The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1842-05-05
SPEECH
MIR. James Graham, OF Ne

1 IlllllH uJttttit0 ia ttlC AAOuse al p
resentatiyes, April A, 1872. Il
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: The question now i.
scented to the House IL, 10 strike oul al
bill under consideration the necessary
preparations TO sustain the Branch M;',
Iapprehend il is The duty and policy !,
all enlightened nations TO exercise The 81
ing power in such manner as 10 Oh.
their Government and people the grealss
advantages and best opportunities Of cos
verting the precious metals into mono
In countries confined TO small Limits. ~
mint is sufficient. In countries of la,a.
territories and extensive boundaries. nos.
minis than one are deemed proper and n,
cessary for public convenience. Enal,,I
has but one mint, and why because II,
territory Of that country is scarcely eon,
in exten, TO one of our largest States al
her facilities for trade aud travel are 70,
dered so convenient, that any part oftl.
Kingdom is accessible in one or two ds,
journey.
i France has three or four separate mint
at different places in that nation and wby
because her territory is much more eye
sive than that Of England; and her polry
is to embrace every opportunity and alIo,
every advantage 10 convert the precjs-,
metals, as often as possible. into her on,
coin. The United States has tcrri,s,g
equal in extent 10 more than one half Of
Europe and the question now arises, WIN
ought to be the policy pursued in /,
great and growing paiion in relal,.n Ia /
coming tho precious metals Shall
the coming be done Of one Mint, huedres
and thousands Of miles distant from d,
gold mines IL our country or shall al
have Branch MINIS in the gold region /,
afford encouragement and give facilnle. \
the enieprising and practical miners
These are the questions now before d,
House and tho nation.
The mover Of this proposition TO qfl,
out the appropriations TO abolish the Ma,
aiiirms and alleges that the Mint at Phs.
delphia can coin oil the gold in the l'ar
ed States. The allegation may be m,
and yet il does NOT follow that the Mat
Charlotte is useless or unnecessary.
the Branch Mint al Charlotte were abo.3'
cd, still large portion Of the gold iosf!
IN North Carolina would never bo caras.
TO Philadelphia 10 be coined. Now, then.
IN consists the error aud lallacy Of the a,
gumen, Of those who propose 10 demo.id
the Branch Mint at Charlotte. They nl
for granted that which is not true IN pos
OF fact, they contend that, as soon AZ IA
Charlotte Min, is destroyed. all the Mort
Carolina gold will be carried directly d
Philadelphia, about six hundred miles to 4
coined. Not So no. indeed far otheipls.
Mr.. Chairman, ! live in the gold regio,
and represent large number Of gold nj
ners. know the inconvenience and a
ticul,les they encountered ia their open.
tons asd business, before tic csialst
ment Of the Mint at ChrrlolIc. When
did all their gold then gol To Phials
pha No, sir. The miners oarrs.
much Of their gold to Mr.. Bcchtlcf. s. Is
In four miles Of the village in which | n
side he is a very good assaycr, and y,r
honest man. He assayed il, and coase-
ed large portion Of it into wha, sc "a
10 the gold region, Tie Boch,lcr coin. orG
miners currency; that is, pieces Of
resembling but no, imitatius) With IA
proper value and the nssaycr's name mai
cd thereon. lie made 81 pieces he ne
pieces worth So 80, and s.. Before ia
establishment ofihe Branch Min, ut Chat
loiie, those Bcchler pieces eonsli,a
ed portion Of the currency and circus.
ton IN the gold region. They passed re
ry currently, and were substituted and uss
~ lieu Of genuine coin.
Before the establishment Of the Min, II
Charlotte, many persons v no had the la;g.
est capital invested in mines and maehiner
carried their gold to the same Mr.. Bcch,
Ter, and employed him to assay il, md nn
II INTO large bars, tbuIIion.) lie stamFi
the true value on each bar, worth perhaps
from $500 TO $4,000 in value. Thea,
large bars we're often carried to Euearl
or some other part Of Europe, und sold q
foreign markets. And thus were de
mines of the United States contributing
increase and multiply the precious metals
and coins IN foreign nations. while our ov1
country was languishng and suffering fl
com to maintain ard support a sound cur
rency at home. Sir, hold it TO be hi.i
aud paramount duty, in every Gogorumes
which IS wisely administered, 10 foster a
encourage miners in their labors and e
after the precious metals, and
ltVfd and extend to them facilities 10 cda.
iert the precious metals into coin. Tha,
vas tho deliberate judgment of lar-s
majority OF Congress in 1885, when he
Nut at Charlotte was established in tie
centre of the gold region. From stats
zeal tables furnished in the last census, i
appears that the amount of gold found uul
aiken last year from the mines of Norlh
1arollna was valued at 1885, 900. Iftbe
5ranch Mint u, Charlotte be well mauac
ID, think II would coin about 100000
very year. 100000 in gold coin, BE-
leve, IS, IN banking operations, where they
'sue tor |, equivalent 10 100000
$ this not an object to Government aOd