Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-02-05


duty has been recognized by every Admin
istration that ever presided over the dcsti
MICS Of the country, land by none in more
emphatic terms than that of General Jack.
SON. till it was discovered and announced
by the late Administration that the whole
duty and power Of the Federal authority
in regard TO the currency, was limited to
the coinage Of the precious metals, and the
| collection Of the revenue IN g0ld and S,lrer-
in other words, to taking care of the Gov.
eminent and its official corps, leaving the
people to shift for themselves as they may
In the spirit of this new philosophy, we
now hear a measure objected to, and its
const'tutionaiuy questioned, because, look
ing beyond the narrow range of mere 60
vernmental interest, it promises participa-
ton in its benefits to the great body of the
community. For myself, sir, | confess
my lessons of civic duty have been learnt
in different school. A great political
practical thing, made for the happiness of
mankind. and not to furnish out a specta-
Gle of uniformity, to crafty the schemes
of visionary politicians" and that as the
Sabbath though of divine institution was
made for man, not man for the Sabbath. so
Government, which can pretend to no high
err origin or authority. must hold itself in
strumenta and subordinate to the wants and
uses Of the people, for whose benefit it was
established.
But gentlemen must not content them
selves with simply opposing every measure
which is offered by others for the relief of
the country. If they are dissatisfied with
the measures proposed by others, let them
come forward and tell us what is their rem
edy for the present disordcd condition of
the country. Surely when they contem-
plate the universal confusion and disorgan-
ization which now prevail in the business
of society--industry discouraged and par
alysed by the uncertainty and prccariOus-
ness of its reward, commerce struggling
under load of embarrassment from the
want of sound medium Of exchange, the
incubus of Heterogeneous and deprecated
currency pressing the energies Of the peo-
pie to the earth, at a moment, too, when ev-
cry consideration connected with the hon
or Of the American name, at home and
abroad, calls for strenuous development
of the national facuties--wth a scene such
as this before their eyes, appealing Impress
lively to the sensibilities as well as obiiga-
tons of a lofty patriotism. surely gentle
men will not be content to fold their arms
with stoical Indifference, and in the cold
ness and solitude Of metaphysical abstrac-
ton, cry out to suffering people. You cx-
pect too much from the Government!
| certainly had not expected, after the
signal rebukc which this memorable lam
guage. employed in high quarter on for
mer occasion, had met with from the coun-
try, to hear it repeated now. Yet the Sen
ator from Pennsylvania, tells us-leare lie
people to Reconsideration must not look 10
the Gore,nmcm for rciicf-and the Senator
from South Carolina Joins him by telling
his political friends they have nothing to
do but to stand still Now. sir, while the
country is suffering under embarrassments
and disorders Of the gravcst character, at
tributab!e malaly, in my humble Judgment
to miSgOvernmcnt and errors Of public
policy, |, for one, cannot reconcile it to my
sense Of duty, as a servant and represen-
tative Of the people. TO Si0ad still and do
n0ih}Rg. | believe that Government is
competent for good--3s we know. from
bitter experience. that ii is capable Of evil
and am for an honest effort. at least. to do
something for the good Of the country
Il is very evident what gentlemen promise
themselves from their do-nothing policy,
and defeating. IN succession, every meas
ure which Shall he proposed for correcting
existing evils, They still cling to their
cherished sub-treasury system. Theirban-
ner is inscribed with the motto of the sub
Treasury, The ,Uh0Lr sub TreasalW and no
hjng bit the sub TREASURY. But if they
hope ever to bring the free people Of this
country to that repudiated system, with all
its iron-hearted exclusi veness, its selfish
abandonment of the interests of the great
body of the people, its Shylock exaction
of the "better currency for the Govern
mcnt alone. and the absolute dependence Of
all the agents and functionarcs of the sys-
TEN on the will of the President, they will
yet find, perhaps that they are reckoning
wihOW their host.
What, then, Mr.. President. is it incum-
bent upon US. with a due regard to the
circumstances of our position, now to do!
The sub-Treasury system has been repu-
dated by the people, and will never, in my
humble Judgment, be submitted to by them
again A National Bank, it must be con-
coded, even by its strongest advocates, is,
for the present at least, also out of the
question. Were there no other difficulties
in the way, the admitted impossbi!ity of
obtaining subscription of the stock of
such an institution, under existing crcum-
stances, is in itself an nsuperable impede
In TO