Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-02-19
From The Wreck Of The Mssxi. u.-.-

NhMFnis' FEB. 1.-THE Steama.
Commercial has arrived with the ann;
vors ofthc i'll fated steamer Maooie h..
90 in number. The passengers lo.t go
thing The pilots, after the exni.;oy
succeeded in getting the boat made FAST ~
the shore, but the fire got such h.adv.~S
that it soon wrapped the entire bo,t =.
flames 4 lady sitting in the clerks Of.
fice was blown through the bulkhead into
the cabin, but was not hurt. The pilots
say the boilers were patched at Natchs.
aud ut Vicksburg. At the mouth of IN.
chute they tied up again to patch the l,r.
board boiler, and had just gotten fully IN.
der Roadway when the explosion occurred,
Suffrage Given to Women in Utah.
SALT LAKE, Feb. lathe bill grant.
ing the right Of suffrage to the women in
Utah. passed both House and Council Of
the Mormon Legislature, aud has Just been
signed by Acting Governor Mann,
SAVANNAH, Feb. 1.-THE steamer
7~o Boys exploded her steam drum. off
Iapal Bar, and dritted to sea in a gale
The crew and passengers, except eight Of
the crew who swan ashore, were carried
to sea in the vessel. The T.. s. steamer.
Norsem0nd has gone in search Of the yes.
sell
Louisiana Legislature.
New ORLEANS, Feb. 1.-THE House
has passed the mixed education bill. The
election bill is reported and will probably
be made special order for Monday.
Murderer Hanged, ID
RIruNoNn Eab 10 AI..J
ner (coloredt was hanged in Kent county
yesterday, for the rape and murder Of
Mrs. Stewart, and murder of John Baker.
her colored farm manager.
Anti. Protection Leaguc.
ST. Louis, Feb. 12.-The Anti.protec.
tion League held a fine meeting at the
Masonic Hall last night. Able speeche.
were made by two prominent citizens
The Protcctionists hold forth tonight
These meetings are creating good deal Of
interest on the tariff question, and people
of all classes attend them.
That Legal TeHder Decision.
CHICAGO, Feb. s.-The opinion of the
Supreme Court on the legal tender oues.
ton is Il very long and able view of tho
case. Justice Chase says nobody ones.
ticns the consitutionality, and not many
question the cxpcdency of the act by
which currency notes have been authorized
in recent years. Doubt exists as to the
power of Congress to declare these notes
legal tender in payment Of pre-cxi.ting
debts. The only ground upon which this
power is asserted is not that the issue Of
notes was appropriate and plainly adopted
as the means for carrying on the war, for
that is admitted, but that the making of
them legal tender to the extent mentioned
was such means. Justice Chase proceeds
to argue the question whether making
the notes lcgal'tenders really added any.
thing to their credit or usefulness. lie
says the history of legislation shows that
the reliance for their circulation was orig
iually placed in the rcccivability and NOT
in the quality Of the legal tender notes,
because the rccciyabiity clause appears in
the original draft of the bill, While the L.
gal tender clause was introduced at later
stage of its progress. lie thinks it by no
means certain that the depreciation of tic
notes would be less if the Government
pledged the holder its power to compel
his creditors to receive them at par in pay
ment. If the quantity to be issued he UNI
certain and their redemption fixed at a re.
mote period, great depreciation would
take place, but if the quantity only equal
led the demands of business. and conf
dence in their redemption be strong, the
notes will circulate freely, whether made
legal tender or not. IF it is admitted that
some increase of availability is derived for
making the notes a legal tender under new
contracts, it does not follow that any up-.
preciable advantage is gained by compel
ling creditors to receive them in satisfac-
ton of prc.cxisting debt. The opinion
points out the evils of an irredeemabe pa
per currency. He thinks making them
legal tender widcns their extent, protracts
their continuance and he cannot allow,
therefore, that such expedient is the ap.
prorriate and plainly adapted means for
the execution of power to carry on the
war. But there is another view, by which
it appears nothing prohibited by or incon-
sistent with the spirit Of the Constitution
can be regarded as appropriate, plainly
adapted or really calculated means to any
such end After careful inquiry he ar
rives at the conclusion that making bills
of credit legal tender, applicable to pre-
existing contracts, is inconsistent with the
spirit and letter of the Constitution. which
forbids legislation impairing the obligation
of contracts, and prohibits the taking Of
private property for public use without
compensation. It also declares that no
person shall be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process Of law. An
act which compels creditors who hold con.
tracts for payment in'specie to accept cur.
rency Of inferior value in payment thereof,
deprives such persons of property without
due process of law. 1t is difficult to per-
ceive what act would take property with.
ont due process of law if such an act
would not. An act which makes men
promise to nav dollars iu legal tenders for