In the decline of our manufacturing interest, our farmers, mechanics, and merchants see and feel that the sources of their own prosperity are vitally impaired. All classes of this community unite in a feeling of common interest; aware that they are combined and interwoven in mutual dependence upon cach other, that they rise and prosper, or decline and fall together. We do not and cannot disguise our opinion as to the true cause of the change which in a few months has spread itself over the face of our late prosperous country. We find it at once palpable upon the surface of affairs, in the "experiments" which have been made upon a currency, already possessed of a stability and uniformity without parallel in the history of commercial nations. The course and the facility of exchanges have been greatly interrupted. The operations of the National Bank, so necessary in this country to enable us to realize the productions of industry, have been checked and curtailed. A distrust for the future has diminished the natural and healthy operation of private capital. Credit has received a shock which it cannot long withstand. Need we say that the unexampled rapidity with which our section of country has been built up, is not the effect of the single exertions of great capitalists, but has rather arisen from the hands of a vast number of men, who began life with small means and great enterprise? An undiminished confidence in each other, and a rapid circulation of the products of industry, have ensured their prosperity, and are indispensable to their very existence. But a totally different state of things now exists. Every one looks to his own safety, and is fearful of the morrow. The demand for our products has been diminished to an extent inconsistent with the safe prosecution of our business; our imports are decreasing; the amount of raw material used in the different mechanical and manufacturing processes bas greatly diminished; many of our laborers are without employ; a portion of our manufactories are stopped, and others are about to be stopped. We do not say, nor believe, that any course of legislation can finally destroy the prosperity of our country. There is an elasticity in our free institutions sufficient to throw off the greatest weight that may be laid upon the springs of an industrious and hardy population. But this we do say, that the experiment now going on cannot be carried out to its full extent, nor continued much longer, without destroying the present race of merchants, mechanics, and manufacturers; and we desire solemnly to ask, if any result of any plan, however well intended, well devised, or well executed, can compensate our country for the deep ruin and misery of this vast and extended sacrifice. We ask you as men who are bound up with us in a common interest, as fellow-citizens, as brethren, to lay your hands upon your hearts, and tell us if this is right. As we have already intimated, we believe the remedy, and the sole remedy, to be in your hands. Public confidence cannot be in any way so speedily revived, nor general prosperity in any way so surely promoted, as by the restoration of the public funds to the custody of the Bank of the United States. This seems to us to be an act of justice, of expediency, and of duty. The business of this country can never be advantageously carried on without a National Bank. The recharter of the present Bank, with such modifi cations as may be deemed proper, will meet in the most satisfactory manner the pressing necessities of the people. We speak not as party men. If any of us have entertained party feelings on this subject, they have been rebuked by the cruel severity of the times. We contend not for victory, but for our daily bread. The question which the National Legislature is called upon to decide, is a question of life or death to the present prosperity of the whole country. We appeal to the constituted guardians of the general welfare for relief. PROVIDENCE COUNTY, March 22, 1834. Stephen Steere Seth Mowry John Fenner Parley M. Mathewson Ebenezer Perkins Waterman F. Brown A. S. Beckwith W. Ingalls Otis A. Wheelock Spencer Beers Malachi Green Thomas Trenner, jr. Bennett W. Wheeler P. W. B. Bennett Thomas G. Humphreys Charles P. L. Percival Willard A. Handy James Billings Richard Burke Burrows A. Burke Thomas J. Wardwell Thomas Harrington James Martin Daniel R. Clark Thomas M. Barker Richard M. Field Thomas E. Grinnell Henry Holden Isaac Field Thomas Barstow Paul Taylor Amasa Mason Joseph R. Hood Joseph W. Saunders Thaddeus Curtis William Harding John A Darling Caleb G. Balch Joseph Ashley Welcome Arnold Ebenezer Fuller Charles Lippitt Thomas Farmer Thomas J. Stead Wm. W. Brown John Hunt Henry Anthony S. B. Wheaton Wm. Rhodes Randall Holdner Abner Peckham Robert Rhodes Thomas Trucolece J. G. Gladding S. H. Cady Wm. H. Aborn Charles G. Taft George W. Kimball Jonas R. Gale Nathaniel Lang Freedom Vason Arnold Paine George Horton Daniel Arnold Joseph Sheldon Angell Battey Oliver Carpenter Timothy Gladding John Baggs Cornelius S. Tompkins Edwin T. Murphy Gardner Luther Paris Dyer Caleb Fuller Esek Robbins Duty S. Steer Thomas Rollins, jr. John F. Wolcott Henry Rousmaniere Joseph McIntire Danforth L. Peck John C. Tower Remember R. Carpenter Amos Babcock Adams Park George Mumford Samuel Armington Jonathan Pratt Madison Sayles Joseph Tyler Olney Fairfield Carvin Hopkins Charles Wight Isaac H. Holden William Henry Sheldon Battey M. Atlin Daniel Hubbard John Hart Ward A. Work Waterman Walker Benaiah Sweet Henry C. Pabodie Daniel H. Chaffee Ezekiel Fowler William W. Wight Charles E. Blair Syria Sture James M. Latham Christopher V. Spencer Nathan Cook James Bellou John Thornton Ziber Mowry William Patt Elisha Steere Daniel A. Mowry Nelson Mowry William B. Steere Dexter Ballou Aaron Ruthbern George C. Bullou Gordon Sayles Stephen H. Smith T. B. Peck John Bartlett T. O. H. Carpenter, jr. John J. Aldrich Charles M. Stone Israel M. Bowen Christopher Place Alexander Johnson Asahel Johnson Pardon A. Holden Abraham Place John Place Joseph Place Samuel E. Place Andrew Harris Joseph Cunliff James M. Cunliff John Annis Layton Capneell Cephas Holbrook John W. Buffum David Daniel James Bacon Solomon Thayer George Buffum David Phillips Loran Hoyle Allen Reynolds William Elsbree William Pabodie John F. Greene Henry Trumbull John Pettis John Stokes William Bradford Daniel Rutenton Emor Angell Welcome P. Darling Joseph W. Fearing Douglas F. Seamour W. H. Hardenburgh Benoni Baker Zelotes W. Holden |