Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-02
Scion Chase I'm 1S71-Specie Pay.
ments and Greenbacks.

In 1871, Scion Chase was "a hard money
man, and attributed to greenbacks large
part of the ills which then affi cted the la
boring man The Lewiston Gazette has
succeeded in finding some OF the tracts
then written for the public by Scion, from
which it furnishes extracts that are very
interesting considering Mr.. Chase's pres
ent political position. The typical poor
man which he prese nted in these tracts
was "Bil, the shoe bottomer." We copy
the following from the Gazette:
And after all this we come squarely, in this Poor
Mans Tract No. 3. to the question OF specie pay
ments. Chase, with the evidence of the oppres-
sion caused by an irredeemaole paper currency
still fresh in his mind, and having that evidence
daily before his eyes is urgent for specie pay
ments in 1871 as he was in 1866 and 1867. In
1867 he exclaimed, ave are robbed by "a debased
paper currency, and want specie payments" al
though he reluctantly conceded that 1--WE must suf-
fer the disgrace spell longer of seeing the clp-
pied soldier paid in debased currency" But in
1871 the burden Of this disgrace had apparently
become unbearsble to our worthy friend. lie
then insisted upon specie payments with uncom-
promising vehemence, and is even good enough
TO help the Government by his valuable supyes-
tons OF the best way TO bring about that desirable
end. He kindly provides Tor the Government a
surplus revenue of sl70,0000OO year aud then
adds
Win this sum specie payments can be resumed
at once, and the promise that is written IN tb,
face of the greepback to pay the dollar msds
good. lhis would give Bill u good dollar for nj.
work, ana the wounded vetei an good money f,r
his pension when Is only just and far play 10
Bill and the veteran; that u.s. BiH not onI, ,o1,,y5
Oork for gold wages he does nor, but agS.Idb,a
Aas gOOdS at gold prices, and therefore saye anoth
large item u the SZ5i "a that Is pr ssed ont Of liz,
annually SPECIE PAiMENrs Is THE ONE THING
NEEDFuL IN OUR PRESENT CONDITION. AND Will
CURE US OF MANY FINANCIAL Ills The mo-
ment you have got specie payments Pendleton's
and Buffers theory OF paying tue bonds 10 green
backs, which means neither more nor less tbs m
more aud meaner money, becomes obsolete If
Congress an It's btunderangs, did not agree 10 nan
the pfanelpdt Of Tie oOnds IN god, IL oa0hf 10 Iacs
dgFeed 10, anu specie pay uIvnts will make maj
agreement what At ought To be. The WIT OF MAN
CANNOT DEVISE ANY SCHEME THAT WILL REIxc
ABOUT SPECIE PAL MENIs OTHER THAN REDEEM
ING GREEhBACKs WITH GOLD, tuat j., let SOM.
body eise have some good money besides the bond
holder.
And Cd the last page of this Poor Map's Tract
No. 3, our greenback friend administers final
parting kick to this lying paper money" which
he 50 heartily desI ised, and which lac bad shown
worked such ruin upon the unfortunate sboe-bo,.
toner, Bill. eff the rebellion had not been mt
down." he Gays, what would the itch man, mon.
ey have been worth Nothing at all. The rich
man that time, could not lend hi. money tn hi.
neiyhbor at higher rate Of interest with good
security. 1t was no; Rold it was a debased
paper currency, worth nothing outside our own
country, and very little within"
"a debased paper currency, worth nothing out.
side our own country and very little within ="
There is your irredeemsble paper money. your
lying promises to pay your absolute" paper
money, your fiat paper money rot based on and
converted into god-there they all are in A nut.
shell That is the conclusion 10 which Scion Chase
confirmed his belief seven Yeas ago by careful
analysis Of facts and figures; that is the conclu
sion be urged upon the poor man whose friend
and spokesman be professed TO be, and this ia the
conclusion, these are the facts and figures which
now and for the tine being, be denies, repudiates
and condemns just a. he has repudiated and cor
demDed in turn every platform on which be has
moneutarily stood. And Scion Chase is the ga |
ther OF the greenback patty of Name" We con-
graduate the greenback party Of Maine on its
and honorable paternity.