The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-04-17
SHALL THE NATIONAL HONOR BE THE
TRUTH OR Al IEi

TRUTH Or A LIE
A bare majority in both Houses of Con-
gress seem bent on watering and debasing
the currency, which is only the first step
at entire Reputation. The Buffers, Lo-
gans, Mortons, Merrimons, Bogys, and
that ilk are the leaders in this act Of bad
faith. Butler gave the cue on the 10th,
when passing the imitation bill, by saying,
in the House II think we had better
paaol as the sailors say in my country, that
is, put down the catch and hold what we
have got md then we can spit on our
hands and try another heaye." Their game
is to debase the currency first BY issuing
more of it, and then repudiate. "Giveus
more money!" cry the spectators and
gamblers. And Congress proceeds to d.
lutte the currency by grinding out another
hundred millions Of paper promises to pay
money. II demand more whisky cries
the irascible topper. And the generous
tapster proceeds to dilute the beverage de-
manded by another gallon Of water. Is
the quantity of whisky increased by the
device of the taps .o2 If so, then also is
the quantity Of 1oney increased by the
shin plaster-watering project of Congress
composed in the majority of financial fools
or knaves.
Five or six years ago Horace Greeley, in
a reply to one Of the early inAationists,
said: I'VE differ in this;-You regard
the question of the payment Of the Gov
eminent bonds in gold as merely ques-
ton of law Il regard it as even more a
question of morals"
The venerable and venerated Rev. DIR.
Bacon, head of the Divinity School, in Yale
College, commends a Congressman for
showing 'how industry is robbed of its le
climate reward by the greenback fraud
and delusion," and says;
Sooner or later bitter experience will
make the people know that dishonored
promises to pay contemporaries issued
with deliberate intention to break them
are not money but lies. SimpletOns in
Congress as well as elsewhere-or, if not
simpletons, then knaves-are giving out
that greenbacks will circulate as money so
long as people have confidence in the Gov
eminent; but have those wiseacres inquir-
ed how long the people can be expected to
have confidence in a Government which,
instead Of redeemiug its promises and deal
ing honestly with citizens who happen to
have pecuniary claims against it, issues
fraudulent lies by the million, and is al
ways ready to redeem one lie with another?
This question will soon come before the
President for his approval or rejection. No
more momentous question ever came before
him. The people of the country expect
him to arrest the majority of the two
Houses Of Congress in their mad cazeer.
Every consideration of national honor and
economy points in one direction. The
President cannot be true to himself unless
he interposes prompt veto. We cannot
believe that he will prove false to his re-
peated pledges, and violate the solemn
promises Of the government, by signing the
inaationists bill.
But suppose ne signs it? Then he
ranges himself on the side of folly and re-
pudiation, and from that moment party
ties will be forgotten. The hard money
men have not entered into this contest
with the intention Of yielding to a chance
majority. They mean to fight it out at
the polls. They have the public promise
on their side Their policy is for the
benefit Of the whole people, rich and poor
All history and experience are in their
favor; their ultimate success is certain.
The contest is now fairly begun. Let
every honest man who loves his country,
and desires to see its promises kept, grid
himself for the fight. 1t is not to be
short or an easy war The imitation mad
ness grows with indulgence. 1t is seduct-
i've and deceptive. The believers in hon
est money must be armed at every point
Above all, let no man be afraid of the cry
that division on this subject will break up
parties Parties are useful only as they
represent and uphold principle. What
party upholds principle on this subject
Why should Republican follow Mr. Nor
ton rather than Mr.. Conking? Why
should Democrat accept the leadership
Of Mr.. Merrimon rather than that of Mr.
Thurman? Parties ,oW be broken up by
this question, nay, they have already
been broken up. Mr.. Thurman touched
on tie truth when he said in the Senate :
A great party is in power in every de-
partment of this government, executive,
legislative, judicial great question has
arisen in the legislative body of this coun-
try, in which that party has majority of
nearly three to one, and the result Of
four months elaboration on this question
is, that the dominant party, in disregard
Of the recommendations of its Chief Magis-
trate, in disregard of the recommendations
Of its Secretary of the Treasury, in utter
contempt Of the recommendation of its ex-
perienced committee on finance, has agreed
to adopt the measure Of one of the minori
ty Of the body. The great Republican
party of the Senate of the Uuited States
has agreed to take the measure of Demo-
crat and place it upon the statute book of
the country, in defiance of the recommend
alton of its President, in defiance of the
recommendation of its Secretary Of the
Treasury and in utter scorn and contempt
of the recommendation of its committee on
finance.
Sir, can take no credit for this triumph
that my Democratic friend from North
Carolina Mr.. Merrimon) has achieved
The Senator from Indiana Mr.