The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1867-09-27
4 Challenge to Horace
greeley.


Greeley.
Horace Greeley, Esq, Editor Of the Ne'r
York Tribune.
S1n--In a recent Issue OF the
TRIBUNE, I observe the following
epithets applied to those who favor
the liquidation by the payment OF
the public debt in greenbacks, the
cancellation of the bonds which are
ievouring us with interest, and the
oblitcration of the national bank
ing system which is employed in
the interest of monopoly to crush
out the liberties of the people and
hoard the necessaries of life and
starve and freeze the poor, to en-
ricn illegitimate speculation. You
say, that "such proposition would
shame any swindler that ever ut
tered counterfeit money or passed
off bogus checks. No one will
countenance any of these devices for
loading debts instead of paying
them, who is not in heart and soul
william. Any Republican or
WAR DEMOCRAT who lends them a
shadow of countcnanee, proves him.
self an migrate, a william and fool.
We are quite. willing to sec the
Copperheads place themselves upon
platform of reputation, for 1t is
high time that career ofinfamy
should be closed ill a death Of
shame"
Iconfess that the above style of
argument seems but indebted to
Bacon, Locke, or Whatcly for its
cogency and quite independent Of
Addison, Irving or Burke for the
delicate choice Of its language, and
is indeed original and characteris-
tic.
In the year 1865, in a number of
speeches delivered in the State of
New Jersey, and published in
number of newspapers in different
parts Of the United States, l first
proposed the payment of bonds in
greenbacks, as We were then and
are now. paying everything else in
that kind of currency, and our
Courts were then, and are now, en-
forcing all private and public con-
tracts on that basis. then did,
and now do, believe that this is
the only practicable, wise, just,
and equitable method of disposing
Of this monstrous load, which you
have time and again argued must
stint the poor in their food, rain
ment, fuel and shelter, for genera
tions TO come, and of course cannot
effect the rich, to whom it is paid.
Notwithstanding the employ
ment of your choice epithcts, here
by propose to discuss this question
through the TRIBUNE, allowing nc
two columns of your paper every
week, until the whole subject has
fairly passed in review. Or l will
meet you in Cincinnati, St. Louis,
Louisville, Chicago, or any of the
Eastern Cities, and publicly de-
bate the questions involved in my
propositions. If you will meet me
in any Of the cities indicated. l
will, in view of your style of argu-
IN ents, give you two hours, and l
will be content with one alternate
~. In case you should not accept
either of these propositions, I ex-
tend the invitation to Wendell Phil
lips, Senator Henry Wilson, or
your glib-tongued neighbor, Henry
Ward Beecher.
It may not be unkind to inform
you that / am now addressing au-
Gences of from three to ten thou
sand persons every day, composed
Of Republicans and Democrats, all
Of whom heartily endorse the plan,
and among the number are many
eminent officers of the late Federal
army. including gentlemen of both
political parties. l await your
early reply preliminary to arrange
ments for discussion. I am, very
respectfully, your obi. servant,
HENRY CLAY DEAN.