The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1847-02-27

once furnished only limited supply o'
,ecesssries 10 scattered people, now
minister in profusision 10 the wants
|convenience and comfort oi large pop
La,ion. The bowels OF the earth have
oeen explored, and its mineral tressu'
res brough, ou, and appropriated lot
purposes of general good. .7nd 'r'
.msll and obscure Iurnsnce and uliIng
hammer, are sup rseded by 'he 'u''
md extensive rolling mills, by which
our limitles mines of iron ore ere con-
verled, iu all possible et'es, 20 Tie
use Of man. Those are a'hl' vemen's
Under the Constitution, and sustained,
by i,s priuci, les, and | cannot believe
tina, 1t is either The polcy, the interest,"
or The righ, Of the government, TO eH'
change such solid foundations OF uu'
gr a,ness, for new system OF spec'sI
| p iviIges, repusnant 10 the principles
Of The govern men', aud, in my oplnlo'
to the sentiments OF lie treemen ofPenn.
,ylvanio.
The introduction OF a class Of OPP ra-
ors, clothed with exclusive privllgls, to
me ap ,esrs 10 be, not only contrary It
be spirit and meaning oil The cons(Iju-
lion, but ii promises no advantage e''h'
er to the public or 10 individuals. Tins
is proved by lhe result OF all atlemp''
hat have hitherto been made in tins
state, TO benei public or private 'D'ei'
~si By means OF corporations, for purpose
within The compass Of lndividu'I'
compas and en,erprize.
All that legislative grants could do,seem'
10 have been done 10 animate incorporated
Coal companies with the ability 10 develoP'
! ,his invaluable mineral. Thiny-hve com
IpanIes have been incorporated, win an az
lregate capital Of more lhan eight millions
l,l dollars, and with authority 10 hold elgh
ly.iye thousand acres OF coal land Whert
are they! What have they donef The!
are useless, because OF their organic made
quacy 10 accomplish the purposes Tor whIcl
they were created.
Individual enterprise, capital aud energy
sanctioned and invigoraed by The sPlrI' an
meaning of The Constitution, have selz
\ pon and performed The work with r"sIs'
ess power. And .hoee pretty artificial ere
|aions have shrunk from competition wit
l,he natural and vigorous eXer'ons OF III
D loeope, made wi,hou. The aid, and, in som
J iegree, in def lnce of legislative enact
nenlS.
Lending money has been conducted i
this Stale by incorporated banks, perhap
With more success than has attended an
other aIempi to carry on business, by con
Ifering special privileges. And yet the sg
Igregae losses and injuries which have bee
inflicted upon the people by The paper sy
g source, are badly compensated by all 1t
IS advantages they have conferred. The ieI
,ering sores that were created upon lbe bot
% polite under The banking act Of 1872
81 and the food of vice, gambling, anil frau
'e which i, spread over the land, had bare
o been stayed and controlled, when the Bar
10 |or the United States commenced and carr
90 ed out us work of desolallon - unselill
ia ,he foundations OF property, stripping 4
vmluous of their honest acquisitions, a
robbng the widows and he ialherless
their mesns Of subsistence. The hope
now entertained, that by limiting the
20 noun, of banking capitsh and by The inIr
"e duc,on Of wholesome restrictions, The a
T" vantsVes 10 be del,yed from the eysh
h' may be secured, without being exposed
a. he danger OF those eXcesses which h'
nd heretofore been so destructive. But, sho
il the power to regulate and con,r,l the bal
llIs fail who ,ha. values honesty, and Tu
md virise and religion, would no, lnli0llely r
be for the old fashioned, simple and fru
was mode Of lending money, when those
,od were fortunate assisted their eHlerprS
lac nelghbors upon safe neighborhood Sc
49, hily, 10 all he benefits Of The banking s
r. tenn, purchased ~ The Introduction Of