George Sewall Boutwell, Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs… (1902)
“ In the infancy of a country, when the resources are inadequate, a national bank, assuming that it is managed honestly and wisely, may be an important aid, but time being given, it will inevitably become a political machine in a country, like the United States, where the political aspirations of the people are active and the temptations to seek the aid of the money power are always great. ”
George Sewall Boutwell, Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs… (1902)
“ Of poetry the Whig writers furnished much more than was enjoyed by Democrats. An effort was made to stay the tide in favor of Harrison by poetry as well as by argument. The effort was fruitless. The contest of 1840 had its origin in the most distressing financial difficulties that ever rested upon the country, and it was conducted on the part of the Whigs by large expenditures of money, for those days, and with a degree of hilarity and good nature that it is difficult now to realize. ”
George Sewall Boutwell, Reminiscences of Sixty Years in Public Affairs… (1902)
“ The Whigs accepted the issue, built log cabins on wheels and drew them over the country from one mass meeting to another. The unfortunate remark was made by a writer or speaker that if Harrison had a log cabin and plenty of hard cider he would be content. A barrel became the emblem of the Whig Party. The log cabin was furnished with a cider barrel at the door, and the emblematic barrel was seen on cane heads and breast pins. Mr. Webster struck a fatal blow at the error of the Democratic Party:—“Let him be the log cabin candidate. What you say in scorn we will shout with all our lungs. ”
