Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-10-10
History Repeating rtseIf-The None,
Powers Attack on Jackson.

| SlXGy years ago 0eneral JdchbOu
was engaged in life and death
struggle with the money power of
that day, just as the democratic
party is engaged in such struggle
to day.
The United States banks had a
capital of $S5.OO0,000, and it had
branch banks all over the country.
In this bank, by operation of law,
all the money of the government was
deposited. Nicholas Biddle was presi
dent of it. He was the money king
of that time, and the anti-democrats
believed him to be greater and a
better man than President Jackson
whom he attempted to .crush."
At the end of Jackson's first term,
Mr.. Biddle, who desired renewal of
the charter of his bank, visited
Washington to confer with the Presi-
dent on this subject. He Informed
Jackson that the merchants and
men of affairs throughout all the
States were, as rule, largely in
| debted to his bank, and that,
through the influence of his branch
banks, he could control the election
in any State in the Union.
"Mr. Biddle," replied Old Hickory,
'sif that is true, and I think it is, l
tell YOU here and now, that, if you
can control the election OF any State
| in the Union that is too much power
for one man to have in a free country
in time of peace; and ! will tell you
further, here and now, that if you
get a new charter from Congress for
that bank, by the Eternal, | will veto
that charter"
Thereupon the Mark Hanna of that
day began to organize his forces in
an effort to defeat General jackson
for reelection.
He bought up'' all the great dem
ocratic papers of the country.
He Influenced Clay, Webster and
Calhoun to make great constitutional
arguments against the position taken
by jackson. They denounced Jack
son as a Cromwell-asa revolutionist,
as bad man.
He got up, just as Mark Hanna
has done in this day and generation,
honest" democratic meetings to de-
nounce Jackson. Benton in his
Thirty Years in the Senate" gives
an account of one of those meetings.
1t was held at Philadelphia. John
Sargent, with 300 democratic vice
presidents, presided, and all the
speakers, speaking from twenty
stands, were anti-Jackson democrats.
This meeting appointed committee
of 800 democrats to call on jackson
and ask him to desist from his an
archistic course in running the coun-
try by attacking the financial policy
in vogue. One of this delegation, an
influential democratic tool of the
money power of that day, told Jack
son that, if he persisted in his
course-in his attack on the existing
financial system of the country-the
people would rise en- masse and with
shotguns, pitchforks, or anything
else that would kill, they would
''expel the Cloths from Rome Jack
son replied: DO you come here to
threaten me? If you men dare to
put any of your big threats into ex-
ecution, by the Great Eternal, | will
hang you as high as Haman."
And thus the fight went on. Nearly
all of the rich men of the country; all
of the great bankers; nearly all of the
great merchants; all of the great
newspapers, and great faction of
the democratic party, waged an I'M
relenting war upon the old patriot,
Just as nearly all of the rich men of
to day, all of the great bankers,
nearly all of the great merchants, all
of the great newspapers, and faction
of the democratic party are waging
1 ,por on RrUaD now.
But the Mark Hannaism and the
democratic treason of that day,
which then, as now, was labelled with
the word Honesty" did not succeed
jackson was re elected; and, crushing
the dangerous money power of that
time, he saved the government from
perversion and class domination.
And the Mark Hannaism of to day
backed though it is by democratic
treason labelled, as of old, with the
word Honesty" will not succeed
Bryan will be elected; and, crushing
the money power of to day as Jack
son crushed the money power OIL
sixty years ago. he, as Jackson then
did, will save the Republic, and take
us back in our politics to the princi
Piles of Jefferson and the practices Of
Old Hickory.-Richmond State.