The Placer herald., 1863-12-26
LETTER FROM HON. j. w. WALL.
BURLINGTON, October 20, 1868.

duu uHduueT Reeu. OOtDlnlttee. UenlIemen
Your invitation to address mass meeting
of the Democracy of the city of New York,
to be held at the Cooper's Institute on We'd
nesday evening next, is this moment recev-
ed. 1t would give me great pleasure to be
present, but the irritated condition of my
shroat, the effect of severe cold recently
contracted at a public meeting, prevents
me.
The recent political results in Ohio and
Pennsylvania prove clearly two things: First
the lamentabe influence Of the corruptng
minlstration; and second, that the cup Of na'
sional suffering and degradation is not suff
ciently full
An Administration exercising powers un-
known to the Constitution, having at its dis
posal all the resources of men and money of
the North, has organized everywhere in im
tation of the Jacobns OF France during the
Reign of Terror, "Committees of Safety"
These by system of terrorism and aban-
doned corruption, are striving to accomplish
what that revolutionary organization aimed
at-"the protection Of the authors Of the
revolution from the consequences Of their
however that they will effect precisely what
the first did eventually-a full exposure Of
their crimes, and their own overwhelming
overthrow. Is the language Of these Union
Leagues different to-day from their prototype
the Committee of Public Safety Of 1893!
Listen to the the animated denunciatory
words Of Virgeuaud: "The great body of
our citizens are so blinded by the rush of
events, on the glare of financial specua
ton; that they are made to coniound fan
atical policy with great national move-
ment in favor Of freedom. They regard the
violence of brigands as the efforts of parti
otto minds, and consider robbery as indispen
sable for public safety. You are free,' say
they, but unless you think like us we will
deuounce you as disloyal to the nationality.
You are free, but unlese you bow to the idol
that we worship we will! deliver you to the
terrors of that nationality YOU have insult
ed.'"
The French Revolution did, in the words
words of the same noble spirit, "at last, like
Saturn, successfully devour all its progeny"
So, eventually, will this wretched Abolition
revolt luton, originating in the same wild fan.
aticism, about liberty and equality, ard dis
playing in all its policy its same love of des-
potism. The Laws of Suspected Persons"
which gave ultimate y such tremendous pow
ers to Tho Committee of Public Safety
will soon be proclaimed; if, indeed it does
not already exist Under that Infamous law
no person in France had any chance of safety
but in going the utmost length of revolution
airy fury. Those who resisted were crushed
beneath its bloody wheels.
But it is not alone in the despotism Of
the hour in our civil affairs that the Abol'
ton Jacobins have become such startling i'm
itators of the revolutionists in 1898. In our
financial policy we are repeating to the let
ter the history Of those times. An inflated
paper currency has banished the precious
metals from our midst; every day is making
the rich richer and the poor poorer. Dur,
ing the height of the paper expansion in
the French Revolution, from the immense
issue of the assignats, the tendency to gamb-
ling of every sort prodigiousy increased.
Men who had the sword of Damocles sus-
pended over their heads songht to profit the
most by the numerous chances of making
money which the rapid rise and fall of assg.
mats, and the boundless profusion of articles
of luxury, brought into the market. The
Bourse of Paris was crowded with bankers,
revoutionists, ci.devant priests ruined mobiles
and adventurers of every description. Mag
ntcent equipages whose owners were rag
pickers six months before made their appear
ance every afternoon upon the public drives.
The trade of jewelry and silks was enormous
in its profits This rapid increase of wealth
produced the most shameless extravaganza,
and speedily undermined the public morals.
This picture is the reproduced picture of to
day, which evrry hour in our large cities is
passing before the gaze of their inhabitants.
Men now, as then, mistake the fictitious for
the real and in the constant employment
of the hour, comparatively high wages, and
temporary contentment, think that all this
apparent prosperity rests on firm founda-
ton. The whitened crust, cleaning in the
sunshine, that covers the living fire in the
mountain at Sultafara is not more treacher
ous The slopes of Vesuvius never looked
more resplendent in beauty than just before
the mountain belcbed forth, for the first time
the silvery shower that sealed up llerculane
um in lava for centuries, and covered up
Pompeii out of sight in a shower of hot ash
as. As sure as that god regns, the fate,
financially, Of revolutionary France must be
ours sooner or later, only with tenfold aggral
vstion. What was that fate? Blasted by
ruinous system Of paper currency, and
crushed in the grasp of relentless despotsm,
manufacturing capital was withered and
commercial capital annihilated. Depreca
ton went on, notwithstanding the convention
endeavored to arrest it by first declaring
that the assignats of the Government should
be considered legal tender, and then enact
ing the punishment of six years in irons
against those who should exchange any
quantity Of silver or gold for greater nom
inal value of assgnats, or should ask larg'
er price for any article of merchandise, if
the price was paid in paper, than if paid in
l. lork