Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1850-08-29
When the Wicked Rule, the People
MOmrM.

The law prohibiting the circulation OF smal
notes went into operation on the 2lst inst. Th
following article upon the subject which we cop
from the Susquenana Register, of the 22d inst. w
commend to the attention of our readers.
Previous to the existence Of this law or rathe
enactment, no man in Pennsylvania or out Of i! wa
! obliged TO take bank note, bushel OF potatoes
a pound of butter, or in fact any thing else but tn
hard, precious specie, in payment for labor or ser
vices performed, note, or for any demand what
ever, unless he of his own free will chose 10 do so
A man could work for his fellow, or trade with hi
merchant with perfect freedom taking in pay
ment his note, bank note, the specie, or anything
else the parties could agree enjoying all those
rights and Liberties guaranteed and secured by con
situtions and laws, and which the declaration o
| independence says are inallenable.
Where then the necessity of a change! Not
petition for the law entered the capitol the Gov
ernor told the Legislature, the previous similar Law
was not obeyed and it was very impolitic to have
statutes that popular sentiment disapproved -
The fact is, Locofoism, that mock guardian Of the
rights and Liberties Of the ''dear people," which al
ways rejoces in ruin and calamiy-could not see
with complacency thishappiness and independence
Accustomed TO siraGdle the peoples back and ride
them in harness In party discipline, il must also
put on the spur and leading strings in legislation.
The knee must bow, and the rights of freemen
| yield to the demands of paten, Democracy.
| But tive have hope. Repeal is sounding the length
and breadth Of the State. Another Legislature
cannot sit out its session without striking the odi-
Gus enactment from the statute book and we
much mistake if it will not be its first act. The
Supreme Court however may do the work for them;
if so we shall like it the better The voice which
demands this is not the voice Of faction but Of the
people-not Of violent excitement, but of dispas-
sionaie reason-it is the voice OF the State. He
who would represent that dissatisfaction is con-
fined to the northern counties alone. either is ig-
norant or means TO deceive. Our exchanges bear
testimony TO the fact and some even of the dem
ocratic papers not content TO be silent, are de-
nouncing The law in measured terms If the
reader wishes TO see what democratic journals say
of it, we refer him TO the Tioga Banner. and
practical, common sense view of the subject in an
article in the last Democrat signed JCitizen."-
Ii is in sentiment the same that your hear from
the mouths Of almost every democrat in the coun-
ty.
We are told that Gov. Johntson recommended
the law in his annual message. greater false.
hood never VII Binyented. So far from advising
its passage he6kgested the expedency of repeal
ing a similar law then in existence. The Gov
ernor says:
The laws intended to prevent the circulation
OF notes Of less denomination than five dollars,
are practically disreparded by the ctizens. In a
government founded on popular opinion, expert
ence would teach the impolicy of continuing in
force, statutory provisions which are generally in
operative. The violation, with mpunity, Of laws
however unimportant, will lead TO disregard Of
others, indispensable to the security of Society
The fact is, as any one can see by reading his
the Governor though, il better to allow
our own banks, over which the laws Of our State
had control, 10 issue small notes. and they possess
ing more uniform value through the State would
be safer and better currency, and supersede the
use of foreign notes. Who doubts ii Not one
Although It's friends ale assuming mlder tone
and beseeching the people to give il support as
an experiment, pledging themselves if it operates
TO call for its repeal, We think the
people will spare them The humiliation Of repeal
ing their own acts. The members Of the Legisla. !
tire had the experience of other States before
Them; and they well know the opinion of the peo
pie Of their own; but alike regardless of all past
experience and public sentiment, they persisted to |
its adoption.
Viewing the subject in all its aspects which we
are capable OF, can come TO but one conclusion,
and that is the Legislature has endeavored force
lpon the people measure they had condemned
and under mIlder form would not Iegard-thus
by fines and Imprisonment, 10 coerce
hem to submission. If this is not Tyranny we
lave not right conceptions Of the meaning Of the
erm.
For ouself we intend to offer 70 resistance TO
he law, or in any way obstruct its execution. 1t
bantng Of the Locofocos and as such we
mean they shall father it. We join issue upon i,s
merits in the approaching contest We unfurl the
anner Of repeal, and shall fight under it for the
lights and Liberties Of the people. II the prece-
ent or principle becomes established in the leg
Station of our Stale that man shall not exchange
bank note for days work., see no end to the
nvason short of total surrender and the idea
hat We formerly INDUCED that the people had
ghs, is but phantom, shadow, an illusion.