Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-12-26
The 0t,ner alde.

Two eminent public teachers have
recently delivered themselves on the
Silver question. Tho first one we
quote from is the Rev. Frederick
Buckingham, Of Buffalo, New York,
who, from his pulpit, on the holy
sabbath, Dec. 10th inst, delivered
himself of the following hsrangue,
with BANDS Silver bill for his text !:
at is a picture Of robbery, pic
ture of rascality, picture Of corrup-
ton, making of every debtor who
avails himself Of the unholy oppor-
tunity created by this bill q thief.
All! Is not this q sorrowful purpose
to which to put 30 fair and 90 noble
a metal as silver2 have seen il de-
voted to the creating of statues ofthe
great and good. I have known it
used to portray the conception of art.
Who Of Us is not familiar with it as
recognition Of public service and an
expression of private affection? Ev-
cry day tits used az the means of por-
traying the features of those near and
dear, but it now 10 brought before us
As vehicle of dishonor; dishonor
private; dishonor national.
May we not we'll cry Awake, o arm
of the Lord! Awake, o Church of
the living Godi Awake, every one
who loves his country Awake, al
who care for honesty and truth. CRY
alond. Denounce the treacherous in.
iquity. Call upon your legislators and
your Senators to lay aside their self
ish squabbles and Get themselves ia
save anew their country. Then when
this iniquity is stayed, shall you have
cause indeed to sing, GLORY to God
in the highest, ON earth peace, good
will to man."
The other extract is from one oil
George William Curtis editorials in
the current number Of Harper's
Weekly, who breaches politics in his
paper, and also reads sermons every
Sunday at his New Brighton, Long
leland, home.
sslLvER AND DlsHoNoR"
"Americans who are lamenting that
France discredits the name of repub-
lie are perhaps too busy in plying
that country to perceive that we are
doing the same thing. The PROPOSE
ton now pending in Congress that
silver should be made . full legal
tender is proposition to clip the na.
tional money and dishonor the ma.
tional name. The proposition is that
4 Congress authorize every man who
owes q debt of hundred cents to
pay it with ninety-two cents and q
guess. .,5
"National honor, national faith, ma.
tional honesty, indeed, are but ideas
but they are very much more precious
than all the money we shall make by
clipping coin. We have learned by q
terrible lesson in this country the
truth of the old sailors saying, that
God has somehow SO fixed the world
that q man can afford to do about
right. IL we dishonor ourselves by
Ilegalizing the payment of smaller
sum for q greater, we shall not escape
the consequences by Boosting that w
don't care for abroad. That 10 . gibt
which, like q curse, will come home t.
roost.
sit is ludicrous that the appoint
ment of a customs officer should b.
made a ground Of party action, and
, that the maintenance of the nationa
: faith should not be regarded as o
sufficient importance for q united
party position. Should the bill pass
the President will, Of course, veto it
and as his veto would undoubtedly
; state clearly and strongly the consid
erations of every kind that should
forbid the enactment of such law
it's passage by Congress over the veto
would be an unmistakable nationa
shame. The anarchy of the French
and the dishonor of the American
republic will furnish the enemies Of
4 popular government endless sources
of contempt and distrust. Perhaps
we don't care for abroad, but the man
who knows that he is justly called a
thief has very much the air of one.'
All the government debt, all the
state, county, city, township and
school house bonds; all the railroad
ana and evfaeneass 81 inde6tedne;s 81 an
kinds, held by the creditors Of the
government and people, for the most
part in eastern cities and in Europe
was contracted when gold and silver
were the legal, as they both
now are the constitutional
money of the country. This
vast debt, public and private, aggre.
eating, perhaps, six thousand million
of dollars, is now to be paid, princi
pal and interest. in gold alone, accord
ing to these teachers Of honesty, NOR.
atty, and religion; otherwise tn,
country will become a den of thieve
and a nation of repudiators.
i Could insolence, and impudence
and eXtortion go any farther?