The daily gazette., 1875-10-18
From the World.
JUDGE BLACK.

lStn. ne IOllOWlnS emOrhCeS Ills VIEWS
on the currency question:
R.-What of the platform and the
money question?
Judge Bone of the worst and
basest things ever done by the anti
constitutional party since it first came
ment of the currency, which was then
the best in the world old gold and
silver. l say one Of the worst, for |
admit that the destruction of jury trial
and habeasc .pus-kidnappipg robbing
and killing men and women for their
political opinions-handing over whole
States by fraud and force into the hands
of unconvictcd thieves and unfloggcd
negroes may be just as bad. But how
could anything be worse than the
measures which expanded all nominal
values and actually compelled credi-
tors public aid private, to accept one
third of their debts as satisfaction
for the whole?
R.-Was the Legal Tender act un-
constitutional?
Judge B.-Of course it was and is,
and will be as long as it lasts. The
decision of theEupreme Court compels
us to subj at to it. But no court
on earth can Lake any one wno
has read the constitution believed that
he General Cove 'nment has power to
come between two citizens of State
and determine how their contracts
with G another shall be executed.
Congress had no jurisdiction in such
matters. Il belonged to the States,
aId the States have bound themselves
not to exercise it in such manner as to
'ake anyth g but gold and silver
coin legal tender. A promise to pay
dolldrS cannot in the nature of things
be performed by offering pieces of
p?oer. If man agree to deliver a
certain quantity OF pine boards can
Congress say that the promise shall be
fulfilled by the tender of buckwheat
straw?
R.-But Congress has said that q
certain kind of paper shall be lawful
money of the United States; and does
not that make it money?
Judge B.-No. That which is not
money at all cannot be lawful money.
If Congress declares that straw shall
be lawful boards of the United States,
that will not make it so, for that is
trifling with the common sense and
reason of the thing. If this kind of
ltransubstantiation can be effected by
| mere legislation, don't you see where
it will lead?
The States as well as the United States
may evade the constitutional interdict
by saying that paper which they de,
sire to make legal tender shall be
| gold and silver coin. The whole deal
ing of our opponents with the curren.
Icy is full of shams and delusions.-
| Like all violations of a great funde-
mental truth, it must be atoned for.
1t has doubled the national debt, in
creased the debt of the States and all
municipal corporations. tempted indi-
viduals to engage in wild enterprises,
depressed agricultural industry by the
most enormous taxes ever imposed,
robbed labor of the bread it has earn
| cd. demoralized the public services and
lentcor Iuption wingsto fly. 1t has in-
ueed brought us TO hard times. Those
| who suffer these evils do not find much
consolation in the fact that the salar-
les of officers have been doubled, that
speculators have got rich, and that the
colossal fortunes of great capitalists
have been swelled to ten times their
former bulk.
R.-Are we to infer from this that
YOU favor immediate resumption.
Judge B.-No; that does not follow
from anything l have said: The main
levil of expansion is that it must, in
1.-THE course of time, be followed by
tcontraction, and contraction is oppres
lsive in proportion as it is rapid. The
Erie Convention Is not to blame for it!
natural unwillingness to pluck dowr
Immediate and total ruin upon tn,
lheads of the people. The abolition
lProcrustes has stretched us out unit
, all our joints are dislocated, Shal
we not protest against the proposal t
: shorten us by amputation? The in
Hurry already done us must not be ag
lgravated by a contraction for whicl
We are unprepared. Our enemies hav
hut the financial locomotive on tn
wrong track, tied us in the rear agains
our will and dragged MS behind it owe
a yery rough road, and we are badl
bruised must we now let them revers
!, the engine, go back upon US and crus
lout of us the little life we haveS
R.-But would forced resumption
: however early, be followed by cons'
luuences so fearful?
Judge B.-I do not know the con
mercial situation of the country we
enough to answer that question, but
am sure the best men in the common
wealth sincerely believe that the pr,
, sent distress would be greatly increa
4 cd.
R.-You are understood to hav
great faith in the wisdom of the fail
ers. Is not any federation, even for
moment, of paper money inconsister
with the traditions of the old Dem,
cracy?
Judge B.-Democrats have alway
: held, us they hold now, that metali
currency is better than paper, becaus
it is safer, sounder and honester; b
cause it is a steady measure of valu
not liable to be expanded or contrac
ed, and because the Constitute
recognizes no other. They have alwa,
ll,knrai IN furniSh II. hut whan the