Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1878-10-09
Words Of Wise Men.

H"cht'oh I1hy hot w Hh''ss'
Alexander Hamilton sad
Paper emissions by the government
, are Of q nature 70 liable to abuse,--l
may say 80 certain TO be abused, that
the wisdom OF the government will
be shown by never trusting itself with
with so Seducing and dangerous n
power,
Chief Justice Marshall -
Such medium Qrrcdeemablc paper
mo ncy) has always been liable to
huctuallon. Its value Is constantly
changing and these changes, often
great and sudden, expose individuals
TO great loss, arc the source Of ruinous
speoulations, and destroy all confidence
between man and man.
Thomas Jefferson -
Capitol may be produced by industry
aud accumulated by economy, but
only jugglers will propose to create It
by legcrdemain tricks with paper.
Andrew Jackson -
a paper currency is great curse
to any people, and u particular curse
to the laborcr Of any country. tor the
de- recitation always falls upon the la
borer
Thomas II. Benton -
1t (paper money! tends to aggravate
the inequality Of fortunes to make
the rich richer and tho poor poorer, to
multiply nabobs and paupers, and to
to deepen and wider Snnyulf which
separated Dives trc r"yarus.
James Madison -
Tho loss whic. p 4, "a has sus-
taned. since the pea '"om the pes
tilential effect Of irrea' liable paper
money, on the III 4 Rnfidence
between men, on the con-
fd"nce in the puolic couiltH5. bn the
industry aud morals cfthe people, and
on the character of Republican gov
ernment, constitute an enormous debt
against the States chargesble with this
unadvised measure, which must re-
main unsatistied, or rather in an ac-
cumulation of guilt which can be ex-
plated no otherwise than by Il voluu-
tary sacrifice on the alter of justice
of the power which had been the in
strument oft.
Daniel Webster -
The very man of all others who has
the deepest interest in sound cur
rency, and who suffers most by mis-
chievous legislation in money matters
is the man who ca ms his daily bread
by his daily toll. A deprecated cur
renoy, sudden changes OF price, paper
money falling between morning and
noon, and falling still lower between
noon and night, these things consti-
tute the very harvest time of specu-
lalors, and of the whole race Of those
who are at once idle and crafty. A
disordered currency is one of the
greatest polcal evils. 1t undermines
the vlrture necessary for the support
of the social system, and encourages
propensities destructive to its happiness
1t wars against indutry, frugality, and
economy, and fosters the evil spirits of
extravangance and speculation. OF
all the contrivance for cheating the
laboring classes of mankind, none has
been more efectual than that which del
udes them with paper money. Thisis the
most efectual invention to fertillize
the rich mans field by the sweat Of the
poor mans brow. Ordinary tyranny,
oppression, excessive taxation, these
bear lightly upon the mass of the COM
munlty compared with fraudulent
curren cies and the robbery committed
by deprecated paper.
Abraham Lincoln -
A return to specie payments at the
earliest possible period compatible
with due regard to all interests con-
cerned, should ever be kept in view.
Fluctuations in the value Of currency
are always injurious, and to reduce
these fluctuations to the lowest pos ,
sible point will always be leading
in wise legislation. Con-
vertibillity, prompt and certain con.
veribility, is acknowledged to be the
best and surest safeguard against them.
Were these not wise men = Were
they not patriots Could their words
meet the issue of the hour more d.
rectly if they had been spoken yester-
day