The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-10-14
SPEECH
HON. ALEX CAMPBELL

Thursday, July 1S, 1876,
On IN. Conference Report Relative 60 th'
issue or subsidiary silver COIH-
Mr.. Hooper, of Massachusetts, who r.
ported the substitute, asked that the Illes
be suspended and the bill passed without
reading. He said
desire TO cali up bill H. b. No. l4Z1)
revising and amending the laws relatie 70
mints. assay offices, and coinage the
United States. do so for the purpoe oi
ofFerlna an amendment in the nstureN
substitute. one which has been very are
fplly prepared and which lhave subntted
to the different gentlemen In TINS louise
wEo had taken special interest IN % OIL
l find that 1t meets with universal ppro-
bation in the form in which 1t Is tered.
| move that the rules be sussuded
and the substitute be put on Its pasgs-
Sir. il will thus be seen that in the
proceeding had upon the substitution the
House there was no opportunity toi1ani-
tion or discussion. and outside et few
initiated in the mystery of iniqur cen
r tsrnpIated by the bill it IS not probae that
lin 30 Of those who voted for it I'd any
knowledge Of its provisions OF the motest
idea that the design of its authors as to
ON summate the most perhdlous . con
Kectad with all our financial legation
2.-,,t Nh 2 .,...,tIlas>-Sn from Ohio NJ GAR
anotbf has tha ssurance to tell that
Congress saw the difficulty OF keePg up
the seouivaleney" in two metalso 1t
F. dropped one. and that one which IA been
the unit of values from the earliest ganl-
zation of the Government and up the
basis Of which every debt, public a. prl-
vate. in the nation had been contsted,
and adopted the one in the interest the
mere usurers and money mongers acme
and abroad.
Sir, feel confident that any lmftial
mau who Will take the trouble TO lDstl-
gate the circumstances connected "Ithe
passage Of this act and its ruinous ects
upon the industrial interest of the lion
will not fail to arrive at the conelusiohat
il was inspired by the money lords Gu-
rope who purchased our securities, 9th
public and private, at discounts suthctiy
great 70 afford a large profit even slld
. those debts be discharged in lawful ney
with gold at double the premium 1t )w
commands, and that it was dictateto
Congress by their allies in Wall streehd
other money centers at home.
The gentleman from Ohio MIR r.
FIELDl says
Now the fact that in 1873 we adopk a
device to preserve the constancY OF
value of the dollar does not by any ms
signify that We meant to change the |
obligation 80 that men to whom the Cove
ment owes money can lawfully be paid
money Of different value.
Sir, if it was not intended to pay u
Government creditors as well a. all otl
creditors in money of greater value Il
that of the legal standard when the de
we're contracted, then there certainly
no necessity for demonetizing silver.
the gentleman will lind it difficult to
vince the dullest intellect that the den
etization of one-half Of the coin of the
ton viii not enhance the valne OF the OF
half. II he does not know that this
famous law which he helped to enact
which he now defends with such thi
DISGUISED sophistry and 20 much seem
earnestness was ''device" to increase
valae of gold, and consequently the va
of all debts, public and private, he is
norant alike Of the intention and purp'
OF its real authors, the Insurers and mon'
mongers, and the practical effect of
workings on the industrial interests q
legitimate business Of the country.
The gentleman says:
Some one has said there is an innate
sire in the human mind to get chance
cheat somebody.
Sir, if somebody had never uttered t
sentence the passage of the law demonei
L. H. nka Iafi
TO the finances and currency Of the natl
with which the gentleman ought to
familiar, afford practical demonstration
the fact that there existed in the minds
their authors desire to ''chSat somebod
and that somebody those who had comic
their interest to their keeping
Again the gentleman says:
A great minister once said that there
two things in human nature which a
united always made iniqiuty completes
waa the desire to do dishonorAble z
and the other was the opportunity 70 1.
And he adds that
II has 80 happened In the fuctuatiof
these metals that there Ia now Q nos
opportunity to cheat several million
men by adopting the baser metal a.
- standard of payment, and thus 20 40
plish swindle ON % grand scale
make the achievement iilnstrious.
Sis. unfortunately for the wealth:
>, ,5Eeing and tax-payng pcrtion OF
American people the two thinm in hu
FeS necessary to mako iniquity (
1Istewsre united in the anthcrsso OF the
changing the standard of payment
silver, which had been tho unit OF W
from the organizations of the Governn
70 gold They had The desire and
created and embraced the oppqrtunit.
make manifest THAR dispositiOn and O.
n 10 ssmaks iniquify eomplsts" by %
h snd StsalthiIF perpetrafing swind
Is grand suels o. 70 maks Il hlnssx