The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-10-27

or other. Through various avenues this immense
sum has become fund for trading and specula-
tom it is set afoat on the great ocean of uncer-
tainty it is subjected to a thousand chances and
Contingencies from which land 10 exempted and can
not be relied ON of the substantial constituents
of national prosperity. SO far from this have at
this moment before infallible proof that it may
become an element Of weakness, distress, and CON
fusion. II is in fact traitor whoriots in the pros
perity of country, but when the storm RACES aud
the vessel reels not only deserts it in its need but
fattens on its calarnities.
This redundancy of floating capital never fails to
give an undue preponderancy to the trading class,
which is always more active and intelligent perhaps
cunning would be better world than the agricultu
rsts, whose interests apparently so diversified
that they scarcely ever act in concert The foreign
and domestic policy of the country gradually be-
subservient to this active and increasing inter-
est and in process Of time il governs the others If
any attempt is made to benefit the general interests
of the whole people which in any way interferes
with their own gains, which always greater than
those Of other classes they invariably combine in OPP
position to the measure, and in the end generally
it to render it almost migratory Thus an artificial
power is introduced into the-body polite which
overrides the whole. That which is only the repre-
sentative Of property becomes its master and what
is for the most part imaginary levies contributions
that which is is real. The cart is put before the
horse and the vender of the products of the earth is
preferred to the producer
That this is getting to be, if it is not already, the
case in the United States, must we think, be evil
dent to all attentive observers Forgetting that Eng
land is entirely dependent for existence her
MERGE and manufactures, and that the United States
with its vast regions of territory is essentially
agricultural country, we are adopting her policy
with abect serviliy. The national legislation is al
most exclusively directed to trade and commerce,
because our revenue is apparently in great meas
derived from that source though, in fact, it ul
tmatey comes out Of the pockets of the people. In
our State legislatures we see little else going for
ward but the passage of laws either creating new
auxiliaries to this already oyerbearing influence
giving new scope and facilities to its exercise.
1t is evident that but for the sturdy democracy Of the
United States, and the opposition of the southern ag
ricultural States, the cultivators of the SOIL the
farmers, the producers of everything without which
commerce and manufactures could not exist, would
long become tributary to the very interests that
owe their existence to them alone.
What is commerce, what manufactures, compared
with agriculture, as sources of real and permanent
prosperity The two former are entirely dependent
events happening in distant regions of the world
and when their support is most wanted at home, so
far from being able to render it, they become dead
weights, mll-stones about the neck of the nation.
Right or wrong, they make the government RESPONSE
Bile for what they have either brought themselves
what is the act of Being over whom government
has control They often weaken the nation by their
disaection, disgrace it by their clamors, and far
from aiding their country in time of and difficult
ty, they frequently prove an element of weakness by
opposing every measure of defence In such times
the whole nation would sarve if its subsistence de-
pended on commerce and manufactures. 'ah
With the farmer it is different He looks at home,
and not abroad. Nothing under heayer-nothing
but what is higher than heaven can starve him. So
long the shines, and the rains descend he
not only feed himself but others. He may not have
quite as many paper promises in his pocket or such
ruinous facilities for running in debt the gorgeous
insects that have risen from the pntrd mass of the
paper system, but he has home of his own, farm
Of his own, from which man eject him, unless
he has been seduced by some village bank, and is
of shelter and food, though all the nations
of the distant world we're together by the ears
True, his land may suffer temporary depreciation,
but what of that? He does not want to sell it, and
its products continue the same. They, too, may de-
precate but if he receives less for what he SELLS he
will pay less for what he buys and this balances the
account. He is, therefore, more valuable citizen
than those of the other two classes first because he
attached to the soil and lives by making the earth
fruitful and raising food for others and, secondly
he is better patriot, for he turns his back
his country because the price of wheat has fallen
the profits of his farm diminished.
For these reasons, and many others, Of
opinion that the interests of the farmers and labor
ing classes should never be made subservient to
banks merchants or manufacturers; that real prop
erty should never become tributary to that which s
not real that the debtor should legislate for
the creditor that no wise and virtuous government
should ever tolerate system of credit and paper
money which tempts every man to run in debt and
affords him the means of gratifying his longing
which enables banks without capital to manufacture
money at pleasure, and refuse payment of their debts
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