The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-04-23
affecting gegister,

Few vigorous "Oron Ifo" ocaa-
tor THURMAN On the Currency
QuesSt0n. ..s
From the cadiz, (o.) Sentinel, April ls.
Having read 10 the daily press the
remarks Of Senator Thurman, made on
the oath ult., wherein he announced
that he had received but two letters
from Ohio favoring on increase Of the
currency, We addressed him note stat.
ing that the Democracy Of this section
favored q moderate initiation, and that
large portion OF the Republicans oc-
cupied the same position on that CUES
ton. The following is Senator Thur
mans answer, which we cheerfully
place before our readers: -'
"WAsHlNaroN, D. Z, ApriTl0, 1874.
my DEAR Sri am truly obliged
| to you for your frank and friendly let
ter of the 7th inst. / know that you
are sincerely my friend, and 1 am ale
WAYS willing to listen attentively 10
your advice. / have been grossly mis-
Iepresented about my couree on the
currency question. 1t has been
published again and again in the
Cincinnati Enquirer, and thence
spread all over the State, l suppose
that l am a contrsctionist; when the
truth is I have steadily spoke and
voted against contraction ever since !
have he'd a seat in the Senate. But l
am not an infationist OF an irredeema'
bic and deprecated paper currency
and no man every heard me utter one
word in favor OF such initiation. !
should be falee to the teachings OF the
Democratic party, false to all have
ever myself taught on this subject
could I advocate such q course. Fol
if there is one thing more certain than
another it is that Democracy, which
advocates the greatest good 10 the
greatest number, condemns a currency
by which the mass Of the people are
defrauded for the benefit OF monopollsts
brokers and speculstor4 You say that
l Am charged with being under the
influence OF Wall street." Why my
dear friend, there is not an unprlnclpled
gambler in gold, or bonds, OF
Stoke. in that or any other street
in New York who is not in
favor of initiation. Where would
the gold gamblers occupation be were
specie payments resumed? Utterly
gone. What enables Wall street brok'
ers to put off upon the unwary the
stocks and bonds OF rotten corporations
but the rage for speculation that is in-
duced by Initiation? Again, the oppo-
neu,s OF Initiation are represented as the
advocates OF the National Banks, when
the truth is that not one out OF fifty Of
those banks is in favor Of the resump-
ton Of specie payments. As to my
position, it is the result OF long and
careful study. stand upon the plat
form OF our last State Convention, up
on which we gained the glorious vic
tory OF last fall. That is the last au-
thoritative expression of the Dsmocra-
cy of the State OF Ohio, and, believing
Lit to be right, what justification
could have for now abandoning it
That platform WAS proclaimed on the
9th of August. The panic came about
the middle OF September, four weeks
before the election. The money pres
sure was much greater in those foul
weeks than it has been at any TIME
SINCE, and yet no meeting in Ohio, o
either party, during those four weeks
though they were held daily, Sundays
excepted, passed a single resolution II
favor of initiation. go far as l know Of
have heard. And l can truly say tina
although was on the stump continu'
slly during that period, and minglioi
with the people in nearly one-halt o
the State, l never heard one man ad'
yocate the policy Of initiation. Blu
when Congress met certain poll
ticispe, for reasons that they bee
know, raised the initiation cry
and net only that but also sectiona
CRY. They say that the East has more
than it's proper share OF the bank note
currency, which is true; and that TIT
West and South have not their proper
tionaie shars, which is also true; bu
when it was proposed in the Senate t
rectify the distribution Ly taking fifty
millions of currency from the eastern
States and giving them to the Westaut
South, the iDflstionists voted the proPo
silion down; snd instead Of it passed I
| bill giving but forty-six millions to tn
West aud South. The truth is, tina
the initiation bill which has passed th'
Senate, and which l suppose will pas
the House, means irredeemable pape
money for all time to come; or, a
least, until another crash, far create
than that Of lsst year, shall dlfPe
the delusion that the country can b
permanently prosperous with such
currency. Had ] been seeking tempo
rsry popularity or unmerited praise
and been willing to sacrifice my In
te gritty aud self respect for such a poui
nose, | should have Joined the initiation
ists. But have never yet sougo
popularity by advocating what | be
, iieyed to be wrong, and, God helpln
me l never will. l value as much
9 asy man ought to do the opinion OF N
y fellowmen, but I will not seek 1t b
WAYS that my conscience and jud gmeI
, condemn. 1t is very easy to make To
unreflectipg think that their coDdltio
9 will be bettered by an increase OF th
y $1,000, .a ;s the mere printing {
= STAN ping OF bits of paper could mai
Q a people rich. And be who OF
B poses this delusiou which has pr
vailed one time or anoIh'
in eyery country in Christendom mu
: ..nect 10 incur dislike while the deli