifty the brokers and stock jobbers, through
their pensioned agents, to induce him to de-
stroy that institution which by giving to the
country sound and uniform currency, had
rendered their business comparatively unpro-
ftable; and against which their own unaided
efforts had proved impotent, and they have
found their acc cunt in doing so for from the
spois of the currency consequent upon put
ting down the U. S. Bank they have soon