The workingman's advocate., 1876-07-15

ers, the banks and the press take care Of
themselves. But theIe is no difficulty in
controlling the press that belongs TO the
people whose labor supports it, and must
come to their aid when necessary TO pro-
mote the common welfare.
The plan for controlling the legislature
is simple, plain and feasible if carried into
practical effect.
When candidates for the next Congress
offer themselves to the caucus or nominA-
ting committee there should be q contract
prepared for them to sIgn. They should
be required to put themselves in black and
white upon the record. stipulAting and
covenantlng that if appointed by q vote Of
the majority to act a. agents Of the people
in the next Congress, they viii faithfully
carry INTO effect the will Of the majority in
regard to supplying theiwants of the treas
ury.
Those instructions can be embodied in
one simple, plain proposition, namely /:
That they will pass law. authorizing and
directing thc Secretary Of the Treasury to
prepare sufficient amount Of legal tender
tokens Of the sovereign power to pay of
the entire outstanding puDlic debt, in ac-
oordance with the original contract and
that public notice be gwen of the time that
tender can be made. This will stop in
terest and put an end TO the debt, whether
the holders Of the governments obligation
accept the tender or not.
have referred to records which show,
that the Law Of Congress, approved 18th
March, 1869, entitled IAN act to strength
en- the pnblic credit, is imperative /; and
law, such as here suggested, would rem
der the act Of July 14th, 1870, and the
Specie Resumption Act. nugatory, and the
bottom wauld fall out Of all National
banks.
By abrogating the act Of Congress passed
July 14th, 1870, 80 greatly increasing the
dsbt, and making a foreign debt, there
can be no loss to the holder of the bonds
exchanged tor the 8 20-no injustice il
done to him. The original contract to
pay in greenbacks stands upon the record.
The alteration of that contract was fraud
upon the obligors in the contract to pay in
greenbacks at our treasury, Of which the
holders Of the bonds payable in gold stand
convicted of notice, if the government
refuse payment in gold to individuals from
presenting their claims for payment at our
treasury, under the original contract.
Under the original contract, the amount
Of the $50 bonds stands to the credit OF
the original purchaser, or his legal repre-
sentative, upon the National ledger and
on presentation of the bond for which the
520 was exchanged, must be taken as
priDld fdcie evidence that the h, lder is the
legal representative in the original con
tract.
No charge Of bad faitn will lie against
the parties whose labor is freely offered to
pay the 5-20 bonds according to the con
tract. 1t ls now a question solely for the
people who assented TO the original con-
tract, and not for the bondholder, to de-
eide for themselves whether or not they
will submit to fraud of which the holders
of the altered bonds had notice.
The people that must pay the bonds,
possess the right and the power to do in
the premises as they please. They possess
the power to prevent agents from being
appointed to transact the business Of the
nation, unless they will give a pledge, in
writing, binding themselves to take the
initiatory steps for reducing the present
high rate Of taxation, by paying of the
public debt i'll accordance with the original
1 COubTdCL.
The people have just right to demand
such written pledge, and have the power
to refuse an appointment unless the obi
CATION is signed.
The American republic Is the first gov
ernment, legitimately established, that
successfully ignored the doctrine Of the
Divine Right of Kings. And we should
be mindful Of the farewell warning Of
Washington, namely-sgalnst the insidi-
Gus wiles Of foreign influence Il conjure
you to believe me, fellow citizens,) the
jealousy Of free people ought to be con-
stantly awake.
Our government having been legitimate
ly established, the law of nature, which
gives us the right to provide for our ne
cessities, and imposes upon US the care Of
our preservation as q duty, also includes
the preservation of the government as a
| duty we owe to ourselves and to our child.
rem in our day, to our country and poster
ity.
ITO be continual \