The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-04

EsSNI'IAANI ID.
Monday Morning, Apil 4 1870.



BooTHBAY, March 80, 1870.
Mr.. EDITOR,-The advocates of an honest
payment of the national debt, according to
the mutual understanding of the parties to
the contract may now congratulate them
selves on an important conversion to their
views-to conversion as sudden as that of
Saul of Tarsus or Gen. Butler. The Argus
March 9th. in pretty well written Article
on THE Legal Tender Decision" says:
The idea that Congress has the power to
make gold contract payable in depreciated
paper is simply monstrous:
1t is proposed to fund the present indebted
ness at lower rate OF interest. A measure
is now be ore Congress designed to effect thi /,
object, and every material ipterest of the
country, now suffering from over-taxation,
pleads for the success Of such measure OF
reduction. But TfCongress possesses the
power to make the gold bonds Of the country
payable in deprecissed greenbacks, lwhy did
not be add, or to tax them at discretion) Is
there any chance that capitalists will invest at
lower rates OF interest? None whatever.
In the first colamn of the same paper is a
short article, so much to the point that, both
on its own merits and as comment on the
doctrines so recently maintained by that pa
per, think it well worth republisbing:
What is dollar? A dollar Is 25 $40 grains
of gold at 90o-1000 ineness, or 370.1 grains
OF silver at 9J0-1000 fneness stamped or com
ed at the United States mint 20 as to authen-
ticale its standard weight and fipeness Such
Is the legal and only definition OF the word
dollar. whenever and wherever used in the
English language.
A promise to pay or deliver dollars or
horse or 10O busnes of wheat can only be
performed by delivering the thing promised
at the time and place specified; nor has Cen
eress or any Legislature power to alter or
modify or change that promise. by enacting
that the promsor may deliver dollars made OF
lead, or a sheep instead OF horse, or oats in
stead of wheat.
Come up to the anxious seat penitents as
we sing
While the lamp holds out to burn,
1he vicst sinner may return.
Perhaps the Argus, for there is no sound
ing the depths of its elfrontery, may now deny
that 1t meant, what al its readers understood
1T to mean, and what it intended that
all its readers should understand it 10
mean, when it was shouting "The same
currency for the bondholder ard the
p'ouehholder," and declaring that it was
in favor OF paving the debt in "lawful" mon
ey. But I have been one of its most con-
slant readers for three or four years, and
think I can still have access 10 an old file,
which will show too plainly what it meant
by lawful money. Had the Aryus and all
the rest Of the Democratic papers always
talked as it does in its issue of the Oath, our
entire debt might before this have been fund
ed at four per cent
The country is gradually becoming aware
Of the disastrous effect of the agitation of
those semi-repuliation schemes, and expect
1t will not be long before the Democracy will
fercely deny, even in the face of their Chica-
60 platform, that they were ever the cham
pions of such doctrines. Even now you nev-
er hear bond-taxer harangue on the enor-
nous wickedness of honestly paying an hon.
est debt, who does not, before BE- gets through,
say to the Republicans, in effect, "You are
just as bad as we are; your Butler, Stevens
ct. ais. went in for cheating as strong as we
do"
In is true that some half dozen leading re-
publlcans fearing the effect, with the mere ig-
norant of the people of the plausible and pop
ular rallying cries of equal taxation, &C.. fool
ishly thought to ''take the wind out'' of the
Democratic sails by stealing their enemies
thunder. Foolishly say, because, without
regard TO the business OF the trite cid maxim
"honesty is the best policy" they might have
known that when it came to game to chea
your creditor the Democracy" would set
them and 60 two better every time.
Now in anticipation of probable future re.
elimination on this subject would like to as /
the argus cor any ether man" a few ques-
tons.
Will it give us the names of one Influential
Republican paper which positively advocated
the payment" of the five-twenties in green
backs? or, an arbitrary reduction of the in
terest under pretence of taxing the bonds?
bow many, If any, Republican papers can it
enumerate that did not unequivocally con-
denim those kindred schemes for national dis
honor? On the other hand, can it give us
the name of one Democratic paper which
plainly and explicitly condemned those
schemes? How many, if any, can it name,
that did not at least implicitly sanction, if
If not positively advocate them?
Except Governor Seymour, who ate his own
WORDS by endorsing the Democratic platform,
can it give us the name OF one leading Demo-
crat who has publicly and explicitly repudiat-
ed reputation open or disguised. In short,
will the argus deny that for three or four
years this bond taxing cry has been its party's
most effective weapon? Come up to the rack
now, Mr.. Argus man, or never hereafter at
tempt to lay your sins at the doors of your
political opponents as you did with the vote to
raise Congressional pay. SIS.
Four MISSING MEN.-Poughkeepsie, New