Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-16
are the Legal Tender Treasury Notes
Authorized ny the Constituffon.
INDIANAPOLIS, June

tNblANAfOLiS, June 40, lCoZ.
To the Hon. S y. Chase. See'y Of the Treasury:
SnR:-Permit an humble citizen, aud an earnest
Union man. 10 address to you lev considera-
tons on your proposition tor further issue OF
legal tender Treasury notes. / doubt both the
consttutionality ard expediency of the measure;
AMI think !, is wiser to ascertain, before an act
is done, especially so great a one as that Wopos-
ell. that it l. authorized by the Constitution than
to first do the act. and then look for the right to
do Il afterwards.
The Treasury notes. thus far issued whether
constitutional or not " be inverted into bonds
and withdrawn from circulation before a decision
Of the Supreme Court can impair their value;
and. therefore. it is eminently proper to pause
and consider before that issue is made
Nov that our brave armies are successfully
dispensing the rebel bands, with a prospect OF
bringing the war to a close. let not Congress. ia
the civil administration. by disregardng the Con
sttuton in its action destroy the hope OF restoring
fraternity. and of the preservation. unmpaired
of all our liberties under the Constitution Let
that body show delicate regard to all constitu-
tional limitations of power as an evidence to the
Southern States that, in the Union. their rights
under the Constitution will be sacredy respect
ed, and as a means OF restoring their confidence
know il may be urged that Congress has once
exercised the power. and that this is a construc-
ton OF the Constitution to be respected.
But it should be remembered that never till the
past year. has such an exercise been ventured
upon: and that legislative Interpretation does not
bind the judiciary. and is not, indeed, very highly
respected authority.
GOUvERSEuR MoRRIs, who was member of the
United States Constitutional Conve ntiun. and who
moved to withhold from Congress the powertO
emit bills Of credit wrote to Hon. TIxorHY Pick
ERING; What can history of the Constitution
avail towards interpreting its provisionsi This
must be doue by comparing the plain import OF
the words with the general tenor and object OF
the instrument. That instrument was written BY
the fingers which write this letter But
after all. what does it signify. that men should
have a written Constitution. containing unequivo-
cal provisions and limitations, The legisla-
tive lion will rot be entangel in the meshes OF
logical net. The Legislature will always make
the power which il wishes TO exercise unless il be
so organized a. 60 contain within itself the sufti
cieut check Attempts tn restrain it from out
rage by other means. will only rend er il more
outrageous. The idea Of binding legislators by
oaths Is puerile Having sworn TO exercise the
powers granted. according TO their intent
aad meaning. they WILL when they ieel desire
% so farther. avoid the shame. il not the gull of
perjury. by swearing the true intent and meaning
T. DE. according TO their comprehension. thai
which suits their purpose" Lie OF Morris. vol
:. p 81
We proceed. then, to examine the question:
h. Congress power to issue legal tender Treas
ury hottest
Let Us turn moment to history. On the "a
vi July, l776. there we're thirteen British colo
mics. within What il now territory of the United
States On the 4th OF July those colonies de
elarei themselves to be. and they became free
and independent States"
On the 18th of November. III. Congress Of
delegates agreed upon articles Of Union between
the States Of New Hampshire. Massachusetts,
Rhode Island. Connecticut. New York. New
Jersey. Pennsylvania. Delaware Maryland. Nir-
GINA. North Carolina. South Carolina. and
Georgia" Those articles we're submitted to the
Legislatures Of the several States named. were
unanimously ratified hy them. returned to the
Congress OF Delegates by whom they were also
ratified. and put in force the 9th OF July
I77s Those articles formed the first Consti,u-
ton OF '.;he United States of America" That
Constitution expressly gave to Congress power
70 "eusit bills of credit as we'll a. to coin money
and Gid Dot take the power away from the States:
and it eIisted the paramount Ian of the United
States I'LL the 4,h Of March. l7s9. period Of
nearly eleven years. Experience demonstrated
that thoee Articles II Confederation and Union.
of LIS. dl4 not em5ody perfect Constitution of
government Thew contained some grants of
power that the people wished 20 recall. and thew
failed 70 grant some powers wh.oh the people
found it necessary 10 confer Some organic
changes were also demanded \ convention was
called 10 revise those articles, and new Consti-
tuition OF form of government Was formed and
pat into operation. March 4. 1889. bu, the Arti
cles Of Confederation constituted the ground
work Of the .sSw Constitution. as a comparison OF
- ~ill plainly show The
''~e but 4