The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1870-02-16
word, in those dark days.


word, in those dark days.
While the farmer and. mechanic
lwers compelledto submit tofhis, the
SPECTATOR took the gold and purchas
led bonds Of the q United States, thus,
realizing aproft of ffofastkree, to six
hundred per cent, by the operation
The baseness of the transaction was Sc
tapparsntytha a nome attempted to- jus
tify it under any other name than that
of military necessity
Although possessing but little adj
miration for the political are OF
Judge Chase, we are compelled, by a
SENSE of nstiee, to award fall credit for
this just and noble decision. It is
clear that in rendering it, he cut loose
from the legal tender theories that were
supposed to have Influenced his action
heretofore. s his .r5fi .
The passage of the Legal Tender
Act, was saS- R~eyudiation aouby refn-
ed and set a bad example for the
people of the United States. Its eff
feet was, to make men treacherous. per-
fideous, dishonest. Having wormed
into the confidence of a community,
and secured thousands on gold con-
tract, the temptation was presented
to legally wrong the creditor out OF
sixty cents on every dollarI and tens
of thousands awaited themselves of the
opportunity.
The fact that there was a contract
to pay the debt in gold and silver,
amounted to nothing, for the contract
was repudiated by men who are now
shocked at the idea that the govern
ment should insist on paying any por-
ton of its bonds in greenbacks, though
the contract is clearly understood to
bind the government to pay in9 legal
currency, meaning thereby, Illegal
Tenders" or Greenbacks. >
We notice, however, that the decis-
ion does not meet the expectations of
some of the leading Radical papers in
Ohio and elsewhere. The Cleveland
Herald, a paper less ultra than many
others says: %"
THE opinion of Chief Justice Chase, is
labored and forced, No one can divest
himself of the impression that the majority
of the Court sought every possible excuse
for deciding the act, SO far as it applies to
debts contracted before its passage, to be
unconstitutional"
We regret to see the Herald, driven
to the necessity of impugning the mo-
tives of the Chief Justice. We fear
that Radicalism has so far blinded the
Herald, that any decision uttered by
the Supreme Court, not in harmony
with its views, will be belittled and
dismissed as imbecile and worthless.
Again. ~
Besides, Mr., Chase, is under the faint
of Presidential ambition, and is suspected
of wishing TO use the rounds of the Demo
cratic ladder to reach his hopes"
That is unworthy the editor of the
Herald. 1t imputes to the Chief jus
tice a Willingness, not only to stultify
himself; but to add perjury to that
qualification; if by that means he
might reach the topmost round of his
ambition We do not concur in that
declaration. But we are of opinion,
that if the decision had affirmed the
Constitutionality of the Legal Tender
Act, in its retroactive features, the
Herald, would have been ready to eu-
logic the Court, for the profoundness
of the decision.
THE law of the case in hand is settled
by a majority of one. but the question in
dispute is almost as far from its ultimate set
Element as before"
Here is an intimation ON the part
of the editor of the Herald, that his
party will not obey that decision; and
that it will be nulliied by political
wire-working, and party trammels?
This Is bad faith on the part of 50
loyal an editor a. contemporary.
While he insists that Democrats shall
obey the laws, however oppressive
they may be, he revolts whenever the
decision runs counter to his party
and bond-holding afiliationsl That,
we believe, is the Radical idea Of
progress! ,.1ss IN i.- - 49,.