The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-01-18

ALpAur. On. Jan. ii. Is7s.

ALBANTs OR., Jan. ~, 1878.
Editor Democrat
Recalling in your lass weeks issne Of
the DEMocBAr, ] noticed the following
quotation from that eminent standard
Of the Greenbara party, The True Cit.
@st
We believe that tho Ur.tod staies ro.es issued d.
rs'tly p tbs government and convertible on demand
into United States obligations. hearing u EQUITABLE
s'e oi intere' mot exceeding one cent day on each
ono hundred doars) and interchangeable with United
states notes a. par Will a5rd the bost circulating mo
ainm ever devised: such Unilei States notes Should
De full legal tender for all purposes erceot for the
payment q such obligations "a ara by erissi,g con-
race e1pressy made pagabE in coin And We hold
% @ u Is tne duty Of the government provide such
M 5sseuatng medium and We insist, in the language Of
lA0u'4' Senefson, that bank paper must be sup
whom it beon0s."
Being myself Greenbaclser in prin-
cipie, | am impelled to add a few
thoughts by way Of comment ON the
ideas presented by, and expressed in
the section Of the indianapolis platform
as quoted. The section goes fully as
far, it seems to Us, as any honest and
patriotic American citizen could possi-
bly, permit himself to go in the expires
sion of his political principles upon the
points in question. And to this point
we feel fully assured a patriotic and
I
honest American citizen can go, both III
his profession and practice, and in doing
so fully and freely, act from the purest
of motives and in strict consonanec
with the duties of the true patriot, tht
rights of the most honest citizen, and
the instincts that must always impel
the honest voter in the exercise of his
highest constitutional right, l. e., the
right to do his part in the government
of his country, and in shaping its pol
icy and practice, executive and legisla-
tive, by the simple act of voting Alright
at the ballot box An inAationist whe
simply cries more money" without re-
gard to some true, solid, safe, and sub
stantial basis of true and intrinsic
ralue for that money, which basis can,
must and shall be made as broad, deer
and extended as are the life, hope ano
lestiny of the American Republic, and
all its people. and all their interests, as
we'll as the interests Of that great ano
grand peoples prosperity, can hardly b,
regarded as a wise political economist.
and certainly not as true statesman.
and in point IF patriotism his woulc
certainly be regarded as a very low or
ier or standard, to say the least of it
In other words, to speak more plainly
he nian or the party that would Zoos
he nation with a vastly greater volun,
Jf the circulating medium known a.
The paper dollar, based on no other l;i-
SIS than the simple power Of the govern
ment to set its stamp upon it aud de
clare its value IS greater foe to Amer.
lean constitutional liberty than any
other man or party known in the polit-
ical arena at the present hour. Be
cause
FIRST. Liberty of a peoIle without a
great, grand and stable system of gov
ernment to foster, protect and insure its
duration, is of but a transient and sick
ly existence, which can but find its briei
hour of existence, off Of which it must
glide down into the gloomy shades OF
eternal death, dragging with it the des-
tiny of nation that contains within
itself Treasure no less than the light
and hope of the world
Second. The idea of great, grand
and stable government exis ing and pro
tecting its own duration, without both
real wealth and some credit, both at
home and abroad, is an anomaly too
stupendous, yet alas too shadowy, for
either reason or common sense to even
contemplate, much less adhere to or
support.
Third. And the value of the circu-
lating medium of nation that Is mould
ed in utter disregard of the standard of
values recognized by the whole world,
and without any inherent or intrinsic
value of its own, would certainly be
one of the most worthless, unmeritori-
GUS foundations, as a pecuniary base of
governmental power, that the world has
ever known And yet infationists, un-
der the assumed name of Greenbackers
-inhationists in precept, yet repudia-
tionists in practice-do proclaim that
government can make anything dollar
in value by simply calling it dollar.
About as sensible, | trow, as to say "a
can put that dog in possession of five
good legs by simply calling his tail
leg"
The citizens hope, bis all, lies in Il
c institutional guarantees enveloped in
the grand governmental system IL at
protects him. Let him keep that
strong, grand, pure and active, and lie
and all posterity are safe.
But initiation means future national