Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-09-02
A ID ID IL E S S

Fellow CITIZENS
1t will be recollcctcd that direct issue
was made in the Presidential election of 1910
with the Van Buren, or Locoloco party, OH
the question of the currency and the imam
ces, on the question Of the distribution OIL
the proceeds of the public lands, on the pro-
lection of American labor and American
productions. Our political opponents rea-
Oily Joined issue with us on these vitality i'm
portant questions.
The jackson and Van Buren, administra-
tons, under pretence of giving the people a
better currency, had, in the first place prac'
ticed series of experiments, unlawful III
themselves, and highly injurious in their
operation and in the next place established
the pet Bank system of currency and finance
which had inhamed the currency, extended
credit, encouraged the widest and most
reckless schemes of adventurous speculation,
seduced vast mutitudes from the pursuits OF
honest industry to those Of gambling specu-
lation, until at length, in May, 1887, the
system exploded and a general suspension
of specie payments ensued, and the country
was threatened with general bankruptcy and
run--and in this awful crisis, the admins
tration abandoned all care and supervision
of the currency, refused all measures of re-
lief to the people, and retreated under a
hard money, sub treasury system OF finance,
borrowed from the despotc Governments OF
the old world, assuming the odious doctrine
''that the government wouId take care of it.
self and the people must take care Of them
selves" Under the operation of the revenue
tho Administrations Of
Gen Jackson, about one half the amount of
foreign imports were admitted duty free,
and the duties on the other half were in
gradual course of reduction to the low rate
of twenty per cent, while at the same time
almost every article, of agricultural produce
especially of the Northern Middle and
Western States. was burdened with exhorbi-
tant duties in England and most other for
eign countries, with whom we carry on any
considerable trade.
The issue rendered by the wings in 1910
on these measures and this policy OF the Adj
ministration and accepted by the Van Rren
party, was, first That it was the duty of the
general government to exercise a supervision
of the currency so as to provide secure or
sound currency for the people, and equalse
exchanges. That in place of the sub treas
ury, fiscal agent should be provided for the
government, which instead of locking sp
the public moneys thereby causing frequent
pressures and consequent embarrassment,
should in its operation offer such facilities
for business as might be safe for the govern
ment and advantageous to the people,
2. That the public lands being the COM
mon property of all the States. the proceeds
of their sales should be distributed to the
States.
3. That both the honor of the nation
and the interests Of the people required
such revision of the Tariff Laws as would
protect the products of American industry
(both agricultural and manufacturing from
ruinous competition with those of the pau
per labor of Europe, and at the same time
furnish an adequate revenue for an econo-
mical administration of the Government.
During the Presidential canvass of lS40'
the Wings, urged the necessity of these
changes in the Government and also in the
revenue laws, with great zeal and ability
and with great unanimty. 1t was strenu-
ously commended, that unless these changes
could be effected in the administration of
public affairs the then. present embarrass-
ments would increase, until every description
of property and the wages of labor, would
come down to such low rates as to involve
the whole of the great debtor class of the
community either in the most severe losses
or IN lrretrievable bankruptcy and ruin
That without such changes, countless mil
lions of manufacturing and agricultural
capital would be sunk and lost, and that
wide spread and hopeless ruin, would per-
wade the fairest portions of our country.
That in order to effect the proposed
change, and save the country from the ca
lamity that awaited it, under the operation
OF the measures that twelve years of corrnp-
ton and misrule had fastened upon 1.-THE
people must wrest the government from the
Van Buren, party, and elect to the highest
office in their gift, the candidate of the whia
party, the patriot Harrison That if Gen.>
Harrison should be elected the wings during
his administration would effect these impor-
tant changes in the measures and policy of
the government, the downward course oil
things would be arrested, business would re-
vive, and the country would be eventually
restored TO prosperous condition.
On all these measures so vitality important,
our political opponents take the opposite
ground, and most strenuously contend that
no change was neccessary-that the meas
ures and policy of Jackson and Van Buren,
OF which the Wings complained, so far from
reducing wages and property as avowed and
commended by the wings, were eminently cal
culated to establish the prosperity Of the
country, and place it on so sure foundation
that no future revolutions of serious ma
ture need be apprehended The hard mon
ey subtreasury system of finance was lauded
to the skies-it was "second declaration
of independence'-and the operation ofthis
measure and that ofthe 30 per cent reyenue