The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-06-14

GENERAL JACKSON, in his first message
TO Congress, December 9th, 1890, uses
the following language in regard to
recharter Of the last Bank of the United
States: "The charter Of the Bank of the
United States expires in 1896, and its
stockholders will probably apply for a
renewal of their privileges. In order to
avoid the evils resulting from precipi-
fancy in a measure involving such i'm
portant principles and such deep pecu-
mary interests feel that can not, in
justice to the parties interested too soon
present it to the deliberate consideration
of the Legislature and the people. Both
the constitutionality and eXpediency of
the law creating this bank are well
questioned by large portion of our
fellow citizens, and it must be admitted
by all that it has failed in the great end
of establishing uniform and sound cur
rency." Berkey says; "The bank imme-
diately began preparations for war.
Through its branches. and its control
over State Banks, its power extended
into every part of the country. Millions
Of dollars belonging, as it subsequently
appeared, to depositors and stockhold-
ers) were squandered for the purpose of
corrupting the people. Statesmen, Con-
gressmen, brawling politicians, editors
all succumbed to its influence, very
much in the same way as they are seen
bowng to the power of the National
Banks at the present day After a care
full survey of the field. and thorough
canvass of Congress, it was determined
by the bank that renewal of its charter
should be applied for during a session of
Congress Immediately preceding the
next general election in 1882. The bill
passed Congress by majority of eight
in the Senate and twenty two in the
House. AS was expected, it was return
ed with the Presidents veto, on the 10th
of July, 1892. The contest was then
transferred to a wider field and carried
on with excessive virulence. The money
power everywhere went to work to defeat
Jackson. In Philadelphia, for example,
the bank would order business men to
hold public meetings in its behalf, in
order that it might ascertain who were
its friends, and who were courageous
enough to stand by the government in
its effort to redeem the people, and then,
in return, would appoint places Tor the
assembling of the different trades, in order
that the employers might see who of
their workmen had opinions which they
dared maintain. The masses, however,
rallied to the support of their President,
and the capacity of the American people
for self lfgovernment was triumphantly
vindcated, Hon. Thomas H. Benton.
in his Thirty Years in the Senate"
said: "Such message from such a man
"a man not apt to look back when he
had set his face forward-electri6ed the
Democratic spirit of the country. The
old Democracy felt as if they were to
see the Constitution restored before they
died. the young as if they summons
ed to the reconstruction Of the work of
their fathers" This picture of the fnan-
cial condition forty>6ve years ago is just
the condition of things now, with the ex.
ception that the old United States Bank
had but capital of $35 900, 900, whereas
the present National Banks have ten
times that capital, Then the bank had
her pensioned presses, her paid lobby,
her paid brawlers, agents, and pretended
Democratic Senators and members of
Congress. But Old Hickory backed by
the honest yoemanry Of the country, was
too many for them. The bank went to
the wall and carried down to political
oblivion all the professed Democratic
leaders who were bought or loaned
themselves to that corrupt and rotten
power. The fate of the men who were
used in that struggle ofthe people against
the bank should be a warning to the
would be leaders Of to-day.-CIn. EN-
OzIIIET