The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-01-12
Senator Gierefara's Speech.

closed his rble aud effective speech on
the Bland Silver Bill. aud the right Of
the Government to pay the United
States bonds in silver coin, as follows :
Le, Us for moment review the his
tory of thi whols mat ter.
When our national debt wEs first
created We have seen it could bs paid
either in leEal.tcnders, silver, or gol!
First you took from the people the
right to psy it in lcgal.tcracr', md
made 1t payable in coin. Secondly,
you dsnone,ized silver, by which you
compel them to pay it in gold, and in
addition to this all the time you have
been contracting tie currency Is it
any wonder gold has appreciated and
everything slsrl'Preciascl? We only
have about SISj 900 900 III gold colo
and bullion il the United StaIes, as
shown by the last report Of the Dirsc.
tor Of tha Min.. It requires more
than halt of that to pay our annual in-
terest Gu tho national debt, to say
nothing Of the principal. Where il
yOur gold to come from to pay the
principal and interest on the untold
millious-sOtnc, say, $40, 100000, 900
-Of our State, county, municipal, and
corporation debts , Where will my
friend from New York get the gold to
pay yvur State taxes, for you have
passed law compelling your citizens
to ply them in gold after January,
1879? Where will the ci;izcus Of
New York get the coin with which TO
pay their private debts contracted af.
ter January |. 1879? For you have
passed i law compelling them to pny
such debts in cuin Where will you
get the gold to resume specie pay.
mcuts, to pay the $500, ,OOO,OO Of lc.
gal-tGndtrs? Fur it is all folly to say
that they can bo rcissurd after they
havo been redeemed. lOr if such BE- The
proper construction. that tue Secretary
Uf the Treasury, or any one mau. has
the power 10 contract or expand the
currency " his will, it ought instantly
- bs repeated No such wonderful,
startling pIs ,hOald Tor day rest III
the grasp 0 auy mvEtal man. Truly
indeed would W. have union Of tue
purse aud sword, which could and
would be welded for the purpose OF
>wayiug elections aud controlling leg
lslltiun.
Mr, President, have already Dc
tanned the Senate longer thau should.
haY" sought in my humble why to
put forth one plea for justice to tue
American citizen do not know that
can bIiug my remarks to close mole
osc"minSIy than by reading and com-
msuding to the American Senator the
language of one Of Eugiand's creates,
men US he wAs quitting power after
havius just made mastery struggle
tor the suffering poor Of his own couu
Try.
It il the last speech Of Sir ROJer
Peel, in ablicating hi, po"'run, n't
only as prime minister bu' ss III"
leader ufa gtrIt party. lie thus con
eIu'ird lis aiLr,s, upu THIS memorable
occasion:
In quitting poSrr | shall leave be
hind rHmc severely blamed, fear by
mauy mcn, whV without any personal
interest, but Gully with u view 10 the
public good, will bitterly depIore the
rupture OE party lies from belief that
fidelity 10 purity engog mOnts and tue
maintenance Of great parties are pow.
crful and essential m"als Of govern.
ment; that Suall ulso bv blamed by
others, who, without personal interest,
adhere TO the principle Of protection, i,
which they regard as necessary to the
prosperity Of the country; that shall
leave n name lcucs,cd By all monOpo,
lists, who, from less honorable motives,
claim n protection BY which they large.
y profit; bu. | shall, perhaps, leave u
name which will sometimes be pro-
uOunrcd with expression, of good will
by those whose lot III this world is to
labor, who iu the swca; Of ,hcit brow
eat their daily bread, aud who may re-
member me whcn they renew their
strength BY food ut once abundant and
uuta@ed, aul which sill be the butter
rclishcd berausN uo hunger imbittered
hn .,nr Ennl1n,, nf iu;n..i..