The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-03-12
NUMBER SO.

TOUCHING LOANS AT INTEREST. Dl6p0o0-
BILE capital being thus left to itself will
seldom remain long unemployed; and thers
is every reason to believe, that a. much
industry will be called into activity, ~
the actual state of society will admit. ~
Says Political Economy, pages 348-s-5o.
Governor Chase may be actuated by
strong feeling of favoritism towards the
paper-money banks, and desire to give
them monopoly of the business Of lend-
ing, by driving all individual competitions
out of the market, but It il TO be regrst-
ted that in order to accomplish that end
he should recommend measures worthy
only Of the darkness and ignorance Of the
middle ages. PHILASTnhofos.
March /, 1855.
For tho "Spirit.~
Sir James Macintosh and Williams
Penn.
Mr.. EDITOR :-In your last number /
submitted few paragraphs concerning ths
unfriendly structures of portion Of the
newspaper press, on the historian, Macsu-
lay, for his notices Of William Penny the
celebrated quaker. Tho acrimony Of the
censures bestowed on writer 30 fully
entitled to the admiration and gratitude
of mankind, as Thomas Babington Macau-
lay, has induced me not to rummage my
library for authorities ON the subject, bus
simply to note with more attention those.
passages, which occur in course Of mis-.
cellaneous reading No one intends any
injury TO the memory of Penn. He was
good man and friend to the specieB,
and therefore entitled to our love in re-
turn. But We ought to know the truth
concerning him. Surely, surely the hum
blest eiector in the proud and mighty
State of Ohio, ought not to be ignorast,
of the real character of any man, who has
acted conspicuous part either in English
or American history. Nor can the hum-
blest elector, in this great and Influential
State, be ignorant on such subjects with
safety to the interests of himself or hlA
posterity. If knowledge is power, igno-
rance is weakness. Then are we to blame
Macaulay for giving US an accurate pie,
ture of the public characters whom he:
mentions. But is his picture Of Penn.
accurate 1t seems so. Ny former com
munication contains the testimony Of Dr.
Smollett, the tory historian. In this /
| shall lay before the reader an extract from
that of Sir James Mackintosh, the gen.
erous friend of human liberty and hnmAn.
progress. Speaking of Penn, he says:
Compassion, friendship. libcrality and
liberation led him to support systsns
the success of which would have undonA
his country; aud he afforded q remarkable
proof, that in tho complicated eonbina-
tions of political morality, virtue mis-
placed may produce az much immedistes
mischief as vice. The Dutch minister
represents the narch quaker" az travelling
over the Kingdom to gain proselytss -
the dispensing power; while Duncombs Z
banker in London, and, (it must in Justice
though in sorrow be added,) Penn ars
stated to have been the two protestans
tcounsellors of Lord Sunderland. Hence
forward tbecalne necessary for he frieHes
of liberty to deal with him - with sn
encmy-to be resisted when his sssoeiates
possessed, and watched after they haa
lost power. - Miscellaneous works of Sir
James Macintosh p. p. s34-5. Carey &
Hart's Edition of lS4S.
Let us either cease our esnsdfss %
Macaulay, orextend them to great many
other writer's BY the way l hope to BE-
pardoned for adding that literary mistskse
are often adopted and obtain wide cir
culation without much examination.
The ST bscriber has knswn great nany
political writer's and speakers attribute The
phrase mastery inactivity" to John G.
4 Calhoun, a man, whose memory deserves
neither love nor respect. He is believed
to have invented that rather singular bat
Expressive phrase, in the debate in he
Senate, on the Oregon question. Ihia
phrase was used by Sir James Mackintosh
in his defence of the French Revolution.
written in April 1871, when John g.
i Calhoun must have been boy at schouA
Sec same volume, page All.
! 1t is true that it is of yery little In
portance who is the original author Of an
oft repeated phrase. But it IS Of im-
portance that MS citizens and as men, Va
should love the truth and refuse to be the
credulous victims of error in small things
or in great. And it is of vital import
ance to the citizens Of Ohio, that thsy
preserve the respect and good opinion q
mankind. This great State mast aftsz
. while, sit for her portrait, The histo-
rians are the painters. and We hare Il
present the best possible reason to feal
that they will lay on the colors seeordine
! to the truth.
just think, reader, & State pride Al
: patriotism viii permit ron, of he c.
iacters Of the agents execntixe and -
: tlative, whom the mistaken v0tes of y,
electors have assembled a C0lumbus
t The electoral body fell iate griuvsSs e.
. rors, on the second Tuesday In Qkseher
~ \ -. !. 49,