The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-10-27
IContinued from last Sundayl
Written for Sunday News and Observer.


TContinued from last Sunday
Written for Sunday News and Observer.
WASHINGTON, d. O., Oct. 25.
Mr.. Benton bellu,es the public dis
tress which followed the removal of the
dep )sits; and charges whatever there
was of it to the conduct of the bank In
withholding accommodations from the
merchants and others when they were
not needed. Thousands of petitions and
memorials were sent TO Congress, pray
ing for a restoration of the deposits to
the bank. and magnifying tue real dis
tress of the people. Such was MIR. Ben
tons the ry. He quotes from the
speeches of Messrs. Clay, Webster, South
ard, Tyler of Virginia, and others, made
on the presentation of these petitions,
and states, or calls attention to their
similarity, in beginning by painting a
picture of the wonderful prosperity of
the places from which the petitions came
prior TO the destructive war upon the
bank, eliminating in the unconstitu
tional abstraction of the public funds from
that institution, which roseate picture
was invariably followed by another, por-
traying scenes of deSolation and ruin to
capitalists and laborers. On one of these
occasions Mr. Webster presented "the
proceedings of the meeting of the build
ing mechanics of the city and county Of
Philadelphia, convened for the purpose
of expressing their opinions on the pres
ent state of the country" After address
ing the Senate, he moved to refer and
print the memorial. Mr.. Clay seconded
the motion of Mr.. Webster, and, says
Mr.. Benton, after giving it as his opinion
that the property of the country had
been reduced four hundred millions of
dollars in value by the measures of the
Government, thus spostrophized the
Vice President I'M. Van Buren, charg
ing him with message of prayer and
supplication to President Jackson. Mr.
Clay said:
but there is another quarter which
possesses sufficient power and influence
to relieve the public distresses. In
twenty-four hours the executive branch
could adopt measure which would afford
an efficacious and substantial remedy
and re establish confidence. And those
who in this chamber support the
Administration could not render
better seryi than to repair TO the
Executive mansion, and, placing before
the Executive the naked aud undisgnised
truth, prevail upon him to retrace bis
steps and abandon his fatal experiment
No one, sir. can perform that duty with
more propriety than yourself (the Vice
President). You can, If you will, IN
duce him to change his course To you,
then, sir, in no unfriendly spirit, but
with feelings softened and subdued by
the deep distress which perVades every
class Of our countrymen, | make the ap
peal By your official and personal re-
1ations with the President, you maintain
with him an intercourse which / neither
enjoy nor covet. Go to him and tel
him, without ex8g geration, but ia the
language of truth and sincerity, the
actual condition of his bleeding country.
Tell him it is nearly ruined and nndone
by the measures which he has been in
duced to put in operation. Tell him
that his experiment is operating on
the nation like the philosophers expert
ment upon a convulsed animal in an ex
hausted receiver, and that it mustexpire,
in agony,if he does not pause, giveit free
and sound circulation, and suffer
the energies of the people to be revived
and restored. Tell him that, in single
city, more than sixty bankruptcies, IN
yolving loss of more than fifteen mil
ton of dollars, have occurred. Tell him
of the alarming decline in the value of
all property, of the depreciation of all
the products of industry, OF the stagna
ton in every branch of business, and of
the close Of numerous manufacturing
establishments, which, a few short
months ago, were ia active and h)urish-
ing operation. Depict to him, il you can
find language to portray it, the heart
rending wretchedness of thousands of
the working classes cast out of employ
ment Tell him of the tears of helpless
widows, no longer able to earn their
bread, and of unolad and unfed orphans
who have been driven, by his policy, out
of the busy pursuits, in which but yes
terday, they were gaining an honest
livelihood.
hr Gay proceeded in this vein for some
tina longer, and concluded as follows:
"Entreat him to pause and to reflect
EuAA gAVAS ~ q ppAbb bOynAA "aASh h~~
man endurance cannot 60; and let him
not drive this brave, generous and
patriotic people to madness and despair. "
Touring the delivery Of the apps rQ-
phe,n says Mr.. Benton, the Vice-Presi
dent maintained the utmost decorum Of
countenance, looking respectfully, and
even innocently at the speaker, all the
while, as if measuring up every word he
said to be faithfully repeated to the
President After it was over, and the
Vice President had called some Senator
to the chair he went up to Mr.. Clay, and
asked him for pinch Of his fine Mac
caboy snuff Gas he often did; and hay
ing received it, walked away"
Mr.. Benton adds that public meet
ing in Philadelphia took this dramatic
perform nee seriously, and declared
that if Mr.. Van Buren, failed to deliver
the message to the President, he would
deserve the excavations of all good men
Mr.. Benton said that the distress petit