Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-03-28
4alIg Gmpire,


We propose TO anHwor this question briefly
Greenbacks nro bits Of paper having printed
on them words that any cautions business
man would CONSIDER very indefinite prom
ise 10 pay, from one dollar upwards, according
to the determination OF the note. On Que
end they are usually orhamented with a pic
ture OF some distinguished statesman Of the
past, or Of some member OF the present Ad-
ministraton while at the other end appears
the representation of n very bold looking wo-
mRn, holding in one hand an article which
Horace Greeley once lkened TO gridiron,
with chicken tied TO H. but in this instance
II In minus the Ghickun and MS the fowl has
led VIZ see no use for either it or what Rp-
pears to be an iron spit, held in the other
hand Whether the picture is emblematical
of Confederate soldier making n raid on u
poultry yard or that the note will not phr-
chase game for the roasting irons We do not
know. The wording of the note is such as to
lead TO the belief that the holder owns the
amount OF money designated tn words and 6g-
urea while on the back Of the paper are
printed these words: "lhis note ID legal
tender for all debts, public aud private, except
dues on imports aud interest on the public
debt, aud e eNcbangeable for United States
six per cent Twenty year bonds redeama-
tive years In mechanical execution these
notes are uuexceptionable, and we nre told
that they cannot be couniericited, owing to
peculiar aud lately discovered chemical com
binauon Ofthis, however we have no very
conclusive proof Chemical skill is not alone
confined to Government agents, and IL II was
that would furnish no ssre safeguard against
counterieiting Tho financial operations of
Mr Chase have gradually absorbed tho gold
aud silver currency for the use Of the Govern.
ment, while the ballaneo OF the trade being
against u.s. n steady stream of hard money IL
going out Of the country for the purchase of
foreign commodities, and It's place is being
supplied with greunbacks, Everywhere eAat
OF the mOunians greenbacks are the rule,
gold and silver the exception No oneknows
how much OF this rag money has been put in
to circulation. We doubt whether Mr., Chuse
himself knows The Secretary has been laud-
I'D M the posessor Of extraordinary financial
skill, and his policy is said TO have been thus
far great success We fail however, to dis
cover much evidence Of skill on his part Ile
hRs ouly done what any other man would have
done uuder tho circumstances, who cArea
nothing for constitutional Restraints piyen
promises to pay at future tine when he had
no money TO pay with These groenhaeks are
his promises His skill consists in having
enough Of them printed TO meet the case He
would be u numskul indeed il he failed to
provide the presses paper and other material
required for the work. Congress helped the
matter along by trying TO make them legal
tender But, after all, II there is my credit
due any one It belongs to the people who have
| manifested their confidence IN these promises
| by taking them ~ the represon taiye tor gold
sud silver, houses and lands--thiuga OF inirin.
sic value II is not probable that public con.
! fdence will increase. Gold At the East il
now quoted at 1873 A dollar greenbaek is
worth only trile over half dollar. What
| is TO prevent u continued depreciation, aud
what must bo the result 10 the country We
may be told that iheso arS the croakings of a
! Copperhcad, but the false cry Of Copperhead,
Socessiouist aud traitor, cannot alter storm
realities, nor increase the value OF greenhAek
| ON the worlds market, to the value of iarth.
| ing. II we would know what will be the
next move IN order TO sustain this illegal cur.
reney We should consult history. In all sim.
! liar eases where those ia authority have tried
| to force on people their promises to paw Ms
money, 1t has become necessary 10 enact pen.
| al laws making refusal to receive the money
. penal oaenSe punishable by fac or mpTs.
onment
Those who acknowledge the right Of Con.
gress to make paper money legal tender Tor
all dcbts, cannot deny the right Of enforcing
payment by branding ns criminal and throw.
| ing into dungeon. the man who refused CON.
pliance with The law. California is trying TO
evade the issue, and save herself from being
robbed Of gold ARd flooded with Rresubao,s,
by QuibblBg over 'speei6e contracts Does
the words printed on the back OF legal tender
note make any exception In favor OF specific
CONTRACTS for payment in gold None what.
ever II California ever keeps greepbAeks
out OF the State il viii be by taking the bold
and, We think, correct ground, that the act
making them legal tender is uneonstitution,
al, and Of no force, and not by roaorling 10 a
bubble But in the place Of doing that, her
Legislature will ~ through the regular per
iormAnce nearly every day OF endorsing every.
thing which tho General Government has done
or may do IN the future Voting themselves
the slaves OF the Federal Government IN all
thinga What right have these fellows to past
the "specidc contract" laws--lrying to whiT
the devil round tho stump. But SOME one
interest is effected Touch tho pocket of 1
ranjiug abolilionist and his sham patriotism
vnnishes in twinkling The almighty dollar
has q grip ON his soul even stronger than th,
negro. We are opposed TO gTeenbaeks taking
the place ofgold aud silver in California, aus
base our opposition on the illegality Of the 40
making them a legal tenier.-- California IA
press
DutchmaR's Complaint.