The object which I shall keep steadily in view in the following remarks will he to lay before you, as clearly as possible, the opinions of the greatest authorities that I have met with upon the subject, rather than endeavour to amuse you, and flatter my own vanity, by airing any novel theories of my own, and I must more especially acknowledge my deep and repeated obligation to that very excellent little work entitled "National Paper Money," recently published at Home by Mr. You on your part have of course a perfect right to demand that, whosoever undertakes to address you should corne thoroughly prepared and do his very best but, on the other hand, comon justice dictates, and I boldly maintain, that whosoever honestly, manfully, and fearlessly does so, has equally an absolute right to command your respect, no matter what his social position or how humble soever his natural abilities may be. Let me, however, request you to make an exception for once, in my favour, upon the present occasion, while for a short half-hour I endeavour to explain to you a few stubborn facts about that most practical of all subjects, namely, pounds shillings and pence, or national paper money.
Perhaps the most remarkable peculiarity of the Anglo-Saxon race at the present day is, that with all their vaunted love of freedom and liberalism, they slavishly worship wealth and social position, and systematically disdain to listen to anyone unless he has made his mark in the world, or can lay claim to be a sprig of that aristocracy which has been so long ruling them with a rod of iron.
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