Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-02-28
Spirit af Ystfsrsun.
CharIea.own, Va, February %, 1871.
ANTI-FRBE TRADE IN MONEY,
from the cornmoper ,,i,c;rn,,; oh,o

two uses. The first as u standard Of value
the other as an article of merchandise
PRoDUcER This is ali true ia relation to
theories, as long as the facts are TO be left
nndisturbed, aud as they are, IN regard 10 the
two uses made Ot money. But the object Of
thuse opposed to free trade in money, is. TO
abolish 'Ghe use of 1t rs merchandise entirely,
aud to confue 1t to the solitary use Of a
standard"
NJ: Money is an article which is deal, in,
AID Is bought aud sold"
T: That Is all 50 III present practice. But
It Is "A most permciOus practice to all produc
ers, aud should be abolished according To tho
maxim 'Hntas uSUs ULOkeHdus est "
NJ Money OF any sOrG-gold, silver. con.
per, brass. paper pictures, OF what not. these
are worth what they will sell tor They are
as much an article of trade, sale OF barter. as
pork or -four
+: This IS a very mercantile view OF the
matter, aud would suit the merchant admirably
no od9ubt; butwouid 1t SUIT equally the produce
er 1t would seem to me, as between the
merchant aud the producer, 10 be the autidua.
ted ta!lacy aud lrck heads | win. tails YOU
lose. The game has been long: PLAYED in this
old world between the two; aud much To the
profit Of the merchant; but think the pro
Queer Is now beginning To get some gimmer
ing OF the trIck OF the game and that before
long, with the aid Of the labor union pgrty,'
the game will be finally blocked
You assert that money. OF what sort soever.
Is as much an GrtIcls OF trade. sale or barter
as PORK or Hour. That II IS 50. practically, is
very serious matter OF fact TO tine producer,
aud most cruel robbery Ut him; but that it
ought not to te SO think L give some
good reasons / think eau see some tjstinc.
oh
legal-a legal fiction that should work no one
Wrong'-aud pork aud flour, whose value is
actual.
MEN have made money Of our cotton.
tobacco, leather, paper, aud many other arri-
cles--lust as their convenience and circnn,
stances prompted them 10 set u . 4 standard by
winch their prOductlUus-and pork aud -four
among theu-might be fairly and honestly
exchanged 50 much labor for 80 much. and
equivalent for equivalent. The substance of
tae exchange hetng production Tor production.
and the medium oi the exchange benz, a mere
syubol; or. Ia the language of Aristotle who
was an enemy 10 all u-utv-.l derna'pd az
pledge agreed upon 10y society. ruar he who
held 't might exchange u tor auy thing OF ac
tua V".ur hr vented. See ArI.lu,lr'. f. .I,rr.
book =. chapter . IL matter. rs4r. then. y-ll.,
tHc material = tor the thIug thar CONSTITUTES
moHe? ls iac agreement ui soc.s, rlrtirsh.ji
tie received ."r aii rr ducts ;.ud also Tor Gei,,,
aud 'a&es. The value ul money is legal a,ld
conventional vaiuc. aud ls wholly d.,a,,Be,,
upon, and inheres IN, the things Of actual
value ,iur which It nay be exchanged. Take
away the value OF money, acquired by the
s-Teens.nt Of society - = demand and rIcIue
for thrugs OF actual vstus. aud rs rscstvuJilItv
Tor dcb's and taxes, and money qs money
would be- va!ueless, even at gold aud silver
Money, then, a. instituted bv the nyre,-
rient oi society. IS sfmpsy syulbni. a .,len,und
"nd pledge OF hIu, who has u that hc shall
have IA exchange therefor things of actual
value aud that 1t shall be received Tor debts
aud taxes.
''Ihls is r'on,y; its proger ea,;rc,y; its
nature aud its function FMS Is tbs whole
agreement OF society in regard To 1t. This is.
emPhIiicIhv. the bond aud. the SnvIncks
who dare expct beyond as i.her. should hear
ringing ia their ears. until they ringle:
This bond doth give thee here No lot Of blond
The words eNp'essiy are pound Vi tiesn, (porl.
Tax ms' ny bond. take tio,. thy 9ound oIt,esb.
b"'' D" '"r' u'uus "iit a. tnou dust shcd
Are by the fuNs Of Vcuce ,c..uf-cat.
Unto the safe Uf NcaI.c'"
NJ: " Is by no means a degradation Of
money as a standard uf value that ItIs made
an article ut merchandise Tue "a e of = bras;
beam scale, or a bu-he! measure. duca not
vIt'atc their justice ~ standards arbitrary
money Is to be viewed IN both It's capncitiss
each use bong perfectly distinct from the
other; and legislation that sees only one
must be faulty"
y: Very Erue in relation to the brass beam
and the bushel measure when. sold: for The
beam SIN weighs the same number OF pounds
aud the bushsI measures the same uu.nrlry
but does money, the measure OF value. when
sold at the different rates Of six, ten. and
twenty per cent, stI.! measure values at the
same tate by NO means; and It would be
Impossible that 1t shOuld do 30. unless Con-
gre's, as required by the Constitution. would
NIX the value OF moEey aud this could only
be done by hxIng the rate of interest! Let
Congress do this, aud fix the raIe OF in,ercs,
az what It costs to institute and Issue ,uorev
or, at least, at n rate below the annual ircrasss
OF the value of all the property Of The covn.
try, aud that annual increase is bout ~ ,,sr
cent, and then, will admit you may sell the
corpus OF the standard measure of value a,
that fixed rate. In the meantime. when Won
instance the sale of the 'brass-beam and the
buSheI aud OF money, as equally Jus, and
Justihaoie, the whole guibble is about the
word measure. and the logic is not more con.
vinciug than Dean S~Itt's when he iusfanced
the man who cried turnps for sale, and who
cried, or did not cry, a: the death Of his
father, az proof OF his love for his father.
or his love for turnips
III a man who turnips cries
Cries not when HE father diss
u isa sign, that he had rather
Have turnIp tina his father"
have; thus far, used the form Of dialogue.
and quoted. verbatim. the first paragraph of
Merchants article on free trade in money, in
order that | might give categorical answer
to each OF his positions; aud, because that is