Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-12-13
tFor the Spirit of Jeferson.l
WHAT IS MONEY?

In an article in the Spirit Of Je6erson of
the 9th day Of December, 1870, my purpose
vas to excite public reflection to the subject
of money; what 1t was; why it was; and,
how the people at large should regard 1T and
treat it!
think that article hastily written, aud loos-
" written. Mt least eliminated one or two ideas
that will effect Judgement in the popular
brain that hope will gain local ''habita>
ton and name /" aud, one of these ideas, is,
that as the people s'tlsf hpre an exchanging
medium-mouey that that exchanging
medium must be furnished By the people them
selves, and by part of the people, to wit;
Bankers. brokers, usurers and shavers. the
main question, as to which Of the twain should
furnish it. should depend upon the question
which, of the two-the people on their own
account and in partnership. or the brokers,
Bankers. and usure1s, can furnish the currency,
or the exchanging medium, or, in plain words
money, the cheapest.
If the people, in partnership, can furnish
mouey-the grease and tar of hG3c-cheaper
than the Bankers. brokers. and shavers can
furnish it, then, the people should furnish
their own cheap money to eject their own ex-
changes-their own grease and fdrj-(and,
by the way, it is devilish poor piece of meat.
or poor article, that cannot furnish its o'cn
grease ;)-insteud of the mouey-the grc1se
and tar--of Bankers. brokers. usurers and
shavers and that ''g,cose and tar" at ten
;'cr cent. instead of and one tenth per cent
These are propositions attempted to lay
down in the article 10 which now refer; aud
their sovereign majesty, the people, must de-
eide for themselves, whether have laid them
down correctly or not.
If I have laid them down correctly, then.
a. l1-s
propo- IONS; and must act on thcm po7iicGl!y!
Hoe set on them poiificuiyP Why. if
Senat.r 70 the United States Senate from
West Virginia is to t:e elected. ask him JoId!y.
rluin!y, and straight ont, if you are elected
Senator of Wes, Virginia. by the Legislature
of West Virginia. how will you vote on the
question Diminishing the money ofthe United
States? VIII you vote that it shall be furn-
i>hed by the people themselves and in 1'nTfner.
siip when it can be furnished at onc and
one tenth Of q cent in dollar; or will you
vote that paper money shall be furnished by
Bankers, brokers' usurers. and shavers-and
you yourself in cnhoWte with them, Mr. Sem
ator, paid by the people ten thousand dollars
Instead Of the old per diem of eight dollars
at ten cents in every dollar?
As one of the people, l say, let the would
be Senator, whoever he is and his would be
hackers, speak out plainly on this question
Nor is this the only question; and therefore
l will put all the questions TO the Seoator
who is to be- thuSiy: "Are you in favor of
free tro7c, Io11 t0Tes and cheap money P'-
7, myself. would 60 for no man who is not:in
favor OF all these propositions especially the
lattcr lie must choose, empha,ically, which
of the two masters he will servc-thc people
or the LondholIcrs ! 1t matters not much TO
the people whether Tom. Dick. or Harry is
Senator it does matter much TO them, in
eccy.Y comforf of life, that they shall get for
their wheat and corn. and other products.
everything they want from those who will let
Them have the best articles at the cheapest
prices aud that in exchanging those arti-
cIes, the money used TO do it shall be the reo-
plc's own money at one and one tenth OF
cent out of each dollar instead of the 7ori'Ui-
Ieged and Lr,be-bought money of bankers,
brokers, shavers, and usurers, at ten cents out
Of every dollar
The people have been fooled and hum
hugged already to their most serious damage
They were told only raise money to ten
per cent, and you will have it i'll abundance /;
such abundance that competition will bring
it down to less than six per cent. What are
the facts and results? Why, money scarcer
than it was ever known, and iaHd and the
pTO'HCtS bl I"Bb StltiN llbul lulliy ~ lolA pei
cent! OF course the labor of the country
must and will fall at the same rate There
is now. of course. no sale for land: What fool
will buy land yielding not over two and half
or three per cent. when he can get ten or
twelve per cent for money, and get j; on the
land in mortgages at those rates that will
swallow it up in u short time ?
IF these facts will not arouse the people,
the trumpet of Gabriel wont. say to the
land holders of the country, and to those who
as tenants and iaborers live out of the soil
for their interests are the same-that a ring,
nOpey.m,OngeT's and bondhoider's ring, has
been formed against their lands and interests,
almost equivalent to confiscatinn in the end
it will amount to it quite There is but one
way to resist it, and that is by OF once requir-
ing your Legislature to lower interest. and
all your public men. whether in the State
Government or the General Government, to
CO operate in the same direction.
To secure honesty in this matter too. and
to guard against bribery on the part Of these
bond holders, require your Senator to pledge
himself not only that be will vote for cheap
money-the money OF the people against the
money of prigHeye-but that he will call the
ayes and noes, so that you can see how he
/ votes. OBSERVER.
/ Summit Point, Dec 4th, 1870.
The Ecaminer thus describes "fash-