National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-04-23
THE PRESIDENTS FINANCIAL
VIEWS .-...

To show the consistency Of the President
upon the subject of the finances we pre-
sent the following extracts from his inaugu,
rails and messages since his elevation to the
Presidency; ....'..s.- ..... .
tFrOn Inaugural Address March 1891
con all leading questions agitating the
public mind / will always express. my
'views to Congress and urge them accord.
'fng to my judgment, and when I think il
advisable will exercise the Constitutional
privilege Of interposing veto to defeat
measures which 1 oppose. = A
great debt has been contracted in securing
''to US and our posterlty the Union. The
payment of this, principal and interest, as
well as the return to q specie basis as soon
''as 1t can be accomplished without material
''detriment TO the debtor class or to the
country at large, must be provided for.
''To protect the national honor, every dol
'1arofthe Government Indebtedness should
''be paid in gold, unless otherwise expressly
stipulated in the contract"
GFrom Message to Congress, December z, 1901
among the evils growing out Of the re-
''hellion, and net yet referred to, is that of
IAN irredeenable currency. 1t is an evil
(which hope will receive your most
earnest attention. It is o duty, and one
''of the highest duties, of government to
secure to the citizens medium Of ex-
''change Of fixed. unvarying value. This
implies return to specie basis, and no
substitute for it can be devised. 1t should
be commenced now, and reached at the
earliest practicable moment consistent with
"a fair regard to the interests of the debtor
''c!ass. 1 earnestly recommend
''tO you, then, such legislation as will in
''sure a gradual return to specie payments
Ind put an immediate stop to fiuCtultion
IN the value of the currency"
From Message to Congress Decem5ers 6, 1S7c.J
''The evils of deprecated and fuctu-
'ating currency arc 50 great that now,
when the premium on gold has fallen so
much, it would seem that the time has
''arrived when, by wise and prudent legis-
''lation, Congress should look to a policy
(which would place our currency at par
with gold at no distant day.
IFrom Message TO Congress, December e. lTI.l
Continued 1uctuation in the value of
''gold, as compared with the national cur
''rency, has most damaging effect upon
''the increase and development of the
country in keeping up prices of ell articles
necessary in every day life. 1t fosters q
'tspiri. of gambling prejudicial alike to ma.
'fional morals and the national finances
eff the question can be met as to how to
, "get fixed value to our currency, that
"Value constantly and uniformly approach
. ''ing par with specie, very desirable OBJ
-'ject will be gained. a
From Message 2 Congress, December s, E74.l
- 'ThS Preservation of our national credit
''is of the highest importance. Next in i'm
"portance to this comes solemn duty to
''provide national currency of fixed, IN
varying value as compared with gold,
land as soon as practicable, having due re-
''gard for the interests of the debtor class,
''and the vic;ssitudes of trade and com
"tmerce, convertible into gold at par"
FROM inaugural Address, March L 1S7s.l
"My efforts in the future viii be directed
'to the restoration of good feeling between
he different sections of our common
country; to the restoration Of our currency
Ga fixed value Is compared with the
worlds standard of value, (gold,) and, if
possible. to par with it, &c. ..
tFron Message 70 Congress, December2 2, lS7a.l
eve can never have permanent pros
''perity until specie basis is reached. . =
oThe exact medium is specie, the recog-
''nized medium of exchange the world over.
That obtained we shall have currency of
Gan exact degree of elasticity. If there be
''too much OF it for the legitimate purposes
s'of trade and commerce, it will flow out Of
''the country if too little, the reverse will
''result To hold what we have, and to
appreciate our currency to that standard,
''is q problem deserving the most serious
consideration of Congress"