Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-09-08
Is II Democratic Doctrine I!

Is II Democratic Doctrine!
Two years ago the Democrat
party ~ Ohio staked its fortune
on the greenback issue and was d'
featcd. 1t has become quite til
fashion this year for Democrat
conventions to dodge the questio
a d merely reatlirm the position G
the national platform of last year
which was decidedly a hard'mone,
document. The Ohio convention
did not do this, but demanded tn
RECOMMENDATION of silver, favored
the retention of greenbacks with
out further contraction, demanded
the repeal Of the resumption act
aud declared that 'all circulating
mediums, whether paper or metal
lic,' should be issued by the Gov
eminent, and be "always of cqua
tender and iuterconvertible,' TIT
Democratic doctrine of the Nation
al Convention of last year was eX
pressed in the denunciations of thu
Republican party for failure 't'
make good the promise of the legal
tender notes, which are u changing
standard of value in the hands OF
the people, and the non.payment o
which is Il disregard of the plight
ed faith of the nation" and fol
making "no advance toward re
sumption, no preparation for re-
SUMPTION" but rather placing oh
struction and hindrance in its way.
This, if it meant anything, meant
that the legal.tender notes should
be redeemed, aud the specie basis
established according to the teach
lngs of Samuel j. Tllden.
Now the Democracy of Ohio has
opened this years canvass in that
State with a great public meeting
in Columbus, at which George II.
Pendleton and Thomas Ewing were
the principal speakers. The whole
burden of their speeches were IA
and reiterated condem.
nation of the whole policy of re.
sumption and of preparation for it,
They denounced CONTRACTION of the
aud attributed to it all
the evils from which business and
labor are suffering. General Ew.
ing openly opposed all efforts or
plans for restoring the specie basis,
and advocated the "statesmanlike
counter-polcy" of an unlimited le-
CALENDER circulation, interchang-
able with $50 per cent. bonds. Mr..
stated the Democratic
doctrine to be "the repeal of the
act, the restoration Of
the old silver dollar, the retention
Of grcenbacks. the cessation of their
and, finally, the issue
If all circulating medium by the
Government, making it all legal,
ender, and the paper and coin in
erconvcrtible at par"
The latter part of this statement
$ utterly Inconsistent with the gen
,ral spirit of both addresses. Lr-
CALENDER paper interconvertible
With coin is specie payments or it is
nothing. 1t cannot exist unless the
,alre of paper is brought to that
If coin, and all the CO. sequences
to alleged contraction are
to he due to the increase
If value in lcgal-tender notes. The
anne practical result is here de-
handed with the same consequent
es that are said to follow upon the
policy of contraction and resump-
ion. But both speakers favored
he reconciliation OF the silver
Iollar and its use in payment of
LIE coin obligations of the Govern
nent. Perhaps this is the kind of
DIN with which legal-tender notes
hould be intcrconvertible, but that
iould still be specie basis with
he standard lowered and the chief
enelits of the policy lost. But in
pite of Mr.. PendletOn's vagary in
ontradicting in his closing words
he whole pulport of his address,
ne doctrine promulgated at the
Columbus meeting was opposed to
lie policy of bringing legal.tender
otes to equality with gold coin
nd of establishing specie pay
rents. 1t brings the Democrats of
hio to substantially the same po-
ton that they occupied i'll 1879.
it is to be the position of the
arty, it should he known, and all
le Greenback party would have to I
, would be to consolidate with the |
emocracy. Then the Republicans |
ould know where their opponents
God and take their own position, I
hich we hope would be in favor '
a rational and CONSTANT policy |
+ the establishment of our nation 4
currency on a specie basis.-Bos '
u Globe. t