Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1854-12-19

:ailh ~ humanity.
The doctrine OF our Savior, that al
mankind is common brotherhood, an
charity the sum Of the law, we take Il
be the American doctrine, and the chic
guiding star 10 The eminencs we hav
attained as q people. While on the 9th
er hand. Know No,hingism was shod
owed forth by tie unhappy son Of Ha
gar. whose hand was against every mat
anil every mans hand against him, O
by the Pharisee Cf old, who rcyetently
thanked God that he was net as othe
people and we'll does this crdcr con
form 10 its archetypes.
WHENCE CAME THE HARD TIMES
ls the East Robert Schuyler by his
extensive frauds destroyed public conf
dence in the honesty Of respectable men
Soon after this act Of colossal scoun
drelism, Henry Meigs one Of the mos,
respectable business men Of San Fran.
cisco, California, forged Securities 10 the
amount Of not less than Two millions Of
dollars, AMI like Manchester one OF the
great Cincinnati Bankers fed his home
and friends. They arc new wre,chetl
fuSi,ives and vagabonds without a rest.
ing place. The period in our history is
past, when the sudden conversion OF
leading and honorable business men, in
to scoundrels can excite SURPRISE
Schuyler and Meiss a'e not alone in
lhei. knavery. The Bank swindles in
the country that have occurred within
the past four months have produced
more mischief aid wide spread ruin
ban all Of the larceny, ard The success.
ful coun,eriei,ing Of currency that has
been done, since the introduction Of .he
fcticious, paper medium, to supplant,
gold and silver. as the measure Of val.
ue. Stealing, counterfei,ing, and rob.
berry, are only taking the property Of
another withou, equivalent.
So far as the wrong done - commu.
nifty is concerned what matters it how
tie process is effected, of appropfialing
he property, or earnings of others with.
out equivalent. whether i, is called lar. !
:env, robbery, forgery, bank stspehsion, !
'r bank failure. II there is any differ.
'nce. i; is in favor Of the prolessional
hief, or robbcr, because community is
IN its guard against them, no confidence
S rePosed, and none given; but Banks
ire Institutions, Of the country, created
" law and faith placed in them ; they
lave been weighed in the balance and
ound Wanting, they have destroyed the
necessary confidence between man and
nan. Here is discovered the true cause
# the presen. wide spread misery. The
iedit system can only be sustained, by
he preservation Of good faith, which is
IS foundation; tie people have long
lnce been taught the lulility of patch.
ag up our system OF banking. All the
'hitewashing that the Institution has
Undergone, either by wings or quasi
emocrats, can no more effect a cure, in
lie evils Of the system, than a plaster
T mutton tallow over deeply seated ;
lcer can effect its cure. We in com.
ION with the masses, are disguised with ;
lie thrcadeare homilies about, "conyer.
ertlble paper" and "sound and safe
istem Of paper money banking" We
'all believe that such system can be
,stained, when men are not permitted,
make their very indebtedness curren.
Y, and TO loan tho same with usury.-
1e shall believe it, when men are
laced above the allurements of tempta.
on. We shall believe it, when human !.
a.rre itself is resenerated, and not be. :
re.
The only security that the people
ave against the frauds of bankers, and
being plundered by them. is to have :
,lhlnS to DO with them, and their faith.
IS promises to pay. We speak not a.
emocrats but as men, and utter these
ere words, not merely as unto bank. =
$, out as unto robbers of the widows u
ID the fatherless, who have spread des. d
uien and bankruptcy throughout the
untry. The forger Of one Of these II
'rlhless promises, il i. be but for dol. a
:, is doomed to the penitentary, while u
, repudiator Of millions Of honest in. G
btedness, with bis inner safe full Of Il
Id; and who by fraud has kept back "
only dependence for support in old l.
s,of hundreds Of thousands, isjust as II
Il received in society, as upright and p
nest men. 81
Bur day Of reckoning has finally n
ma. We can borrow no more mon X
Savings, we have hone. In the yery u