Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-07-30


ridiculous look and calculated ten cent Jimmy
Now would anybody unscqnanted with such things
believe that this charge was manufactured out of
the whole cloth : Hardly, we think; and yet such
is the fact. The speech Of Mr.. Buchanan upon
which this pretended charge is pretended to be
based, instead of afording any foundation upon
which it can stand, gives it fat contradiction. In
stead of being made with any view to depress the.
interests of the working man, or aggrandze the
capitalist at his expense, that speech was made in
defense of the best Interests Of that class. The ba-
sis of the charge-the only basis-is the following
Clay on the Sub treasury.
:, 6 We are also charged by the Senator from Ken
lucky with desire to reduce the wages of the poor
mans laber. We have been often termed agrari-
ans on our side of the house. 1t is something new
under the sun to hear the Senator and his friends
attribute to desire to elevate the wealthy manu-
facturer at the expense of the laborng man and the
mechanic. From my soul respect the Mboring nsan-
Labor is the foundation of the wealth of every
try and the free laborers of the North deserve res.
pect both for their probity and their intelligence
Heaven forbid that l should do them wrong? Of
all the countries the earth ought to hove the
the most consideration for the M6oring man. From
the very nature of institutions the wheel of for
tune is constantly revolving and producing such
mutations in property tina. the wealthy man to-day
may become the poor laborer of tomorrow Truly,
wealth often takes wings and flies away. large
fortune rarely lasts beyond the third generation,
even if it endures so long. We must know instan.
ces of individuals obliged to labor for their daily
bread whose grandfathers were men of fortune.
The regular process of society would almost seem
to consist of the efforts Of class to dsspate the
fortunes which they have inherited, while another
class, by their industry and economy, regularly
rising to wealth. We have ALL therefore, common
interest, as it is our common duty to protect the
rights Of the laborng man; and if believed for
moment that this bill would prove injurious to him,
it should meet my unqualified opposition. &
Although this bill will not have as great an in
fuence as could desire, yet, as far as it goes, it
will benefit the laboring man as much, and proba.
bly, MORE than any other class Of society. What is
it he ought most to desire? Constant employment,
regular wages. and uniform reasonable prices for the
necessares and comforts of life which he requires.
Now, Sir, what has been his condition under our
system of expansions and contractons? He has
suffered more by them than any other class of So
ciety. The rate of his wages is fixed and known;
and they the last to rise with the increasing
panson, and the first to fall when the correspond
ing revulsion occurs He still continues to receive
his dollar per day, while the price of every article
which he consumes is rapidly rising. He is at
length made to feel that, although he nslly earns
as much, even more than he did formerly, yet,
from the increased price of all the necessares of
life, he cannot support his family. Hence he strikes
for higher wages, and the uneasy and exciting feel
ings which have, at different periods existed among
the laboring classes. But the expansion at length
reaches the exploding point, and what does the la
boring suffer? He is for a season thrown
out Of employment altogether. Our manufactures
suspended public works are stopped our
private enterprises Of different kinds abandoned;
and while others able to weather the storm, he
scarcely procure the means of bare subsis-
tence."
In a subsequent speech, Mr.. Buchanan thus EN-.
phatically denounces the attempt of Senator Davis
Of Massachusetts, to misrepresent his position.
Self-respect, as well as the respect which owe
g.. -.
tradction to this allegation it deserves 1t would
surely not be deemed improper, however, in me, if
were to turn to the Senator and apply the epthet
which he himself has applied to the proposition he
imputes to me- and were to declare that such
inputation was 'lagitious' Misrepresentation of
my remarks"
Replying to the charge more at length, Mr.. Bu-
chanan again said:
81 commended that it would not injure, but gre at
ly benefit the laborng man. to prevent the violent
and ruinouS expansions and cOntractions to which
our currency was incident, and by judicious bank
reform to place it on settled basis II this was
done, what would be the consequence? That if
the laboring man could not receive great nOmi-
nal amount for his labor he did in the days of
extravagant expansion, which must always under
our present system be of short duration, he would
be Unidentified, and far more than Unidentified, by
the constant employment, the regular wages, and
the uniform and more moderate prices of the neces-
sares and comforts of life, which more stable cur
rency would produce. Can this proposition be con-
trovcrtcdg / think not; it is TOO plain for argu-
ment. Mark me, Sir, desire to produce this hap
py result, not by establishing pure metallic cur
cency, but by reducing the amount of your bank
issues within reasonable and safe limits, and estab
fishing metallic basis for your paper circulation
The idea plainly expressed is, that it is better,
much better, for the laborng man, as well as every
other class CT society except the speculator that
the business of the country should be placed upon
that fixed and permanent foundation which would
be laid by establishing such bank reform as would
render it certain that bank notes should always be
convertible into gold and silver.
I" And yet this plain and simple exposition of my
views has been seized upon by those who desire to
make political capital out of their perversion; and
it has been represented far and wide that it was my
desire to renduce wages down to the prices recev-
ed by the miserable serf and saborers of European
despotisms. shall most cheerfuly leave the pub
lie to decide between me and my traducers The
Senator from Massachusetts, after having attributed
to me the intention of reducing the wages of labor
20 the hard money standard through the agency of
the independent treasury bill, has added as an APP
pendx to his Speech a statement made by the Sen.
ator from Maryland, Mr.. Merrck,] of the prices Of
labor in these hard-money despotsms; and it is
thus left to be inferred that in favor of reduc-
ing the honest and Independent aborer Of this glori.
GUS and free country to the same degraded condi-
ton. The Senator ought to know that there is too
much intelligence among the Iaborng classes in
this highly favored land to be led astray by such
representations" ,.
Was ever any false accusation more thoroughly
refuted and turned against its authors Er uMo
disco 0nanes Such are the shafts in the Opposition
CULVER.
TIE NAKED EDGE.-I am tormented with the de-
sire of preaching better than cam But have no