The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-08-18
OHIO CAMPAIGN.
Secretary Sherman's Speech at
Mansfield.
The Presidents Poll.
CIV Defended.
And the Resumption Question Dis.
cussed.

MANSFIELD, O., Aug. 17.-Secretary Sher-
man delivered speech here tonight to large
audience. He said:
In response to your invitation am here to-
night to state to you my views of what thus far
has been done by the present administration in
its conduct of public affairs. In doing so wish
it to be distinctly understood that speak for
myself alone, as citizen of Ohio, to YOU, nv
fellow citizens. The President authorized me
to say one thing for him, and that is, tina: all
reports that impute to him any participation
whatever IN the nomination of candidates on
Your state ticket. or any desire or purpose to
influence in any way the senatorial contest in
Ohio are utterly groundless.
He proceeded to discuss the actual admins
tration questions as they have arisen since last
March, and he asked only for the administra-
tion of President Hayes that charity which
must be extended to all humans. He then re-
hearsed the position of South Carolina and
Louisiana when Hayes was inaugprated, and
the -ubsequent action of the President, which
he endorsed as the only right course to pursue.
The ultimate safety of their life and prosperity
depends upon it, The people of the United
States will hold them to it, now, when by
this policy of President Hayes they have what
they call home rule upon their self-proclaimed
promise that home rule means equal protection
in equal civil and political rights of all.
Another question of the administration re-
ceived the prompt attention of President Hayes.
1t has been the standing promise of both polti-
cal parties for fifty years to secure civil service
reform without defining what was meant by
this phrase. Upon this subject the President
had clear and radical views, and he has not hes
itated against the opposition of many in his
own party to enter upon the reform of these
abuses. believe in the order of the Presi-
dent and hope he will stand by it, and if he
adds to the good work of his administration the
breaking down of this office-holding officious-
ness in the management of campaigns, this
mir v,f nou and ,<snpc ofH oa
holders and forced assessments from unwilling
Office holders for political purposes, and will Sc
cure to the people free and unbiased control
OF their primary movements in the selection OF
officers, he will have accomplished q work sec
ond only in importance to the pacfcation of
the South. The only rule in tho conduct of
public business is that which prudent man
would adopt in his own. A close and careful
REIMBURSEMENT of the civil service upon basis
of correct business principles will bring our ma
tional expenditures within the amount of such
moderate taxes on whiskey, tobacco and beer,
and reasonably moderate duty on imported
goods as, while furnishing protection to our own
industries, will not cripple our commerce or
place our industries in competition.
Regarding specie payments, Mr.. Sherman
said: There are two modes of resumption,
either to diminish the amount of notes to be
redeemed, which is commonly called contrac-
ton of currency, or by the accumulation of
coin in the Treasury to enable the Secretary to
in the law is that the Secretary is not at liberty
to sell bonds of the United States for United
States notes, but must sell them for coin. As
coin is not in circulation among the people, he
is practically prohibited from selling bonds to
the people. except by an evasion of law or
through private parties. The bonds are in
demand and can readily be sold ct par in coin,
and still easier at par, or premium in United
States notes. The process of selling for
United States notes need not go far before the
fon &h.k 41axr hl4 Co.. H.
would bring them up to par in coin, and that
is specie payments. The refusal of Congress to
grant this authority often asked of it, was
because it would contract the currency, and
| this fear of contraction has thus far prevented
Congress from granting the easiest, plainest
and surest mode of resumption. To avoid con-
traction it provided that national bank notes
may be issued without limit as to amount, and
that when issued United States notes might be
retired to the extent of four-fifths of the bank
notes issued. This was the only provision for
redeeming UniUed States notes that Congress
made or would make. Greenbacks have been
retired under the act Of January, 1875, to this
time to the amount of $22,9O5,7 200, and near
| $29.000,000 of circulation were issued to
national banks Since the LIST of March last
the reduction of United States notes has been
SO, 145 ,264, and this reduction was preceded by
new Circulation issued to the banks amounting
to nearly $6,500,000. do not say that this is
the only reduction of the currency that has
made by the United States. The national
banks, under a different law and from necessity
of free banking, are at liberty to retire their
currency as we'll as to increase it, and this has
been done by them since the LIST of January,
| 1875. to the amount of $36,624 GLE, but this is
| the reduction effected by each bank, guided by
| its own interest and the circulation which it
cap safely and prudently maintain. Beyond
this the right to issue paper money, either by
the government or by banks, is a dangerous
aYarcIsa Of JnIuroua all clagaag and
should not continue single day beyond the
necessities that gave it birth.
But if Congress should see proper to confne
| the process of resumption to the present law,
we have still the second mode of resuming by
| accommodating the coin gradually, SO that when
the time fixed for resumption arrives the treas
ury may be able to redeem such notes as are
| presented. In this respect the resumption act
| is as full and liberal as human language can
| frame it. We have still seventeen months be-
| fore US in which to complete the task The
| same progress that has been made since the
| first of March continued twelve months longer
will certainly bring us to the specie standard.
feel confident in saying to you this day that if
undisturbed, with or without change of the
law, every dollar of United States notes will be-
| fore the time fixed for resumption be worth as
much as an equal amount in either gold or
| silver.
Mr.. Sherman then referred to the hard times,
| and said the arguments that the re medy there
| for was the turning out of the administration
were only the arguments of FOOLS While the
| industries of other countries are suffering and
thousands are idle, with us the worst is over.
To attribute the distresses to any causes grow
| ing out of the administration of our govern
ment is extreme folly. Agriculture is now ex-
tremely prosperous. No doubt industry will
soon revive, and we may expect q season of
prosperity. All that you can ask of the gov
eminent Is that it will administer the limited
powers conferred upon it with the same intelli-
gence and economy that you would expect of
private citizens, doing all it can with its limited
power to confer the greatest good upon the
greatest number. This, believe, is now being
done by the national government.
He then spoke on the subject of the strikes,
and showed that the great railroads of the
country are subject to the will of four men who
could raise or depress freights, and he hoped
limit the maximum rates of freights so that
the production of farmer may not be in dan
ger of confiscation by exorbitant rates. that it
will limit and restrain the cutting and reduc-
ton of freights so as to destroy the ability of
railroad companeslto receive fair prices for
honest labor, and prevent the companies from
making paupers of men who perform the es-
sential functions in commerce. Congress may
thus, by wise general laws, control the most
| powerful corporations as well as the humblest
citizens The laborer is worthy of his hire, and
he has an undOubted right to leave work that
does not remunerate him, but the laws must be
enforced and lives and property protected But
while this is true. we must not fail to examine
the complaint of the humblest citizen and give
to him all the protection and all the remedy
that a just government can give Mr.. Sher-
man concluded by thanking his friends for the