Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-08-19
From The LovcA Offering.
A LETTER ABOUT HARD TIMES
From the

| - " ANVIL AAnO Times
You ask me what | think of "b,,a
tines? Think why | think that q, a
nation we are in the same predcament 40
the frog in the fable, who tried % swel,o
the size of The OK, and finally, without at.
tanning his object, "6ursted." There ara
fixed laws by which trade, and the impor.
and exports OF nations are regulated, a.
we'll as in the material word. For in.
stance, if A has nothing but his yearly in.
come TOR his support, and that income il
one thousand dollars, while his expenses
and liabilities are two thousand dollars,
why in the very nature of the case. he
must ".fdiL;" and his failure Injuries B, C
and [. who rsbs creditors. In conlinu.
alton, B, e and d perhaps live within their
income, but the failure Of A, E and G.
Neir debtors, involves them in the same
dilemma, and obey must retrench or fail
too. This rarenchment has been hard
matter to come at, for it affects the smiles
and good humor Of their families, for A
great portion Of Or countrywomen would
refuse TO expend less than they have been
accustomed to, unless compelled by tho
failure OF their husbands and fathers, and
consequent loss of credit am not dispo.
sed to go into the merits, or demeritsot the
"credt SYSTEM" (although Go think that
integrity and energy should be capital as
we'll as money! but there is one thing that
all will agree upon, (viz.) that the credit
system has been most sadly abused.
But | date the primary cause of the pre-
sent national prostration of business lar
back. | know that politicians lay the
whole blame of the matter to some move
ment of The party they do not support, OF
that one which does not support their
measures; as, for instance, the Wings
charge the evil upon Gen. Jackson's veto
of the United States Bank; while the De.
mocrats say that it has arisen from The
evils which grew out of that institution
The evils of which both parties complain,
seem TO me TO be the effect, rather than
the cause.-The breaking out of the ulcer,
instead of the impurity of the blood which
tainted the system.
The root OF the evils under which our
nation is suffering, was something prior 10
the "removal of the deposiles from the
United States Bank" or to the "veto'
upon the act to recharter that bank, or
the "specie circular"-yes, antecedent to-
the act to establish that bank in the first
place. Our "hard times" are the effects
of moral, rather than q political evil;
and political errors have grown out Of the
moral sins.
l know that the politicians of both par
ties would shrug up their shoulders, and
say that this is but woman's assertion,
ask what | know Of these things? Not
much, confess, if my whole information
upon the subject had been derived from
their "political capital" And when have
examined their arguments upon banks
sub-treasuries, or exchequers, | have toll
lowed their example, and looked upon the
effects, instead OF the cause; and l have
been forced 10 the conclusion that he con-.
ten,ions about "paper currency and
"hard currency" is like the famed battle
of the Kentucky snakes, where 'each SOL
zed his opponent by the tail, and swallow
ed and swallowed, until not a restige Of
,itter reyndi1edm