Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-03-30
The Usury Question:


In the Ohio Legislature at its late session,
there was proposition to increase the rate of
interest to 10 per cent This proposition
very naturally elected considerable discussion,
which was ably participated in by the different
papers of the State. The Commoner, pub
lished at Cincinnati, one of the ablest weekly
papers in the country, strennouslY opposed
the proposition, and in its colums, from week
to week, have appeared many able communi-
cations on the subject. Among these, we
find the following from we'll known and es-
teemed citizen Of this county, who has mastered
the subject by the most thorough study
SUMMIT POINT, JEFFERSON COUNTY,
WEST Va, March 5, 1869.
To the Editor Of The Commoner
DEAR SIR-Of half dozen papers take
1 value none more than yours, nor do 1 read
any that think will, in the long run, be more
permanently useful. do not mean compli-
mcnt for this is easy and common but
think, at this time above all others, when
honest Editors are so essential to the salvation
of the country, that it is right in a subscriber
to say (for what it is worth), to the editor,
like your paper and approve your views and
ideas, aud think Gas do) they are doing good.
write, now, especially to thank you for
your criticism on the article of your cOrrespon-
dent, c. R., on "the legal interest LAWN
your issue of February 81.
Your correspondent seems to think there
are two views Cfthis question, one religious" !"
the other Scientific" lie seems to take it
for granted that, because view is ''rclieious,"
it is destitute Of science" This is a great
error, and especially on Mis question for,
will venture to say to him, that, in all matters
relating to politics and government, the three
most scientific" men who ever lived in the
tide of time, were Moses, Aristotle and Bacon;
and, they are all opposed to his ''scie"ce" of
money!
As far as the "scicntfc" use of money is
concerned, [ might we'll say to him, Il thank
thee. Jew, for teaching me that word Bullion
is capital, and the owner of it, as the owner
Of land, or a factory, or ship, may make
what bargains lie plcases in regard to it !; but
NANCY is very different thing: 1t is not, in
the sense of other things, "capital" Capital,
in regard to other things, implies .fuU 0wnc">
ship, something that corresponds to eminent
domain" i'll land but when the term is used
in regard to money it can not scientifically" be
said to convey, in propriety, any such idea as
"/uH o'cncrShjp;" for no one, il my 'science," !"
las an absolute, but only qualified property
in money; he has only the property to use it,
as it was intended to be used by those who
made it, to wit society. 1t is their inven-
ton, their patcm right, and all who tamper
with the property Of society IN 1t should be
made to smart for it, and will one OF these
days, when the ymlgur come to understand
the "scieuce" of money, as these hard times
will soon make them. Whenever they under
stand the ''science" of money, they will see
10 interest should be allowed-nOt tarthing
for money and that the allowance of interest
anywhere, and i'll all time, was not on the
principal Of ''sc!erce,' but as a L0mus to men,
against the most ''uuscicntfc" o! all the uses
of money, to wit: the hodrling Of 1t. The
time is coming when they will see that the
''unscicntific" use Of money, in uSury, is the
true cause Of the unequal distribution of
property among men, and, in fact, the true
cause Of white Slor0y. For as long as this
.'unscentific" use OF money obtains, the masses
can never own property, but will either IL
white slavery or black, be subject to, not the
free trading but the free booting fer. | am
in favor of free trade in all things that are the
subjects of trade But what is trade, but the
exchange of one valuable thing for another,
ana tHe HWJ pays LOT nc H"yj anu money Is
the public measure ? Yes, the pdGGc measure
with which no private man has any more right
to tamper, than he has with the bushel, the
pound weight, or the yard stick For tam
pering with these things, man is styled, and
properly, rogue but when he tampers with
and cheats in the public measure of all trade,
he is an honored millionaire Truly, zone
murder makes villain, thousands hero"
will only add what think to be true
definition of money, as given by John Whip
pie, of Rhode Island, in his complete answer
to Jeremy Bentham:
Money is abor-saving invention, author
lied by government, for the convenience of
the people; and he who thrives by buying
and selling it, adds nothing to the wealth of
the State, but interferes with the industry Of
others" j. a. L.