, 1870-02-08
lEGAL-1EkDER ACT.
Decision Of the Supreme
Court.
Opinion Of a Majority Of the
Court by Chief Justice
Chase.
dissenting Opinion by Judge HITLER.
Other Ennarfnrt nonYssnu.
LEGAL-1EkDER ACT.


4ue+tlonp 8 very lotg.
After On able review Of toe case It says:
10 one questions rhe general COZ ssitutlo7alttY.
ata1 ana rot seI7 nany' retnaps, the general exoe-
cs9ey on19 c o. re leSsitG.dsr auestson by which
{ea1s. The DOUBT u a. 10 the power 10 declare
particular class Of these notes 70 he legal tender
eonnd upcu Which inls poser il asserted is Gu no{
that The tssue Of the notea was an appropsa.e aud
rlainl5 adopted meaua for carrying on the war,
legsl tender to the extent mentionaa, was suca a
me ats. Now. We have seen that Of ali The notes
ts.ued, thole notes not declared as legal tender at
uo sad tsas aey ve sTcu,.ssss sse reey sad
without discount 1t may ba sAd that tnelr
equality u c,rct AID crtdt Was due to pro.
Vision m2de By lA~ for the redemption OF th.s
pater Ia legal tender nutea; tu: tais progla.ou at
all useful in thta re.pect. was OF .I1ltng lmpo.-
cs taEce sonp4sed win that which made them r.
celsanle 1of RoVerpme1t dnes. All modern his
tcr5 tesi'nes that IN time Of war, especially when
ta1ea are augmented, large 'oans negotiated aud
?. At shuIsements made, no'es issued By au.
for dues to government, alwaya obtain, at frat,
ready ctItulaston. and even when redeemable BY
Ct :, HILL s2d Sss asns
tion q notes, ior reeem ptlon of which no better
proglson y made: sua the history Of the Leglala-
quss7 7'es ~'s sua ap'n t1
tsss n 1e4anee a 8 e1euaon 'ss sas o1aias; 1saas
have been In the original dfafs ot the bii, while
the Legal tender clause aeens 10 hare been intro.
dusea q . later etsge Of ts proereae. These
that all useful purposes Ct the notea would hava
been folly auswered w1'heut making them legal
sea The qaaa; u aas1 o
tender adds at al to the credit useful
ntfs Of the got erment uotea. They Insist, on the
be, It must BE- remembered that 1t ls as the means
Me1l tnat implied power & mating notes legal
a:itutiop. ~''''''~ 4'@4>e ~''~ WV
Now, how far ls the government helped By this
q y caqaos Gnao ne~ Supplies
noses 70. more tban they as westn 81 IL lis ss q
the new contract. Tne price viii risa In rai1o Of
dep,eclauon, and this Is al that could happen II
But It nay be said that the depreciation will be
IeEs to him who 1akes from government If govern
ment will pledge 10 him its power 70 compel nla
M ass 2, a. Pr ~
the qaait lily Issued Be Excessive and redemp,lon
uncertain and remote, great depreciation vii
eoIdes ee ia esry redeption Il puSnsss sons nea aaa
orIot Dut !; be- amsiea u1 snnse sga senaei n 9,
availability Is derived fron mattnU iso.rs is9s1.
tttder nsder new sou,Iacis. i 81 no means ffos.
ss1ess sb!s 70 s ;heTe fhs r.
ss1se sssi Taaisvef 6eaea; i pssslSle rom
tuAs coUPu!s.on 10 some tcdlS.daaaa weighed
nctna;,o n a S q
ptHes 20 1Ms peop!e arc gos eminent, and tne long
- ua,n 9. esus Talea AoW irom the use 81 an Ire
sfe not to e et,rnn,an y ae' Iaese eT!ls
seaa tenae!, ont tnis increases these esils- Il
cn,, wtoens tneu extent aud protsact! their
telyes that az e1pedens Of this sort Is an appro.
~; Et,ats sbu palnl5 .aoapted means for the execu.
on sa ~ tne p4wei lo aecase aru carry On war. II
upneid az means TO the end, in f1rsherance Of
maGa h hes a1e iesued: nor ctn It n our 1udg.
men, ne npneld a. scce, u, While facilitating in
some degree tue cHcnlaton Of notes, 1t dehasea
aLd intntes currency IN ,ta p1op:r use to much
E5eater degree: and teese considerations
ihe power to reaplsts aIai cosgae apRsaele s1S 19
volse the use Of money by The people aud b. the
With II, ss an appropriate and plainly adap:ed
means TO ts exercise, the power or paSIp0 clrcu.
astrg notes legal tender IN paJ ment of pre- e1ist-
Bnt there is smother view, which seems to US
dncMlse. To whatever express power the In.
pmea .ss poWs1 10 quean9a may he referred, in the
!uie stAteo o5 Ghlel J1atlce Mafthall the words,
-pp appl9p!iate. "plalniY adapted. =" really clt-
Gula!ed," az quaiioed oy Limitation, that the
M ans mn - % not p19nolted nqs consistent WIN
P!o1loHsa 9f lneooe'stent can be REGARDED a.
11pnInrf1a,i;e, !; Or planly adapted, OF "feally
Lei us auire ihep, a1e aoy waetier making bs
e1ea!t leeai,tendet TO tbs extent indicated Is
a3naet. H. eAa tas spiEs o. Ine coasliiunou
@ e. ta1 S!sas ca1oiuai puIposes OF lnat lnsttu-
,13e nent no ore more contpcuous or more yeucra.
ole ttuaa k9e estAbAsnment OF Justice, and what
nas h1endea py ne Establishment Of Justice 10 the
naihus 9! tue people VINO ordained Il, Ia happily
lot matter ot dltpntauon. It ls not left to III.
ference OF especially In Its relations to
Son'racis. S Mnen the constitution waa undergo
lnE oiscuss!on n convention, Congress Of the
Of an ofoinsnce for the government Of the terri
tofy northwest Of the Ohio, the only territory
subject At that time, to It's regulation AID control