The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1878-02-28
SPEECH OF EX-GOVERNOR HEN.
BRICKS.
The Pres,SSsn.,a, Eraas Denounced


said that one of the Louisiana criminals |
has been tried and convicted. The pres
ident and John Sherman say he should |
not have been tried. Why not? His |
guilt and that of others is shown by the |
verdict. It is high crime against the |
nation and threatening the stability of
free institutions. What are the relations
between the president and Jonn Sher-
man and the accused that authorized or
permit an effort on their part to inhu-
ence the judicial proceedings in q state
court after long and terrible contest
It is settled that state elections and state
legislatures must be free from military
influence and control, so it also must be
understood that the president and his
cabinet cannot directly or indirectly in
terfere with judicial proceedings under
state authority. The state courts must
be wholly free and independent of fed
eral control, except where the constitu-
ton and laws give to the federal judic-
iary an appellate supervision. It is to be
regretted that the facts developed upon
trial are of such character as to create
anxiety on the part of the president and
any of his cabinet but they cannot avoid
the effect upon the public mind of an
exhibition of that anxiety, and of un-
seemly denunciations of the state au-
thorities. While it is true that the title
of Mr.. Hayes to the etfice of president,
and of Mr.. Wheeler 10 the Office of vice
president, has been settled under the
solemn forms of law; and while it is our
duty, in my judgment, to recognize the
title, because it is in the interest of the
public stability and tranquility to do so,
it is still none the less true that an i'm
Derative duty demands that fitting
| Il, i L
| public criminals through whose hsgi-
tious crime that judgment was obtained.
Because d judgment is final and con.
elusive ferns no reason why immunity
| should be secured to the criminal through
whose perjury it was obtained if this is
true of simple property Judgment,
| rendered in a court of law, much more
| is it true of a mOnstrous crime against
| the elective sovereignty of nation.
| The very fact that it was successful
! furnishes the strongest reason why
the condign punishment of its per-
/ petrators should cover it with
perpetual infamy, and manifest
| to all future cOnspirators against
the liberties of the nation the
danger of attempting its repetition.
| Since the Inauguration of President
Hayes have regarded the repeal of the
resumption act as hopeless. He was
pledged to resumption. Every vote cast
for him was for resumption. If John
Sherman, at the head of the treasury,
holds his position he will enforce the
strictest and hardest execution of the
law, and it is understood that any bill to
repeal the clause will now be vetoed. /
have therefore said that, to my belief,
the resumption law has been the source
- ~ l. Al
interests and the prosperity of the coun-
try. 1t has had the bad effect of causing
men to hoard greenbacks and the banks
to withhold and withdraw circulation in
fear of being crushed by forced redemp-
tion in gold. A favorable foreign trade
has promoted return to specie payment,
and if the balances shall continue in our
favor l expect to see our paper money at
par with gold at an early day. Will the
restoration of silver money mitigate the
evils of contraction, caused by the re-
sumption law That is now the hope of
the business men of Indiana It is not as
a cheap money that the people demand
its restoration, but as a legal slender and
coin as contemplated by the constitution.
When restored it will become again a
standard and measure of value. Before
its decentralization silver was at par value
with gold, and when restored I think it
will rise again to the same level. need
hardly say to you that the value of any
class or description of property greatly
depends on the impOrta t uses to which
it may be applied. Silver was money
They stripped it of that, its most i'm
pOrtant use, and now say that it is worth
eight per cent. less than before, and
therefore it cannot be good money. Is
that fair argument? As a material for
the manufactured ware, silver will have
only the value which that use can give
it. But when stamped with the quality
of money, and made a legal, tender for
the pavment of all classes of indebted
ness it becomes the active agent of trade
and commerce, measures values and dis
charges debts, and in such use becomes
correspondingly more important TO SO.
ciety aud more valuable. Were gold
stripped of the quality of money, what
would be the effect upon its value.
1 do not believe the penny weight
of gold in the beautiful wine-cup is
as useful to society, nor as valuable as
the same weight of gold in the stamped
coin which does its busy work in the
, channels of trade, and the demOnet "a
ton of gold would demonstrate that fact
/ have heretofore said that silver has
become an important product of this
country, and inasmuch as the world re
eognizes it as q money medium OF ex-
change, l cannot see why we should not
utilize cur own large product of that
metal to the greatest extent that may be
found practicable. Its value as money
to this country is too great to be thrown
away. Should experience prove that
because of the increased production OF
silver there will be a permanent and
important difference between silver and
gold, congress is clothed with ample
power to provide the proper and adequate
remedy. 1t is objected to the restoration
of silver money that it will be in bad
faith toward the public creditors. If ]
thought that possible, / would not favor
its restoration, however important to our
interests l might esteem it. My iudg-
ment is so entirely satisfied that l have
no anxiety whatever upon that question
The question is settled by the fair
reading of the public credit act oil
800, and the refunding act of 1870
At the date of the former act
! it was lawful to pay the $40 bonds
in treasury notes, but 1t was con
i tended that because of the circumstances
} attending the creation of the debt it
would not be proper to constrUe the
} laws, and that payment ought not to be
made in paper. To remove doubt and
J settle all controversy, the act was passed
: 1t pledged the faith of the United States
) to payment in coin. opposed the
/ measure in the senate, and said that its
) effect would be to make the law to read
! that the debt shall be paid in coin. The
bill passed and became law. There
f upon the debt became payable only in
} coin, not in gold coin alone, but in silver
coin as well, for the silver dollar was
) then part of the coin OF the country,