Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-02-23
Supreme Court Legislation Judge
Chase Repudiates his own Offspring.

Supreme Court Legislation Judge
Chase Repudiates his own Offspring.
We'll, the great financial problem
has been solved The Supreme Court
of the United States has anticipated
Congress by judicial Legislation. The
Supreme Courts of every State in the
Union, except that of Kentucky, had
decided that under the law of Con-.
gress United States notes were capa
bic of paying all debts whether the
contract called for gold or not. The
stable confidence impaired to this
currency by this uniform course of
decisions gave it q power that was
slowly but surel, gaining upon gold.
Had not the Supreme Court Of the
United States uttered its seven fold
thunder against this benignant mes
dun; had it honored the national
credit by deciding that the nations
promise to pay dollar should pay
any debt between private parties that
a dollar in gold could pay, our nation
al currency would have made another
long stride towards equality with
gold. But the best commercial medi
um that any nation ever possess cd
has been dishonored and emascnla :
ted by one breath of Chief Justice
Chase. The father of greenbacks, in
Turkish fashion, has destroyed. his
own progeny. Old Abraham wheted
his knife to immediate his son, under
the pressure of divine ininno ZION (;
but the Chief Justice has out done the
gold ring in Congress in his Zeal TO
destroy his costing colored offspring.
The great boon that accident aud ne.
cessity led him TO confer upon the
nation in the form of an universal
currency, he has abolished with NAL
ice aforethought,' under the sanction
Of the judicial ermine. These fire.
quent raids OF the Supreme Court iD~
10 the domain OF legislation. assuming
to dispose arbitrarily and without the
possibility of appeal, of questions po-
litical and financial the settlement OF
which properly belongs to Congress
and the people, clearly show that the
whole institution ought TO be abolish
ed and reconstructed. Nine or ten
Judges appointed for life, with bulky
salaries, divorced from all sympathy
with, or responsibility to the people,
may at any time paralyze the power
OF Congress, stop the wheels OF gov
eminent, and PROSTATE trade and bus
iness by compelling the constitution
itself to become the despot and op
pressor of the people that made it,
A Judiciary released from RESPONSE
bllity TO the people ID relic of arts
tocracy. Corruption. seishness, tyr
amy, imbeciity, and ignorance will
ever perch around court that has
no spur to honor and exertion excep,
it's own pride and self respect. We
prefer that Congress should legislate
1t can repeal a bad law but when
the Supreme Court legisiates, it's des
clsion is irreyersible.
But what will be the effect of the
recent decision upon the legal tender
notes? They are now legal tender
only at the option of the contracting
parties and so are water melons and
squashes They will be pushed OUT
OF circulation as contracts requiring
gold begin to multiply. They will
cease 10 be d medium of exchange
and become an article of traffic just as
gold has been. Congress- must now
authorize the holder of this currency
to exchange it for bonds at par bear
ing interest; otherwise it will fall as
rapidly as cataract, and bring ruin
upon the whole country at once.
But when made go convertible it will
be instantly absorbed, for nobody
will keep fifty dollar bill IN green
back currency, when he can get a
bond for it of $50 bearing interest.
The great volume Of national curren
cy which carried us triumphantly
through the war, and mary elourly
saved us from commercial collapses
and revulsions, will soon take the
form of hideous debt to Cypress us.
Once more the proprietors of gold
have triumphed over the people
again the hand Of labor must be
crushed between the double jawed
vice Of silver and gold. Again the
great common wealth Of labor is put
in the power of the gold kings who
can at any moment produce financial
panic and prostration by withdraw
| ing the precious metals from circula
ton. We will be compelled to check
our great national, railroad and indI-
vidual enterprises Gold is iimid
cowardly thing, and we will become
timid and co wardly too.