The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-12-19

1~1ulle1 J. W11etpf 40 gcyes1Msnt s~sa.
f@rnlra Us pepsf issues, wkiss ~ =
II he qoaliti>s q nons5, esd VI, IL
fact, shall b nrds noney y ths sans IN
questionable aushority which makes god
ard silver n6ney, Or whether the govern
nsnt shsll abdioass this power. this essen-
tial. and thessfore, inecmmaniesbls assri-
buts Of seysrsignty, - a hss hefstofere
done, into tie hands Of small GLASS Of men
chartered ~ act of Law 70 furnish Wild.
cat currency, TO sngross and speculate upon
the products Of labor, 10 swindle and cheat
without restraint. This system Of banking
the nation 10 faily acquainted with II has
% wrought lie curse upon the industrial
classes that they had come 10 think there
was no safety to them except in an exclss-
i've gold and silye. currency
Very much Of the popaiar prepossession
In favor Of sshard meses,D has It's origin in
the experience and recollection Of the bank
failures and swindles which have been Of
col tant occurrence.
hut when the opportunities offered TO
this privileged class Of eur -nc, makers to
Cypress the government in is hours Of trial
at the commencement Of the late civil war,
we're 60 fally used TO this end by them,
when the patriotic CD and sslf.styled cbris-
tiAn bankers co operated with the traitors
in the overthrow Of the government, the ex-
/ igencies Of the hour suggested to IL the
power hitherto unexercised, but essential
and inseparable from sovereignty, or max
ing money, and BY that one act In declaring
treasury certificates TO be legal tenders. the
government cut Itself loose from the Grip
ping meshes the bankers had thrown Ground
il, and by one and the same stroke defeated
the mean conspiracies Of Wall street and
the defiant treason of Richmond.
And now come forth these pat, 10,
BANKERS, not from forts Lafayette, Warren,
and from the Dry TortDeas. whose rqual
aud exact Justice would have Consigned
them for their attempts 10 depreciate the
credit Of the government. They lhrong the
hotels and. avenues Of Washington J. they oil
the chambers Of the capitol they dine with
champagne senator's anu congressman; they
even occupy seats Of power and official in
fiuence, and demand that the government
abandCns its system Of legal tenders and
restore to them their ancient power az fur
nishing the people with their currency.
And this impudent demand is taken up
BY and re echoed by Treasurer and comp
troller, senator and representative, "The
legal tenders are continuance f.. cheating
the laboring classes says tbs Secretary Of
the Treasury, his tender heart cushing over
with sympathy for the welfare. Of these
Witnessed with painful emotions the losses
which farmer and mechanic have endured
from the legal tenders. And he signs for d
return to the system OF wild eating pursued
so profiiably by a Few gentlemen in 1ndi-
ana and where bis 6rst laurels as tinan-
cier were won. Ii is true no man ever los
I u
true there are few who have not lost by the
wild cats, which the secretary wishes to
substitute for them. Yet somehow these
legal teuders make wages too high--grain
too high; there is prosperity when there
ought to be adversely cities are building,
lands are growing IN valne and being re
claimed from wildDess By the pillow and
mower, and somehow--so keen are the phil
anthropic instincts Of the secretary, all thist
10 but the evil of "an ineoDvertible add de-
preciated currency" The Comptroller Of
the Currency also " feels badly that money
Is abundant-thinks there il too much
temptation to undertake industrial eLter-
prises thinks that panics might Le avoided
IL greenbacks could only be abolished and
bank notes substituted in their pis3. A
dozen senator's ard representatives on the
first dag Of the late session, FASTENED to IN
troduce resolutions for a speedy return to
the good days, when bankers could make
money plenty or scarce at will. When
they could produce panics at pleasure, close
their doors upon depositors and refuse to
redeem their lying promises TO pay, jus,
when ii suited them, leaving depositor and
note holder without remedy.
We frankly tell senators and secretaries,
congressman and Co ptroIlers, that the
greenbsck has been an educator, and that
the peopl are not going back on their
teacher. That they ha' come to understand
the specie basis alsbug as well as the
banker; that the viii never permit the
bondholder to b, raid il gold 10 violation
Of the law and the solemn pledge Of Con-
gress to the tar. "a! :, that they win never
consent that a class u people shall be privi-
legged to furnish the currency, because they
intend to reap the benefit of their labor,
and not be forced to work by the power Of
the money monopoly for the sole advantage
of banker and Insurer.
II the present Congress dare to pass
law that the bonds 81 al. be paid in gold,
dare to increase both public and private
debts to the extent that such a policy will
do--dare to abandon greenbacks for bank
er's promises TO pay, IN defiance Of the pop
ular will, and at the instigation Of capital
lists, they will find that they cannot tie up
the hands Of an outraged people. The
STAKEHOLDER Was taught when he thought be
be had compromised his institution into
perpetuity, that there was no ''hna.ity" in
legislation. And the bopdholder viii also
end that no law which a serviie congress
may pass viii enable him to take advantage
Of the rights Of the people. We intend TO
fight il out on this line until tie bonds shall
be paid in greenbacks, until greenbacks
shall become the legal money Of trade until
= sa-N = n