Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-02-27
The Democrats In Love with the
Ranks!

This is certainly an age OF wonders. Each
day brings something new either in the mocha
meal, scientific or political world. to make US
open our eyes with wonder, if not to elicit our
admiration. WitlhEeference to the latter only
we would inquire if it is not something pecu-
liarly rich, after a war of nearly II quarter OF
a century, the most violent and bitter, which
the Democracy have waged against all descrlp-
tons Of Banking systems, to find that a reyo-
luton of opinion and of principle, now that
the party issues upon this subject have long
since died away, have taken possession of the
brains of some of the leading Locofocos in
Louisiana? Yet such change appears evident,
if Legislative reports and proceedings are evil
dences of fact. 1t will be seen by the report
of Isaac T. Preston, (than whom there never
was a more violent and incorporating oppo-
nent of the Banking system,0 that he recon-
mends that the Citizens Bank be "~restored to
all her original rights" Not only has Mr..
Preston recommended this, but John NJ. Bell,
another staunch leader of the Democracy and
a favorite of the last administration, has warm
ly advocated ii, thus giving to Banking opera
tons the sulphurous smell of Loeofoeo love.
Upon the above subject, we give the follow
ing extracts from an article headed sRoaen
Banks and Dsmoaracy," which ne take from
the True Delta, the friend of no party and the
fayorite of no clique. For this reason, The re-
marks below are peculiarly interesting. After
referring to the past system Of banking and
some of its consequences, the article continues:
After a little, the opponents Of banks came
to rank themselves under the democratic ban
ner; the friends OF the system, under that of the
wings; the latter contenting themselves with a
general defence of banking on an honest basis,
while the former warred against it IN toto, as
one inherently bad, and which oughtnot to be
tolerated. go
In this spirit, bank and anti-bank came to
be recognized as political war-cries, and when
It deyolved on the people to select candidates
to the convention to frame our present consti-
tuition, these cries were potently invoked. It
is unnecessary to inform our readers, that The
convention then called, ingrafted on the new
constitution a clause prohibiting either the
chartering of any new bank, or the extension
of the charters. of any then existing. This
clause, notwithstanding its defnitive character,
and its emphatic condemnation of privileged
moneyed institutions, does not appear to have
met with any very determined opposition from
the bank party, while the anti-bank men claim
e ed it as a special triumph.
When we find the name Of Joel s. Sever to
a bank report, whatever its import, we shall not
utter a word of surprise; nor indeed did we
feel any wonderful establishment when we read
the recommendation of Mr.. John NJ. Bell to the
: legislature, to reconstruct the Citizens Bank
with full banking privileges, discounts and pa
per money issue. included. Had Mr.. John M.
Bell volunteered as an independent citizen, to
advocate the re-establishment of the Citizens
Bank, no one would have any right to com
plain; but when he, n late employee Of an anti
! bank federal administration, and at present a
, paid State officer, undertakes to make the same
Recommendation, the case is altered, and we
deem it the duty of every independent Journal
ist to hold up such conduct, inconsistent, I'M
worthy, and hypocritical as il is, to the con-
tempt of every right-minded citizen. The
question OF banks, is one every citizen has a
right to determine in the way most agreeable to
himself; a great difference Of opinion exists on
it even among wings, quite as much-perhaps
} really-as among democrats; the difference be-
ing perhaps in the fact, that the latter have
used it to obtain power, and when once in pos
session, have not hesitated greatly to advocate
that which heretofore they had execrated in ev-
cry form of speech. Look at Mr.. Isaac T.
Preston, the enemy not only of banks, but OF
every thing else that decent men generally APP
proye-iook at him, we say, as he presents him
sell with HIS bank report in our paper Of this
morning, and if he and Mr.. John Il. Bell do
not present as consistent a pair of politicians
as have ever been rewarded by place, then our
recollection of recompensed individuals must
be greatly at fault, that's all.
Itmay be polite to revive the Citizens Bank
if the public is secured against any bad ma
nagement that might occur, which we have no
doubt is well taken care Of. But what aston
ishes US particularly, and which has justly call
ed forth the irony of the True Delta, is the
fact that Preston reports in favor of bank un-
der any circumstances.
Nothing could be more appropriate than to
insert just here the following merited compli-
ment, which we take from the last Baton Rouge
Advocate-Democratic testimony to the back
bone-and~ peculiarly rich when read in con-
nection with the above article. S..5
aThe energy, industry, and talent which this
paper [the sIlue Della" exhibits every dg,
has surprised many. Upon the first issue it
was admitted by all that ii could not fall of
success, because men were connected with it
whose unwearied zeal was well established, but
It was not supposedly would preserve SO uni
formly q tone and position, at once ipdepen-
49, IL -. ~ - 2. 49, ~ y
gree creditabls to the editors. There IS no veil
Of disguise about II, and 10 ATTEMPT TO
WITHHOLD FACTS ABOUT MEN AND THINGS which
the nfhlic shuud know. and which a majority