"Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold! Solitary & alone I still cry Gold! Gold! Gold!"
Thomas Hart Benton (left), a Democratic Senator from Missouri, advocated a “hard-money” fiscal policy, meaning that paper currency must be backed by gold.  Benton worked to return gold coins to circulation and insisted on receiving his salary in gold coins.

	"Oh! Major Jack Downing, the base treachery & perfidity of the Deposite Banks! The money making concerns devoid of patriotism and interest. By the Eternal! They are & ever have been a curse."
Former President Andrew Jackson (second from left), who had vetoed the recharter of the Bank of the United States, was also a “hard-money” Democrat.  In 1832 Jackson exclaimed “By the Eternal!  I’ll smash them!” when he was told that the Senate had rejected the nomination of his ally, Van Buren, as Minister to England.

	"The proud Isle! Every man, woman & child is taxed to pay her our debts."
The Globe was the Democratic Party newspaper, edited by Francis Preston Blair, who was a close advisor to Jackson and Van Buren and an advocate of “hard-money” policies.

Letter to Sherrod Williams

According to the customs of the time, Presidential candidates did not campaign for office, which was considered undignified. However, Sherrod Williams, a Whig Representative from Kentucky, believed that voters had a right to know the candidate’s stand on the issues. In 1836, he asked each candidate to answer five questions.  Van Buren’s letter to him in response outlined his views on the financial questions of the day including his opposition to re-chartering a national bank and his support of “hard-money” policies.

The Madisonian was a conservative or “soft money” newspaper that favored continuing to use state banks to handle government money.

"Well I swan, if the Old General ain’t pullin’ tu! Look out Matty or you’ll commit yourself this time!"

Major Jack Downing (right), a fictional character created by humorist Seba Smith for his series Letters from Major Jack Downing, was a plain-spoken common man who commented on the political happenings of the day.  The character sometimes served as the personification of the American people.   Later cartoonists used “John Q. Public” in this role.  Major Downing’s top hat and tails survived in the costume of Uncle Sam, who came to symbolize the United States, rather than its people.

"Take care gentlemen, you’ll have me off the fence."

"Preserve and regulate the spoils but do not destroy them. "

"Well regulated monopolies are the proper balance wheel. "

"Revered Chief! At the head of the nation! "