Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-04-22
AMERICAN STOCKS IN ENGLAND.

ca w tns LONDON papers, an extract RON WHICH
~a published day or two since, as having been
presented to Mr.. Everett, our Minister to London,
by the holders Of American Stocks in Great Brit
ain. N. Y. Express
"To His Excsllency, EDWARD EVERETT, Minis
ter of the Uaited States of America, at the Court
OF ST. James,
Strive, the Undersigned, beg leave earnest
ly 10 call your attention, and that of the Govern
ment which you represent, to the painful situation
in which we are placed, owing to the Failure Of
several of the States Of your Country in fulfilling
the Engagements into which they have entered
with their public Creditors.
ain becoming Holders Of the Public Securities
Of your States, we trusted,--as the whole OF the
past history ofyour country, and the universal Opn
ion OF mankind then seemed TO warrant US in do
ing SOTO the untaTnished honor of the People OF
Amenca ;--hrnly belieyeing, that, whatever the
reveIses Of fortune which might befall them, or
whatever the sacrifice which they mIght be called
upon 20 make, IN order to redeem theii plighted
faith, it would always be their frs, and paramount.
duty, their pride aad their pleasure, to take care
that those, whose money they had solicited and OBJ
tanned, on solemn assurance Of repayment, should
never have occasion 10 repfoach them with broken
pledges and violated obligations
"cach were our confident expectations. How
sadly those expectations have been disappointed
by recent events, il is hardly necessary for us now
10 declare. Nor can il surprise you, sir, who must
be acquainted with tho general sentiments of Eu-
rope on this painful subject TO learn from US, tho
sufferers how unsatisfactory, in our opinion, the
grounds on which your countrymen rest the non
fuflment Of their engagements. We, in this coun-
try, who, for agrs past have made, aud are still
proud to make, such great efforts Tor the preserva-
ton OF our national faith invioiate; we, who hold
that, to whatever extent contract is binding, in
right, on an individual, to The same extent 1t is
biadinb ona Sovereign State-,-nay, it u even more
So for the Ieason that III the former case, there is,
in the latter there is not, disinterested tribunal
to which the oppressed may fly for suecor and re-
dress--wc, sir can never admit the doctrine, and
we now earnestly protest agans, it, that state,
WHICH has once pledged lis faith and its recouices,
Is ut liberty, on the mere plea, that its engagements
arc irksone and nconvennt, or even oppressive, to
relieve itself from them, by making sacrifice Of
lis creditors. In such proceeding roe can see
and at one time we your countrymen
would have seen-noihing bu, a crying injustice
might trainpling on right public faith reduced to
a mockcry-and the most solemn obligations treat
ed as so much waste paper!
This is not all, sir! We protest, too, as earn
esty, against the doctrine thai the innocent holders
OF the genuine Public Sentiments of a country can
be justly made 10 suffer for the fraud or Negligence
OF tho officers, whom tho Government, in its un-
controlled discretion, may have employed in the
transaction OF its business doctrine, we must add,
so utterly at variance with the simplest elements
OF Jurisprudence, that, whatever countenance il
may have lately received from some of your State
Legislatures, were quite sure that one court Of
Justice in your country would tolerate is, for mo-
men,, in any private suit between man and man.
sin thus bringing our & ievances under your con-
sideration. sir, we should leave our task but half
performed, if we took NJ notice of nh impression,
which, We understand, prevails very generally a
mongst your people, that their creditors in this
country, are, in great measure, men oflargc for
tunes, 10 whom failure their securities can oc-
casion but little inconvenience. Even il such
were the case, IL would in view of the matter,
furnish grouad for any departure from the ordin-
ny obligations of good faith. In fact,9 however,
though there may be few amongst US in more aiiu-
ont circumstances, yet by far the larger portion Of
~ are persons in thu middle rank of lie.-Ohicers
on halEpay ,-super-annuated cierksretired trades
men living oa small .means,--aged spinsters, Wild
ows and orpaans many of wnom have invested
their all in the purchase OF your securities, Mt high
prices, aud now depend for their subsistence, soms
evan for their daily bread, on the good faith ofyour
People.
awe solemnly ask--shall this dependence be
placed in vain! Is IL possible that your country
men should be indifferent 10 the misery they will
create, to the many hearis they may break. by a
perseverance, in their present policyl Are they
prepared, at the outset OF a career, which nigh, be
so honorable, aud brilliant, to face the Orphans
tears, and the widows curse! Are they prepared
TO brave that retribu,ive judgment, which, IN the
ds2ensaiions of Providence, and in the Order ofna-
turo ITSELF never fails to ovetake notorious inus-
tice, national or Individual! We cannot CREDIT II.
We remember, with revived hope and confidence,
that your people own the same ancestors,-ihat
they have drawn their rules OF morality from thu
same sources, as ourselves:--ws will not believe,
h.tf hev ha lad IN, thRlf
the same love of justice which has always distn-
guished our common race aad to which under heav-
Ell, this nation owes so many blessings. But II
would be All unworthy deception on our part, we've
we not to tell you plainly, sill, that you have, IN our
opinion, now reached highly eritc7l moment,
in the history of your nstion; aud we anxiousiy
warn YOU, that unless the States, OF whose broken
engagements we complain, address themselyesqui-
city and earnestly, to the duty OF retrieving The
character OF the couny, the opportunity Tor doing
so may DO lost zoe ever.
AIN thus addressing you, sir, we are aware thai
we have spoken our minds freely; but surely not
more than we have 4 right 10 do, from the ex-
treme hardship. -four case, aud the cruel ankle
ties we have ,uiTefed. A. we ask no iavors at the
hands OF your eouatfynen, bat simple justice; So,
justice being withneld, tsnot our faniI thaiwe ara
obliged thas TO press our claims IN the language OF
censure aud remonstSanee.
"ln Conclusion, siI, we respectfully entreat ihaS
yod will forward this memorial TO the Chiet Msgis-
trate OF your connlry, with al earnest request hon
u., that il INV be laid before both Houses of Con-
gress at their ensuing session, aud that copies OF
IL may be forwarded 10 the Governors OF your dill
feren, States; and, generally, that every means,
consistent with your constitutional ussges, may be
adopted, bith by the Legislative and Executive aa'
Ihoftiss Of your country, in aid Of cause, whiea,
ift nueh concerns o1G private interests, concerns
no less he honor efth Uniscd Ssatesof .iBssrlea.