Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-11-30

ent circumstances; but being in comparison
with other productions scarce and difficult to
obtain, and varying but slightly in quantity,
they have been supposed by all nations, In all
times, as the best adapted among the produc-
tions of nature for the purpose of forming a
measure and standard value, by which all 9th
er commodities should be estimated. And
certainly they are admirably adapted to this
end Their scarcely, aud yet snf6eiency /;
the cost of obtaining them; and their beauty
and capability of minute division without waste
or loss They seem to have been specially
designated by the All Wise maker of all things
for this special Office. And SO have they
been used, as already said, by all people in
all times.
The occasional increase, too, by new dis
coveries, to meet the increasing demands OF
increased population and increased activity in
the world, seems to add increased force to this
view of the subject! What do they want
but fixed and>stable price for their annual
use to constitute them the best and most pro-
per article in the whole list of native produc-
tions for standard of value by which all
things else may be measured and estimated
Silver and gold only are spoken Of as money /;
for the paper substitute we unfortunately use
has none Of the necessary attributes except
convertability and fixed annual price of in
terest to qualify for the Office of measure Of
value. Alas it has but too often proved but
mere disturber and destroyer of values and
Just relative interests But with gold and
silver, and fixed price for their use, unifor-
nifty and consistency is more nearly obtained
than with anything else And such stand
ard has been deemed necessary from the most
primitive times Is it not necessary that
something should be agreed upon for this pur-
pose? Certainly we cannot fall back to ex-
change in kind. We must have some stand
ard, some rule possessing uniformity of guam
tity and value to perform this Office, and that
something has been found in gold and silver.
These qualities and attributes, and necessities
have removed them from the mere ordinary
category of merchatd tdise, and have impaired
to at least that portion which enters into, or
forms the basis of circulation, a different char
acter from a mere article of commerce. And
necessarily so. We must have something to
perform this Office, and that something to be
just, and to answer the purpose, must have a
fixed and certain value. We have it, and
why destroy or impair its adaptation
The advocates for repeal of the usury
laws say that gold and silver are mere mer-
chaEdise Are we then to have no uniform
standard ? One article is scarce this year and
another is plenty. They will both be meas
ured by the standard of value, and the first
will be high and the other cheap. The next
year the condition Of these articles will be re-
versed, and then by the same uniform stand
ard the last VIII be high and the first cheap
but we want the same uniform and unvarying g
standard by which to compute them all the
time. And SO it must ever be. But make
money mere merchandise, and where is this
necessary standard to be found? Money is
something more than merchandise, and the
convenience of the world requires thatsit ever
shall be, and that it shall be measure and
standard by which other things shall be esti-
mated. So much as to whether money is
merely merchandise
But money is more than this 1t is row.
Err And this is the practical and important
attribute that is in issue in the present attempt
to remove restraints from it, and TO give it
free scope to give more to hiIn that has it, at
the expense OF those who are laboring to OBJ
tain it; and the certain tendency of the sue
cess of the attempt viii be to make the rich
richer, and the comparatively rich poor. and
the poor poorer still 1t is in this Sense,
doubtless. that the divine prohibition has been
put upon it, and the extortioner is ranked in
the word of Inspiration with the coyetous, and
the idolator, as it id-ssNor thieves nor COW
etous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extor-
TONERS, shall inherit the Kingdom of God"
Money is power, and the temptation to abuse
it has been put under restraint, as society mn
poses restraints on other evil passions, and
protects the weak against the abuses of the
strong; and the sympathies and sentiments of
mankind are in favor of the restriction, and in
opposition to the covetous, and the extortion-
er, and the oppressor. Again: Money is
power, and different from merchandise, as it
places the borrower and lender on a different
footing from that occupied by buyer and sell
Ter. Does borrower approach a lender with
the same ease and confidence that purchaser
approaches the seller of goods, or houses OF
lands? On. the contrary, in the latter case
the purchaser has the air of ease and indiiFer-
ence and confidence which secures the most
favorable terms, while in the case of the bor-
rover there is feeling Of embarrassment and
apprehension In making known his wants.
which goes far towards placing him at the
mercy of him who has to lend and this illus
trates the necessity of legal protection against
cupidity and extortion. / will not do more
than thus to touch the point to show how diff
ferently money is regarded from merchandise
But it is in relation to the practical and~im-
mediate operation of the repeal that desire
to say few words
Inc probable effect of a repeal at the pres
ehs time would be the most disturbing and dis
as'ious imaginable In the present excited
s'.''e 81 activity IN the country, the demand
ior ihohey Is excessive and enormous. Rail
way shares and securities-to take q sinple
Iastanee-are offered to the Community will
the most tempting estimates of profits and
promises OF high rates ofinterest. Now wb;le
the repeal of the usurv laxs rrould -. Iii !