Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-04-09

tion. The legal-tenders were the life-blood
of the nation in war and in peace. With
them wages had risen fifty per cent. twas
the farmers currency, for il gave him good
prices and home market.
Mr.. Townsend opposed the bill as one
that provided for an unlimited imitation OF
currency. lie warned the author OF the
bin (Alaynard) that this bill was paving the
way TO reputation. This condition OF
things had been said two thousand years
ago when Virgil wrote: sFacile descensus
Averni; sed reYocare gradum-hic labor,
hoe opus est, ;" which rem Tered Into the We
naeular meant that the gentleman from
Tennessee might provide for the issue of
large mass of sifinplasters, but that it would
be hard work and labor TO. redeem them.
Laughter. He argued that this bill would
render specie payments indefinite and
would probably postpone them forever.
There was but one way to get out OF the
difficulty and that was TO
Get Out at The same Hole
that we went in at. As they had gone in
by expansion, so they must go out by con-
tractioii:
Mr.. Beck stated that lie, early in the ses-
sion, prepared and had referred to the Com
mittee on Ways and Means, bill which
he had khoped would have been reported
back, but it had not been. The purpose
of il was to substitute the notes OF the
Government for those Of the national
banks, and to give to the people instead OF
to bond-holders, the credit OF the Govern
ment. Under the present system few men
obtained the credit of the Government for
almost nothing, and the pending bill only
proposed 10 extend il from those who now
had it to others of like class, who hap
pened 10 have bonds. He hoped TO be able
to move his bill as substitute for the
pendinS measure. He would make the le-
gal tender notes receivable In payment Of
duties due the Government. All deprecia-
tion of the currency had been
Brought About by the Government
in the interest Of hundhslders by repudiat-
ing its own debts, and BY refusing to take
the legal tenders in payment of customs
duties, while it forced its citizens 10 take
legal tenders on payment Of private debts.
Ii was the duty Of the Governmental man
age its own currency and TO ses that It is
kept good, uniform, and of equal value ey-
erywhere. He warned the East not to op-
press the West, for in ten years twO-thirds
Of the members of the House would come
from West Of the Alieghenies, and it
might be that
Other Great Avenues
to the ocean would be found besides the
present ones; that the Mississippi and st.
Lawrence might be made great water high
ways for the produce Of the South and
West. The people Of the East had a
wealth of income bonds, and Congress had
the right to tax them all. He hoped to see
the day when the wealth of the country
and
Not Its Poverty
would bear the burdens Of its taxation.
At the close of Mr.. Beck's speech gen
eral colloquy arose as TO the limitation of |
the debate. Mr.. Maynard wanted TO have
the debate confined to ten or fifteen |
minute speeches.
Mr.. Shanlzs objected to fifteen minute |
speeches on the ground that man who !
could not say all he knew on the subjecl in |
five minutes did not know anything |
about it.
In reference to Mr.. Shank's remark Mr.. |
Maynard made allusiOn to the fable Of the |
man with the ass.
MIR. Butler, of Tennessee, suggested in |
the midst of confusion that Gov. Dix's |
message be read.
The arrangement finally was that there |
should be an evening session for debate and |
that the previous .question would be |
seconded at $50 tomorrow. The House |
then took recess.
The attendance at the evening session |
was confined TO those members who had |
speeches 20 deliver. The speeches were |
confined to fifteen minutes each. Mr.. |
McDill, of Wisconsin, occupied the Speak
ers chair.