Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-04-06
A RARE SURPRISE FOR THE
SENATE.

The sensation In the Senate last We'd
nesday, was the speech of Senator Jones
of Nevada. 1t has generally been sup.
posed that Mr. Jones, while shrewd
business man, would make little show
in the Senate as a speaker This idea
was completely dissipated by an i'm
promptu reply which he made to Mr..
Logan of Illinois, on the currency ques-
ton. 1t was apparent, from his manner,
that he spoke without preparation, and
yet he appeared to be a complete master
of the subject, reciting, without refer
ence to notes, large quotations from the
census and other statistics, and also va
rious laws relating to national loans,
national banking aud currency acts, and
the general legislation of Congress on
the subject of finance. He took strong
ground against any further increase of
the currency, and in favor of a resump-.
ton of specie payments at the earliest
period possible. His remarks were prin-
cipaliy directed in reply to the speeches
of Senators Logan and Morton, especial
ly the latter. Once or twice, when in
terrupted by Mr.. Morton, Mr.. Jones re-
torted so pungently as to provoke APP
plause from the galleries and marks of
approval upon the floor of the Senate.
At the close of his speech, he was warm
ly congratulated by Senators Conkling,
Chandler, Morrill, of Vermont, Schurz,
Hamlin of Maine and others. Even the
infationists were so completely taken by
surprise that nearly all of them, with
the exception of Logan and Morton,
joined in the congratulation. During
Mr.. Jones's speech, Mr.. Conkling of
New York, who is never so happy as
when somebody excoriates Mr., Morton,
laid back in his seat and laughed hear
tily at the telling points made by the
Senator from Nevada against the great
apostle of expansion. This is Mr.. Jones's
first speech in the Senate, but it is evil
dent that he has made his mark. and
from this time forward will be regarded
as one of the leading men.
THE SPEECH.
Mr.. Jones began by speaking of the fact that
gold and silver were the currency of the Pacific
States, anu asked why 1t that these States with
less OF relative value in the way of products were
| able to keep within their own borders enough coin
| to meet the wants of trade Mr.. Morton said that
1t was bunder OF Nevada and California that they
did not accept greenbacks circulation, and this
refusal on their part had retarded their prosperity
He asked Mr. Jones how the Government would
nave put down the rebellion if other States had
done as the Pacific States had and refused to take
the paper money of the Government Mr. Jones
SAID the Government would, in that event, put
down the rebellion at 81 900, 900 900 less expense
(Cries of "That's so' from Senators and applause
III the galleries.) He, Mr.. Jones' would have wrung
the last dollar in the of taxation and conscript
| ed the last man to put down the rebellion. When
this had been done and not before he Wouid have
commenced the issue ofirredeemable currency, but
not before Instead OF this, the Government began
to issue paper money, and everything Immediately
/ went up and the Government and people had to
pay in proportion The people of Nevada were hon
| est They would not plumber their creditors even
| at the invitation of the Government. When they
agreed to pay their creditors in money they did not
! offer them paper rags. What was the universal
| experience of paper money I? What value did it
cause to rise 1t raised the prices of stocks fan
| cy and otherwise, but the very last thing that it
did raise was the products of agriculture Mr. Jones
further maintained that the farmers and producing
and laborng classes were the only men not benefit
ed by imitation. 1t was the banks and bankers ind
4 the gamblers that profted.
Mr.. Morton asked ifthere was not as much gam
bling In Nevada and California any of the other
States Mr. Jones said he had never heard of stock
gambling there as carried on in the Eastern States
/ People bought thing when they thought it was
vaiIabe ana sold it when they thought it less val
came to Congress and asked the currency to be in
Hated to give them relief daughter and great ap-
plause.) Mr.. Jones, continuing, besought the Sem
4 ate to pause and not take action which would Ger
tainly bring disaster upon the country. He main
I tanned that there was an abundance of paper mon
ey now in circulation to meet all the wants of bust
l ness. Paper money was not and never could be
1 made standard of value Gold was the standard
/ because it meant something. The Government in
4 issuing more paper money, would dishonor itself,
4 because 1t was violating the compact between the
debtor and creditor. He did not think it would be
just to the debtor to fix immediate date for spe-
che resumption, but he thought it might be fixed,
say July, 1878, and then people would be ready to
H resume and the Government would have no trouble
i about 1t. referring to the complaint from the
south OF lack OF currency he said great trouble
IN that section was that too many people wanted to
hire others, and too few wanted to hire themselves
There a man who owned 100 or 1000 acres of land
sat down and wanted some one to work his land,
4 Dut ne mad no money, and he wanted the Govern
/ ment TO print some more paper. Suppose the Gov
1 eminent did print it, how was he to get it He
could get it if he woIll1 sell some of his land
Lof what IL was really -, not hold it at in
Hated prices: He would say now to farmers and
planters OF the South, everything they used had to
1 pay TINS inflated price. What they produced sold
Tor gold, and they did not want any more naner
Really, what the South wanted and the West want
Ell was sound financial system then, with labor,
industry ana thrift, every man would find he would
| nave plenty OF money his needs