The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-05-06

think proper that is ~ say, the agents
whom the sovereign may appoint can De in
structed by positive order 10 carry into
effect the will Of the will Of the sovereign.
The Congress can not, therefore, plant
themselves on the power granted ia the
Constitution, TO make money for any other |
purpose than to supply the National Treas
ury with q sufficient amount Of legal ten |
der tokens OF sovereign power, which will |
enable that officer, at all times, to meet |
demands that may, from time 10 time, be |
proved up against the government, and
that officer (the secretary Of the Treasury
| il appointed for no other purpose than 10
keep safe the legal tender tokens Of sover-
eign power placed in his hands, and 10 ten
der those tokens in payment Of all proved
claims that may be presented This is all
OF the functions the Secretary ia required
to perform. and when he appears upon the
toor OF Congress, acting an lobbyist for
money rings, or making suggestions as to
what uses may be made of the money token
after it has left the treAFury, he il forget
full Of the dignity Al well a. the duties Of
his station, and he ought therefore be re-
quired to keep in his proper legitimat po-
sItion.
| OAOob nthCSo 10 put upOu bnc power grant
ed TO Congress in the Constitution in re-
gard to furnishing the treasury with that
which shall be q legal tender for all de-
mands proved up against the government
And here again | repeat the fact
that the Congress has no power in the Con-
stitution, OF out Of 1t, to issue tho token of
sovereignty for any other purpose than is
sufficient to supply the National Treasury
with the amount needed to carry ON the
government and meet appropriations or
demands against the government.
And the Secretary Is prohibited by OK
press words in the Constitution from al
lowing any money to be withdrawn from
the treasury, unless to meet appropriations
made by law" 1t IL so important that
this prohibition be understood, and not
misunderstood, that quote the section re-
ferred to in the Constitution
, ''Section 8 article q. No money shall
be drawn from the treasury but in conSe-
quence of appropriations made by Ia~
and regular statement and account Of the
receipts and expenditures Of all public
money shall be published from time q
time"
Now that section of the Constitution
|. leaves no such question az initiation Or cpn
| bAoSbAhk II - oAdAk BAAAdSc,
used by money rings, that has no mean
ing.
The Congress may place in the treasury
! as many blanks as they please the Score
, tary can no more put the stamp or token
Of the sovereign upon them, or deliver
them to a stranger who has no claim against
the government, than the clerk Of a court
State or federal, can issue an execution
unless it is founded upon judgment, reg
ularly entered upon the record OF the
court.
Now We will turn to the section in the
Constitution that grants to the Congress
power TO supply the treasury with blank
warrants, executions or tokens Of the SOY,
ereign power, sufficient 70 meet appropria.
! tions made by law, keeping In mind all the
{ while the prominent fact that the Congress
has no power, no authority, in the Con.
: stitution or out of it to issue the warrant
{ or token Of the sovereign for any other
purpose, or to regulate its value, except tC
make it q legal standard for payment and
. settling Of disputes, than TO regulate tn,
!. value of horses, lumber or wheat.
The power granted is found in section 8
:, article . ''To coin money, regulate tn,
/, value thereof. and of foreign coin, and fl
the standard Of weights and measures"
To coin money Coin it Of what mater
ial the section does not specify The eK
preston is therefore indefinite and vagu,
" as to the material. If the words to max,
money" had been used. that would mo-
. prohibit its being coined or made in any
other mode.
Strict constructionists Of he section 8
article 8, invoke the aid of the 10Th sec
ton to give force to the words "coin mon
!. ey" Section 10, article l. No State
shall coin money. emit bills of credit, make
any thing but gold and silver legal ten.
/. der in payment Of debts"
Now, no words can be more explicit
6 than the prohibition that emo State shall
emit bills of credit. or make anything but
gold and silver a legal tender" Now,
what does that express prohibition amount
! sol Every 1t atein the Union, when it be-
came necessary to provide the means to re-.
lleve their necessities, granted power Il
corporations, authorizing them to emit bill,
Of credit, and the State were stakeholder,
in banks that emitted bills Of credit (anC
. often very doubtful bills) and the peopl,
in every Staue in the Union use copper
. and nickel as a legal tender in the payment
Of oebts
, ITO be continued