Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1841-03-24
WASHINGTON, 18th March, lS4l
To the People Of the United States

FELLowC CITIZENSHIP the Gineral and
his Cabinet folks are all busy looking into mat
ters and Citing things in order, think il is a
good time Jlst to give you my notions as TO what
Is best Tor you, the people, 10 be thinking about,
SO that by the time Congress gets together they
can 60 to work and do what is needful, without
making long speeches and wastngs time till
the Dog Days.
There are three or four measures must be
putt shape without delay. land il is great
pity all the Stale Elections didn't finish before
4th March, so that new Congress would be
always ready.
In the first place, Uncle Sam must have mo-
ney, without being driven to borrowing ont,
from hand to mouth on Treasury Notes, which
is beggarly system; and he must get his mo-
ney out of duties on foreign goods---ihere is no
mistake about that. In the next place, he must
have an agent 10 receive and pay his money,
and make it the interest of that agent to take
what kind of money he chuses; only agreeing
to pay out what he does receive, in the best
kind of money the people demand and then
all parties are accommodated, and that can't be
done by Sub-Treasuries; because if the law
compels every man who owes Uncle Sam TO
pay only in gold and silver, they must first get
gold and silver.--and that is trade in itself,
and before the folks can larn 1t there will be no
revenue. Every man engaged in any kind of
calling will understand The difference betwixt
an agent of the Landlord drawing gold and sill
yer for rent, or one who is willing to take what
the tenant takes in his trade; and if this agent
can accommodate thus the Tenants, and agrees
to pay Dollar for Dollar of what he collects for
ho \ tbav
no one can grumble---and we have currency
matters put back again on the same footing it
was before the Hogs got into the corn-6eld.
The next.measure is 10 put the Public Land
matter on safe footing, so that they who own
this big farm will get their honest share of the
proceeds of saes---and see that no spectators
grab up large quantities of it because prices are
low but sell to no man unless he goes and digs
there, and then lei him have i. at the loves,
price.
Now all these measures have been talked
over, and intelligent and patriotic folks under
stand them all well and there is no use to waste
time in Congress in Cabling over them but toe
the mark and pass them, and as soon as done
there is only one more measure to look to, and
then we all float off the mud and get into
deep water, and that is 10 aid and save the
credit of the States. don't know but that the
measures already mentioned won't do this
---but TO make it sure Uncle Sam has only to
say to the world, " | stand By the boys" and the
business is done at once Now, how is he to
do this economically and safely? Unless some
ioks have better plan---this is mine. Let Con-
gress pass law authorising the issue of U. S.
Bonds having twenty years to run, and bearing
an interes! of three per cent---and say "al We
who have any State Bonds now issued by the
States, If you don't think 'em safe bring 'em in
and take my Bonds bearing three per cent in
terest"-and Congress might further say, "and
all bonds hereafter issued by the States can at
any time be thus exchanged said
Bonds are issued by authority of Congress first
obtained by the State issuing them" This
would work on safe rule---for tho it don't ac-
tually prevent any State issuing ga Bill of
Credit" (which the Constitution positively pro-
hibits) yet il comes to the right ground, and
the States should agree to it never to let any
State issue more of these "Bills of Credit"
without consent of the great family.
The Constitution did evidently intend that no
State should go on and create Bills of Cred
it"---and for very good reasons---for apart from
the ability any State could otherwise have in
raising money for unlawful purposes---it is
scandal to the family for any of its members TO
create debts and be unable to pay them.
have no doubt myself that any Of the States
now owing debts can easily pay them if the
country has revenue from foreign commerce
-an agent TO collect and disburse the same
with power to furnish good currency---and
also the Land Distribution Bil-but these take
a little more time than can be afforded. Creditors
have lost coniidence---public works of improve
ment are stopt for want of means to proceed
and millions will be lost by not saving what is
done and completing some so that they can go
on earning-and this can be at once done by
Uncle Sam himself coming right up and say
ing to the holders of State Bonds ''here is your
security if you don't like what you have got"
Uncle Sam then pays three per cent on his
Bonds thus issued---the question is, who is to