Currency fallacies refuted, and paper money ... - University Library

PRP.FACE.IXthat Mr. Attwood's motion was defeated, as bythe unaffected declaration of Lord Althorp," that he would deal frankly with the HonourableMember, and tell him, that he must, asan honest man, oppose the motion." It requiredgreat moral courage, and a strong consciousnessof integrity, to stand up against ablow like this, the effect of which was muchenhanced by the unexpected straightforwardnessof its delivery.If any one is entitled to the character of anhonest man, it is the nobleman who made thisdeclaration. Let, then, Lord Althorp, in thatcharacter say, whether a charge of unfairnessin the collection of the revenue, whereby thewhole of the productive classes are injured, andimmense numbers ruined, occasioned by thelate alterations of our monetary system— oughtnot to be enquired into ? It is no answer, evenif it were true, to say, that parliament didwrong in 1797, by the Restriction Act ; andthat if it erred in 1819 by enforcing cash payments,any attempt to correct that error in 1833would be productive of further mischief: thatduring the war, the creditor was despoiled, andif the debtor has suffered since, the two classeshave endured a " common lot," which would