Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1847-09-24
A WORD TO THE WHIGs.

Little more than two weeks are now 10 trans
pire before you will again be called upon TO dis
charge the most sacred and important duty known
TO the Greemen Of our Republic. The exercise of
the elective franchise is, as il were, the great le-
yer which regulates the wheels Of Governments
and upon its purity depends the health of the bo-
dy poltic;-to its abuse may be traced all the
evilsthat derange the system, carrying disease in
to all its arteries, and rendering it a prey to the
nsaliate encroachments of the devouring mon.
ster. Hence the importance Of the high privi-
lege; hence the sacredness Of this holy institution.
To the Wings of Ohio, the approaching elec.
ton presents considerations, than which, none
of more moment have been before them for ma
ny years. Upon its result will depend not only
the preservation Of measures already in success.
ful operation, dffusing their beneficial influences
into every part Of The State, but the establishment
of others, Of no less magnitude.
|. may be we'll, at this time, to take calm and
dispassionase survey of the field of oPerationsi
90 bring bsfore the minds.eye oil The questions in.
Volved in the coming election.
The first great measure, then, that presents it.
self to our consideration, is the question Of bank.
ing. For years it has been The line Of demarca.
ton between the political parties Of the Sta,e.-
Whilst the Locofocos controlled the Legislature
of Ohio, their chief desire seemed to be TO Grip.
pie, and ultimately to destroy, our banking insti.
IutOns. At first their acts were insiduous aud
steallhy. Beneath The deceptive cloak of "Bank
Reform" were hidden those destructive measures
that since have been promulgated; first, in that
embodiment of humbuggery, yclept the Barley
Humbug, and lastly, in the following resolution,
passed at the Locofoco State Convention held in
the city Of Columbus on The 9th Of January, l846:
"Resolped, That The Democracy Of Ohio are
opposed TO all PAPER CURRENCY, and are
resolved 10 return to the constitutional currency
Of GOLD AND SILVER"
Against the doctrines embodied in the forego.
ing resolution the Wings have always contended.
Their first effort, after Obtaining the ascendency
in the Legislature, was to establish a safe and
practical system of Banking, which, despite the
strenuous opposition of the Locofocos they were
a, length enabled.o accomplish. To this, the Lo.
cofocos, though in the minority, did not tamely
submit. 1t was proclaimed by leading members
Of the party, in the Halls of the Legislature, that
the yatchword OF the democracy" was IRE.
PEAL;" and, sentiment was heralded through.
out the State, by parzan presses, as the first
principle of Progressive Democracy"
The preservation, then, of the present banking
SYSTEM is one Of the great principles involved in
tho approaching election. II the Locofocos
should succeed, they stand pledged to repeaI it.
What would beIhe consequence Of such step!
Suppose that our banking institutions had been
stricken from existence previous TO the market.
ing of the crop of lS46, and that the farmer had
TO depend on an exclusive specie currency in
return for his produce. All the specie in the u
nited States, not required to defray the ordinary
EXPENSES of the National Government would
not have been sufficient to purchase one.half of
the surplus produce of Ohio; to say nothing of
the vast amount required for o.her purposes. The
farmer would either have been compelled 10 ex-
change his produce for merchandise, ct ruinous
sacrifice, or to have kept it on hand, without any
prospec, for its future disposal. The ultimate ef-