The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-07-30
THE VERDICT OF THE PEOPLE
AGAINST THE
INDEPENDENT TREASURY.

INDEPENDENT TREASURY.
During the extra session of Congress, the charge
has been made by federal members, and echoed
| and re-echoed from Maine TO Louisiana, that the
people of the United States, after full, free and
fair investigation of the Independent Treasury bill,
had sOemnIy delivered their verdict against it, and
the late election for President is cited as proof con-
elusive of this fact How utterly false,
The late election, if it proved any thing, served
only TO show how far men, sustaining fair charac-
tiers in the community in which they lived, could
lamper with the gulibity of the peoplo-coud in
duce them to believe hard cider sovereign rem
edy for all the ills of the body polite, and that Tip
pecanoe poles and log cabin badges could be sub
stiiuted IN place Of reason and argument. Avow-
ing no princpe-lor as party they have no set
tied ones--they attempted, and it is with shame
and modification that we add, succeeded in carry
ing Gen Harrison into the Presidency, without u
vowing the principles by which they would be guild
ed in the event of their elevation to power. In
this, truth ccmpels us to add, they were assisted
by the low price of produce, caused by an abund-
ant harvest aided by the banks, who entered the
political arena, determined to force change by
contracting their loans and refusing to pay their
honest dues.
The divorce Of Bank and State, was, it is true,
TO be unpopular with the people, but we hesitate
not to say that the victorious party passed no YER
diet upon 1t, for they grossly ignorant Of the
operations of the bill. We venture the assertion
without the fear Of successful contradiction that
not one in fifty Of the federal party ever read the
independent Treasury BILL as it passed Congress,
They heard it denounced by their orators as Il
mons,c1-thcir papers held it up as a plan Of Mr.
Van Buren, 10 grasp both the sword and the purse
ofthr nation vet their leaders studiously concealed
the bill itself from their deludcd followers But
one single paper in Ohio, so far as our knowledge
extends and our recollection serves us, Published
the bill and that paper was the Ohio State journal
Of this cy-thGn edited BY Gen, James Allen,
who was shortly afterwards cast oil by his party.
The remainder of the federal press in Ohio, though
they were tainted by the democracy with refusing
to publish, darci not publish the law, for they
well knew the democratic party looked upon the
bin itself, as the best reiualon of the many caum-
mics heaped upon it,
With all these facts staring US in tho face, we
IRE gravely told that the s'ub-tcasury hill-so call
cd by our opponcnts-has been decided against by
the American people, after full, fair, and free in
ye.tigntcn. Out upon such vile SANDER
The bill, to be popular, needs only to be known
and understood. 1t has been charged that it Is
peculiarly favorable 10 oilice-holders. We know
this TO be untrue. Tho nd iaicrmia editor OF this
paper has been public officer, aye, under the
provisions of the Sub-lrensury, and he states, With
out tho fear of successful contradiction from nny
source or from any quarter, that 1t imposes bur
dcn.omc duties upon public officers, without one
cent of increased pay. This is not stated us mere
hcarsay but it is fact drawn from our own eX-
pcriencc Ii divorces the banks entirely from the
Government, and makes it felony for tho public
officer TO usc the funds Of the Government. The
same money that il received rs dues 10 the Gov
eminent is to be paid out TO rs creditors, and all
the funds are placed, by the wise and Sautary pro-
visions Of this much abused law, under the care Of
Congress, and not ns has been most falsely repre-
scntpd, in the hands of tho Executive. SO far from
increasing Executive patronage, 1t lesscncd 1t, for
il cut of the immense power vested in the Prcsl-
dent in nominga bank in which the public moneys
were to be kept. 4 power which, it exercised by
m ambitious or designing President, could bring
the banks of the country, their officers and dcpcn-
dans at once at the foot of the Executive, a hum
bic suppnnts for his favor. Aided BY the public
revenue in the vaults, tho dcpositc banks could
make money hand over hand, aud who does not
know these institutions, would willingly support
the man by whose favor they could make money
II il TO benefit these honest Institutions" as Mr.
Ewmg-we doub, not irOnicdliy-ca them, that
that gentleman and bis friends, are so ANXIOUS TO
have the Independent Treasury bill repeal
cd. The bill for that purpose has already pissed
the Senate, and is now in the lower house of Con-
grcss, and if not already repealed, soon will be-
We are no prophet, yet if the gift of prophecy ever
was upon US, it is when we say that before SIX
years roll round, the Independent Treasury will be
ro-enac,cd, and will, when thoroughly understood,
be one of the most popular laws ever enacted by
an American Congress Ohio S'r'e5maa.