Middletown transcript., 1875-10-16

sum was the fruit OF generations ol
laboriug men; by hard work it came,
and by the same process alone can it be
restored. Let US like true men, as
we're our ancestors, brace ourselves for
this long task Of restoration, and in
order to pursue our path hopefully lei
us, gather all lessons Of experience and
practice wise economy: We need all
that wisdom and honesty in legislation
and administration can do to aid our
people in their task. This is the true
condition of affairs now presented to us,
and for these results may We not justly
hold the party in power responsible? 1t
is no wonder that with their dexterity and
want of scruples our political opponents
now abandon the issues under which
they have SO long deceived the people
and kept the truth concealed, and by
shifting their ground now seek to es-
cape from the just consequences of their
abuse of popular confidence; and in the
present canvass we find them as usual
resorting to the lower and baser pas
sions of human nature, hoping to create
new excitement and confusion, amid
which they may escape. Thus we be-
hold the disgraceful resort Of an appeal
to sectarian bitterness and the wretched
spectre of long buried Know-Nothing-
ism rearing its ghostly front in this
canvass. What honest American citi-
zen can be found who will declare that
in this country religious intolerance can
be justified as a political issue; what
man living under charter Of Govern
ment whose fundamental law openly
proclaims, that "no religious test shall
ever be required as a qualification to
any Office or public trust under its
authority ?"
What American reverencing the
name and character Of George Wash
ington, signed Immediately under these
words of prohibition, can feel himself
justified in joining party that disre7
CARDS them As man, be sins against
right and justice; as citizen, he is
false to his Government and country.
OF all places on Gods earth that the
State of Maryland should te chosen for
such an attempt-here on the soil Of
the province Of which George Calvert
was the first proprietary. where nearly
two hundred and fifty years ago he pro-
claimed and insisted upon the right Of
all men to be eligible for Office, with
out question as to their religious faith !;
and Of all men who were sought to be
SO assailed and prescribed that the great
grandson of Charles Carroll of Carroll
ton, man who has added honor to an
honored name, should now be excluded
from Office because be is guilty Of the
great offense Of worshipping Almighty
God at the same Christian altar as did
his patriot ancestor. But, gentlemen.
these dark.lantern' people have made a
mistake. Voice That's So y There
is too much honesty and feeling in the
American people to permit such infam-
Gus attempts to be successful, and sure
am I that hundreds, nay, thousands Of
Marylanders, who love civil and religi-
GUS liberty, will join our party in ad-
hearty rebuke to such a
proposition, whose originatora will be
buried SO deep by popular verdict that
they will know no political resurrection,
in this generation, at least. Laughter.
I have referred to this issue with
that it should have place
in American politics I have only met
the issue because our opponents have
chosen to make it. ! propose now, and
at all times, whether backed by few or
many, to shield the principles Of civil
and religious liberty as our fathers es-
tablished them in our written Constitu-
ton. ss sa fa
I have spoken Of the prostration Of
all business interests in the country. l
have stated that the road to recover
that which has been lost and squander-
ed under the rule Of the party in power
would be rugged and hard to travel,
and I want in this connection to say
one word to you in regard to the pre-
sent currency of our country, the cur
rency of the people, for there is no use
in constant industry if it is to be cheat
ed Of its just reward Is not stand
ard, stable measure of value due for a
days labor, or for any business trans
aetien, however large or small A
moments consideration will show the
absolute necessity. in all honest and
steady dealings, to have a standard Of
value just as much as standard Of
weights and measures for commodities
bought and sold. Let us see what
was given to our rulers to deal with
this subject, for we Democrats have an
easy test for the rightfulness Of any
measure by seeing whether it is war
ranted by the Constitution of the United
States. All the power given to Con-
gress on this subject is to "coiim money
and to regulate the rvdlue thereof, and Of
foreign coin, and it to fix a standard Of
weights and measures. The meaning
Of the word to "coin." whether that Of
photographers or in the common deal
ings of mankind, is to stamp pieces Of
metal into money, and "coin" is stamp
ed metal, to be used as money, and
such money, by the Constitution, must
be valuable in itself. for Congress is
directed ssto regulate the value there
Of" Now the value, as you see, must
exist in the money itself or it could not
be regulated. A paper money which
cannot be coined is simply money Of
credit. and who shall "regulate"
money of credit who can regulate the
hopes and fears that elevate and depress
as credit? A power in Congress to
regulate the weather could as we'll he
executed, and the famous Pope's bull
against the comet would be just as use
full. Observe, too, that in giving the
power to Congress to coin money it is
Immediately connected with the power
and duty "to ix a standard Of weights