The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 7 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
Philosophy
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 7 (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
Take a certain term of years for its gradual reduction, suppose it to be
five years; then let the solvent banks issue ⅚ of that amount in new
notes, to be attested by a public officer, as a security that neither
more or less is issued, and to be given out in exchange for the suspended
notes, and the surplus in discount.
Let ⅕th of these notes bear on their face that the bank will discharge
them with specie at the end of one year; another 5th at the end of two
years; a third 5th at the end of three years; and so of the 4th and
5th. They will be sure to be brought in at their respective periods of
redemption.
Make it a high offence to receive or pass within this State a note of
any other.
There is little doubt that our banks will agree readily to this operation;
if they refuse, declare their charters forfeited by their former
irregularities, and give summary process against them for the suspended
notes.
The Bank of the United States will probably concur also; if not, shut
their doors and join the other States in respectful, but firm applications
to Congress, to concur in constituting a tribunal (a special convention,
_e. g._) for settling amicably the question of their right to institute
a bank, and that also of the States to do the same.
A stay-law for the suspension of executions, and their discharge at five
annual instalments, should be accommodated to these measures.
Interdict forever, to both the State and national governments, the power
of establishing any paper bank; for without this interdiction, we shall
have the same ebbs and flows of medium, and the same revolutions of
property to go through every twenty or thirty years.
In this way the value of property, keeping pace nearly with the sum of
circulating medium, will descend gradually to its proper level, at the
rate of about ⅕ every year, the sacrifices of what shall be sold for
payment of the first instalments of debts will be moderate, and time will
be given for economy and industry to come in aid of those subsequent.
Certainly no nation ever before abandoned to the avarice and jugglings of
private individuals to regulate, according to their own interests, the
quantum of circulating medium for the nation, to inflate, by deluges of
paper, the nominal prices of property, and then to buy up that property
at 1s. in the pound, having first withdrawn the floating medium which
might endanger a competition in purchase. Yet this is what has been
done, and will be done, unless stayed by the protecting hand of the
legislature. The evil has been produced by the error of their sanction of
this ruinous machinery of banks; and justice, wisdom, duty, all require
that they should interpose and arrest it before the schemes of plunder
and spoliation desolate the country. It is believed that Harpies are
already hoarding their money to commence these scenes on the separation
of the legislature; and we know that lands have been already sold under
the hammer for less than a year's rent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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