Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4Jefferson, Thomas
History
Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies, From the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Volume 4
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
1. The additional industry created to supply a variety of articles for
troops, ammunition, &c. Now I had always supposed that war produced
a diminution of industry, by the number of hands it withdraws from
industrious pursuits, for employment in arms &c. which are totally
unproductive. And if it calls for new industry in the articles of
ammunition and other military supplies, the hands are borrowed from
other branches on which the demand is slackened by the war; so that it
is but a shifting of these hands from one pursuit to another.
2. The cash sent to the frontiers occasions a vacuum in the trading
towns, which requires a new supply. Let us examine what are the calls
for money to the frontiers. Not for clothing, tents, ammunition, arms,
which are all bought in the trading towns. Not for provisions; for
although these are bought partly in the intermediate country, bank-bills
are more acceptable there than even in the trading towns. The pay of
the army calls for some cash; but not a great deal, as bank-notes are as
acceptable with the military men, perhaps more so; and what cash is sent
must find its way back again, in exchange for the wants of the upper
from the lower country. For we are not to suppose that cash stays
accumulating there for ever.
3. This scarcity has been occasioned by the late loans. But does the
government borrow money to keep it in their coffers? Is it not instantly
restored to circulation by payment for its necessary supplies? And are
we to restore a vacuum of twenty millions of dollars by an emission of
ninety millions?
4. The want of medium is proved by the recurrence of individuals with
good paper to brokers at exorbitant interest; and
5. By the numerous applications to the State governments for additional
banks; New York wanting eighteen millions, Pennsylvania ten millions,
&c. But say more correctly, the speculators and spendthrifts of New York
and Pennsylvania, but never consider them as being the States of New
York and Pennsylvania. These two items shall be considered together.
It is a litigated question, whether the circulation of paper, rather
than of specie, is a good or an evil. In the opinion of England and
of English writers it is a good; in that of all other nations it is an
evil; and excepting England and her copyist, the United States, there is
not a nation existing, I believe, which tolerates a paper circulation.
The experiment is going on, however, desperately in England, pretty
boldly with us, and at the end of the chapter, we shall see which
opinion experience approves: for I believe it to be one of those cases
where mercantile clamor will bear down reason, until it is corrected by
ruin. In the mean time, however, let us reason on this new call for a
national bank.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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