may come.

There are thousands and tens of thousands belonging to these classes
all over the country who must have relief, or their ruin is
inevitable. And then look at that other class, numerically larger,
perhaps, certainly not less worthy of our regard, who are dependent
upon these; I mean the mechanics, the day laborers, and those in turn
dependent upon them. What are they to do? If some change does not
come, if something is not done again to start the wheels of commerce
and business, what is to become of them?

And look, too, at New England! She has latterly been the workshop of
the South and the West. She has furnished their people with her
manufactures--they have been her market. An excellent market, too,
have they furnished her; she has grown rich through their consumption.
How stands the matter with New England to-day? True, some of her shops
are running, but many more are still. The noise of the loom, the
rattle of the shuttle, have ceased in many of her factories, while
others are gradually discharging their operatives and closing their
business. But I will pursue this branch of the subject no farther. No
one acquainted with the facts, will deny that the whole country is
upon the eve of such a financial crisis as it has never seen--that
this crisis will come as sure as that the sun will rise, unless we do
something to avert it!

What is it that has thus stopped the wheels of manufactures and
arrested the ordinary movements of commerce? What is it that has
produced this unusual and uncommon stagnation of business? What is it
that has driven away from the markets of the North those hitherto so
welcome to them? I do not propose to go into the history of these
questions. I will not attempt to enlarge upon the answers to them. I
can condense the answer into few words. It is because anxiety,
distrust, and apprehension, are universally prevailing. Confidence is
lost. The North misunderstands the South--the South misunderstands the
North. Neither will trust the other, and the consequences to which I
have adverted necessarily follow.

I am a merchant. I am unused to public discussions or arguments, but I
am a business man, and I take a business view of this subject. I can
see as clearly as I can see the sun at noonday the causes of our
present embarrassment. I believe I can see equally clear how those
causes may be removed.

We have come here for a grand and lofty purpose. What nobler work can
engage the mind