Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-23
Opinions of the PrcsS--The Democratic
Party and the Bank Question.

Prom the AteLllls ANalaLCLes
A great deal has been sald Of late by the opposi
lion papers, about differences and divisions among
the Democracy on this question To this we attach
little or no Importance and we know that, a mat
Ter Of fact, there is real ference among hem.
Upon the essential point Of the necessity OF
form, and Of the direction in which we must travel
TO accomplish that reform, all Democrats are agreed
The principal difference between them, ''tO adopt
the language of the Union and American is as 10
hour far they shall travel on the road of reform aud
the speed at which they shall 90. All practical Dem
ocraJs recognize paper money as so many paper
rags valueless in themselves and TO be trusted only
so far as they give evidence that they the actual
Representatives. Of real money constitutional curreD-
cy gold and silver. All reform must be iH The direc
ton of a specie bass, and must look to an increase
of real money and decrease Of sham money. The
farmer when he receives pay for his produce, the
mechanic when he receives pay for his wares, and
the merchantmen when he receives pay for goods,
want something as sub tantial in value the thing
parted with, or least that which is, beyond ques
tion Immediately convertible The De nocratc par
ty will work 10 this end They may not 90 as fast
as ace would have them, nor to the extent. We be-
lieve, however, they will Be that it may, we
will travel in unbroken column many days upon
the same road before there is a divergng point Of
any practical character in party sense"
AS we have before said, they are all fully agreed
as to the necessity of reform, well 10 tho road
which must be travelled to reach it. Some may, aud
3 \
than others but they will all start together and in
The same direction Should they ever separate there
is yet time enough TO consider lrheH and at irhal
point 1t shall be DONE We, however, do not fear
that such misfortune will ever occur. So far from
it. our opinion is, that the further travel togehN
er the more nearly We will conform in our ideas
and the closer we will be drawn to another,
til like "convergiug lines we unite, and become
one and the same in sentiment, in purpose and 10
action. And this we believe, because Of our faith
in the correctness of our own, aud the opinions of
our party in reference to banks and bankiDg-Opin-
ions held and promulgated by the gree lights of the
Democracy, by our Jefferson5, our MadisOns our
Jacksons and our Folks.
At the commencement Of cur journey spscisward
we will have in company those Democrats who
have been designated as softs well as those who
were called haTds-those who are aOW fer travelling
very sloW and not very far, and to greater distance
but as we progress IL the work of reform, and as
the good effects of each successive step tOrWqrd is
seen IN the increased prosperity of the country the
former will become holder and more willing to Join
the latter and with them push on, until the people
Of the State are furnished with real instead of sham
money-With gold and silver currency, or a sound
circulating medium wholly representative thereof,
instead OF paper rags issued upon credit or what
is pretty much the thing, dspTecjad and stolen
bonds. Such, we think, will be the result of a few
years experience in the work Of reform which we
nave undertaken, tut scarcely begun, and such, we
think will be the work which the Democratic party
will finally and successfully accomplish.
That there are some. calling themselves Demo-
Gratis, who will start with US on this journey
Of reform, and others still who will faint and fail
by the way, is, perhaps true, but they are few in
number, and cannot materially lessen our prospects
Of success They may join the enemy in extOlling
banks and banking, and tsik lugubrOusy of the
ring Of the Sheriff s hammer that is 10 follow their
downfall, but the honest masses-the farmer and
mechanic who have been swindled and detaul;ed
out Of their hard won earnings, will hardly be
frightened with The support Of the one by unground
ed fears Of the other The people are not fools and
cannot be scared into deseriOn Of their party and
their principles by the bug bear stories Of design
ing and selfish politicians The experiment Of the
Know Nothing leaders of 1855, in frightening them
from their sense Of duty to themselves aud the
country, is Of too recent occurrence TO have been
forgotten, aud from it those politicians who are
preparing to play similar game on the bank ques-
ton, may learn some useful and Statutory lessons.
Let them remember that the Democratic masses are
not to be submssively led by every disappointed
Office seeker who chooses TO constitute himself their
mentor; that they follow principles only not men,
and that whoever deserts thOse principles, no mat>
ter how high his position how great his ability,
will 20 without .olloWers and without friends,
Wept aud unregret'ed.
From an article in the Memphis Appeal We extract
the following upon the same subject:
But what does this war among the banks indicate?
In our judgment, points cut more plainly the ne
CessIy of thorough and radical reformation Of the
whole system con tornng thenew system to a strict,
specie paying standard and with that view wiping
out and closing up existing banks as speedily as the
public interest will bear. Il also entorees the ne
cessty Of sound sentiment on The subject Of bank
ing, and to that end that the people themselves
should take the whole subject in hand and see that
all legislation had is rigidly guarded and enforced,
with view 10 furnishing them a currency equal to
gold and silver and the failure to do that, then