The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-02-07
A CAPITAL Letter.

We commend the following able letter
of Col. VIM Bigler to the careful attention
Of our readers. 1t was written in answer
to letter of invitation 10 attend a celebra-
tion of the Anniversary of the Battle of
New Orleans in Lock Haven, Pa. AS
COL Bigler has a reputation as statesman
and a mai of business inferior to the
to none in the State, his remarks relative
in,n:,s sh,llI reeve the serious
consideration of the members of the Leg
islature, and the people of Pennsylvania
generally.
| CLEARFIELD, Jan. l3, 1850.
| GENTLEMEN:-l have your fiattering
favor of the lst inst, inviting me on behalf
of the Democracy of Clinton County, TO
join them at Lock Haven, on the Sth inst,
In celebrating the approaching anniversary
of the battle of New Orleans. slight
indisposition, which has confined me to
my room for few days past, will prevent
me availing myselfof your kind invitation,
which l very much regret: for it would
afford me especial pleasure to meet our
democratic friends of Clinton at the .festive
board,'' on an occasion SO well calculated
1 10 awaken interesting and gratifying re-
miniscences.
! l need not speak to you of the military
career of the hero of the event which you
meet TO commemorate; of his skill, his
bravery his untiring vigilance, his tolls,
his victories and his final triumph at New
Orleans. These are part of our national
}, history, are familiar to all, and have long
since assigned the name of Jackson 10 a
high place in the temple of fame. AS the
: beneficiaries of his useful life, enj Dying
the blessings of his labors, we may very
properly commemorate an event which
distinguished him at once as a brave,
skillful, and patriotic General, and reflect
E ed the highest honor on the American
arms.
There are, however, features in the
. civil career of this great man, still subject
to the tests of time, which, in my opinion,
may be appropriately and advantageously
contemplated. Indeed his whole career
as President of the United States is full of
lessons of wisdom and instruction. AL
5 though not regarded by some as political
: philosopher, or as having as thoroughly
studied the problems of Government as
some other distinguished American states
men, his heart was fully embued with the
pure principles of Democracy and his
r impulses, therefore, were always correct.
He aimed at the intellectual, moral and
social elevation of the mass. of his fellow
citizens; increasingly resisting the natural
current Of power from the many TO the
: few, protecting labor, industry and enter
: prise against the encroachments of capital
and monopoly, desiring always to give
general and equal prosperity 10 all classes
of the people and especial privileges to
nome His -sagacious mind readily com
pretended the right, and his clear Judge
ment and "Iron will'' always enabled him
, 10 obtain it in the least Objectionable mode.
Thus foreseeing the inevitable ills to result
from continued existence OF the United
: States Bank, he determined, against the
: judgement and wishes of many of the most
intimate friends, to reject It's charter. The
Justice Of this decision is now readily ad-
mitted-every years experience, from that
time to the present, has served to demon
strate It's wisdom and patriotism. lie
? more fully foresaw the dangerous tenden-
, cies of such an institution, with Its means
of concentrating the monetary power OF
the country, and completely comprehend
ed it's baneful influence upon our political
institutions, than any other man in the
i Union.
May of those who regarded its existence
. as indispensable to the prosperity of the
country, looking upon it as the great regu.
lator of the currency, and of foreign and
r domestic exchanges, have been forced, by
: time and experience, to treat the PROPOSE
y ton as an s'obsolete idea" Another re-
markable evidence of Jackson's grea
> sagacity and patriotism, was presented III
> the truthfulness with which he foretold
/ the ruinous consequences of wild ano
q almost unlimited credit system, then being
e engendered by an excessive issue of bank
# paper. Respect for his admonitions would
e have saved the country much subsequen
S disgrace and suffering. But his views, as
r given to the New York panic committees
S were secuted by the merchants, specula
: tors, and bankers of the country-they
n went on in their wild career, and finally
/, became the victims of their own folly
n which broke upon them in the shape of {
S commercial revulsion, the like of which
It sincerely hope the country may nevU'
f again be called upon to endure. There
are very few at this day who would be
willing to assail the anti Bank and anti
monopoly doctrines of Gen. Jackson
The baneful influence of corporations and