The Washington union., 1857-11-28
A SOLEMN AppEAL no rHE POCKET,

overthrow by sweeping together all the elements OF
fanaticsm in ncongruous mass, now, it would
seem, about to try the experiment Of an appeal to
the pocket Having been taught by late experience
that they gain nothing by open war on the con-
sttution they about TO resort to undermining 1t
by an appeal TO the selfish principle, and system OF
universal bribery which they hope will enlist all the
moneyed interests of the country, and array them in
crusade against the great fundamental principles
of the democracy
The plan is ingoniously contrived, but cannot
claim the merit of originality. 1t is only revival
of the old federal policy under new name, as will
be apparent from tho late programme announced in
the National Itcigeneer II is simple, brief and di-
rect, and the appeal to the pocket is sefevident-
First "a United States Bank as tho safest and
only constitutional bank, with capital of one hun
dred millions or so. Here is direct appeal to the
pocket of all capitalists who desire profitable
investment Of their money. We shall say nothing at
present Of the consttutionality of this bank, thus
assumed to the exclusion of all others nor shall
resort to the recent example of similar institution
which we had hoped would have deferred any man
from recommending similar expedient for regula-
ting the currency and protecting the people from the
abuses of the banking system. But, though Mr..
Webster declared Bank Of the United States was
can obsolete idea,' it seems he was mistaken. We
believed 30 at the time and think that future expert
ence will demonstrate that tits not and will be,
an obsolete idea so long presents direct medium
of appealing to the pockets Of all that class Of men who
have more money than is necessary for their imme-
diate wants, and wait for profitable investment
It s in fact legitimate scion of the old federal pol
icy We will venture to predict that this Hydra will
rear It's head from time to time, and that it will
quire all the power and all the vigilance of the de-
mocracy to keep it below water. We shall also re-
serve for some future occasion inquiry into the
possibility or even probability, of such an insti
tuition achieving all the wonders ascrbed to it, and
if it should appear that such is the case, most mo-
mentous question will then present itself-namely,
whether bank capable of exercising such vast,
almost uncircumscribed, sway over the currency,
the interests of commerce and manufactures, and
the prosperity Of almost every class, will not be de
faco the government of the United States, and hold
the civil and political power in state Of complete
subserviency2
The second item in this appeal to the pocket is as
follows "a protective tariff to foster home industry,
and secure commercial independence" This bait
will of course be swallowed by the great manufac
turing interest, being designed to transfer the
ings of agriculture and commerce to the pockets of
this great class of capitalists, who spurn the tring
interest on money with which others obliged to
be content, and consider themselves ruined unless
they can divide fifteen twenty per cent. per an
mum. What is meant by securing commercial indie
pendencc" by a protective tariff we don't exactly
know, being unable to comprehend how tariff
whose inevitable operation must be to diminish for
eign trade secure commercial independence, ex-
cept at the expense Of large class of merchants by
whom the commerce of the country is conducted
and who constitute of the great interests Of the
Union with which that Of all others is inseparaby
connected.
The third item in this appeal to the pocket is as
follows: "a judicious and equal system Of internal
improvements by the general government" Here
is direct appeal to local interests throughout the
whole Of the United States. The public money is to
be disspated in thousand schemes whose great OBJ
ect will be, not to conduce to the general benefit of
the people, but to afford perpetual fund for
speculation, and end in nothing but enriching few
control of these expenditures This is what is meant
by judicious and equal system of public improve
ments by the general government 1t means an ap-
peal to local interests, without exception, by holding
out prospect Of sharing the spois, and is eminent
y calculated to conciate all those leading spirits
who necessarily look forward to dispensing this in
exhaustibe fund of corruption to the best that is
to their own advantage
The fourth and last item of this appeal to the pocl-
ct is follows: "a distribution of the public lands
among the several States in proportion to their pop
ulation" The sales of the public lands amount to
about eight millions Of dollars annually forming one
of the best and most certain sources of the public
revenue. These eight millions are to be abstracted
from the pockets of the purchasers and settlers of
the public lands in order to bestow them on the
States, to be expended they may think proper.
Happy States, and thrice-happy people, if this ap-
peal 10 the pocket should result in the triumph Of tho
old party with a new name. In the first place, all
their public improvements are to be made at the
pense Of the general government and the money is to
be so judiciously expended that every man, woman
and child in the United States is to be equally bere-
fted But, as if this not sufficient they are to
have fund Of eight millions of dollars annually in
addition, to give employment and afford ample