The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
It follows, then, that with our redundancy of paper, we cannot,
after peace, send a bushel of wheat to Europe, unless extraordinary
circumstances double its price in particular places, and that then the
exporting countries of Europe could undersell us.
It is said that our paper is as good as silver, because we may have
silver for it at the bank where it issues. This is not true. One, two,
or three persons might have it; but a general application would soon
exhaust their vaults, and leave a ruinous proportion of their paper in
its intrinsic worthless form. It is a fallacious pretence, for another
reason. The inhabitants of the banking cities might obtain cash for their
paper, as far as the cash of the vaults would hold out, but distance
puts it out of the power of the country to do this. A farmer having a
note of a Boston or Charleston bank, distant hundreds of miles, has no
means of calling for the cash. And while these calls are impracticable
for the country, the banks have no fear of their being made from the
towns; because their inhabitants are mostly on their books, and there
on sufferance only, and during good behavior.
In this state of things, we are called on to add ninety millions more
to the circulation. Proceeding in this career, it is infallible, that
we must end where the revolutionary paper ended. Two hundred millions
was the whole amount of all the emissions of the old Congress, at which
point their bills ceased to circulate. We are now at that sum, but with
treble the population, and of course a longer tether. Our depreciation
is, as yet, but about two for one. Owing to the support its credit
receives from the small reservoirs of specie in the vaults of the
banks, it is impossible to say at what point their notes will stop.
Nothing is necessary to effect it but a general alarm; and that may take
place whenever the public shall begin to reflect on, and perceive the
impossibility that the banks should repay this sum. At present, caution
is inspired no farther than to keep prudent men from selling property
on long payments. Let us suppose the panic to arise at three hundred
millions, a point to which every session of the legislatures hasten us by
long strides. Nobody dreams that they would have three hundred millions
of specie to satisfy the holders of their notes. Were they even to stop
now, no one supposes they have two hundred millions in cash, or even the
sixty-six and two-third millions, to which amount alone the law compels
them to repay. One hundred and thirty-three and one-third millions of
loss, then, is thrown on the public by law; and as to the sixty-six and
two-thirds, which they are legally bound to pay, and ought to have in
their vaults, every one knows there is no such amount of cash in the
United States, and what would be the course with what they really have
there? Their notes are refused. Cash is called for. The inhabitants
of the banking towns will get what is in the vaults, until a few banks
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