The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-02-14

upon the other. If the national banks
are blessing, then our public debt is
blessing, for the debt supports the
banks. This idea is embraced in the
act of January, 1875. Provision is
made in the third section of that act
for an increased number of "banking
associations" to be based on an increas-
ed number of interest-bearing bonds
sold for that purpose. They are armed,
too, by this section with hostile powers
against the legal tender greenback.
With the aid of the Secretary OF the
Treasury they are authorized to eX-
terminate this favorite money of the
people. For every 500 issued after
the date of the act of January, 1875,
by the national banks then in exist
ence, or organized atterward, $50 in
legal tender notes are to be Withdrawn
from circulation and destroyed until
that currency is contracted to the limit
of $500, 100000. The purpose of this
Legislation is to make the banks COM
pletely master of the financial Situa-
ton and 20 subordinate all the wants
and interests of the American people
to their will and pleasure. And in or
der to facilitate this purpose the green
back dollar has been denounced with
every epithet of contempt and derisiOn
known to the English language. |
will not pause now TO defend this great
money in its contest with those who
are bent on its destruction. Its reputa-
ton in peace and in war is known to ali.
The soldiers and the sailors knew it in
the great hour of peril; their
widows, their orphans, and their maim-
ed and crippled comrades have known
it ever since.
The people of every class and of
every party engaged in business and
labor know that, in spite of all assaults.
in spite of the tact that the govern
ment dishonors it by refusing to take
it for government dues, and IN spite of
the fact that there is not gold enough
In the treasury to redeem it at ten
cents on the dollar, yet to-day il ranks
but three per cent. below gold in the
money markets that are most hostile
to its existence. All these things
are known and treasured up, and L
do not dwell upon them now.
Sir, thus ia l have sp en- IN poi lting out
what conceive to he the vicious Legislation
of this county on the great aud paramount
question Of its finances. There are two Op
posing ideas on This subject now thoroughly
aroused into vigil nee and activity. GA tae
one hand is the vast money power in ali ITS
various developments of bonds. banks and
l0anlng associations. and on the other
the SreaI Industries, the active business and
| the ltboring people. The Issue has been
ears 10 making up, but It ~ now joined. No
body nee bs deceived AL tn widespread
Influences Of capital ave organized and com
b'nsd. The holders of publ c securlt a. in
America and in Europe work together. They
think and act IN concert.
The national banks of the United States
have sol d orgsGIz ltion to protect VIII At
they have and to get as much more a.
possible. They are king now to bs relieved
| from paying taxes on their circulation an
| deposits, IN order that they may enjoy their
enorm Gus profits free ftom all burdens for
The SUPP ort ofthe government, 5 citations
| OF capitals SITS, engaged in obtainirg mortgages
/ at IL per cent. interest @ a Western ia ms, on
| account OF the scarcity of money 10 that sec
| ton, are not only strYing t. make all such
| mortg, ges taySble in gold a year hence, but
| they aie threSen'ng those 10 pecHniary dis
| tress that they shall have no further favOTs
i at the same rates unless they agree in Nj
vance to pay IL in return for Ere-nback
loans The power of money IN the midst of
| times ike these Is We great, but l am
much deceived in the people # thsy have
| not turned at last in defiance and b. Id warn
ing upon their opprsssOrs. They are n & 10
| favor OF repudiating single dollar of their
/ publ C or private d bts. They intend to pay
| everything they owe, bat they intend to sub
| init 10 no more changes of contracts, vol -
lions OF OBJ igations, and breaches of put lie
| alih, n orGer t iucre ase their Indebted nsss
| or to take away their m cans to paw it. They
| demand, too, that certain spec fc wrongs
| shs he redrsssed.
l. Those for VIII Dm / speak dem and the
| restoration OF the silver dOllU exsc;ly as It
| stood before WAS tou, he'd by the act az
Feb 'uary, 1873. They desire that It shall
nave ualimited coinage, not tearing that IJ
| W II b come 100 pie ty for their wants, and
| that It be m AIDE full legal tender, believing
That lt l. AS good now with which to pay al
| d BITE, public and private, as IL WAS du ing 81
| years of American history.
2. They demand the repeal, uncondition
| Y, of the actsof January IL, 1879, com
peltng a resumpti IN of specie payments IN
| January, 1879, holding that the question Of n
| return 10 n sp Gle basis for our currency
| should be controlled entire ly bV the bust
| ne IS interests of the country They d. not
| bel eve that the country should be dra sged
| through the depths Of ruin, wretched ie-s
aud degradation in ord 'r to reach IA gold
standard for the benefit alone of The income
| ClIsses.
| B. They demand that the national banking
| system be removed and n circulating me-
| dun provided by the governm Mt for the
| Deopl", without tax ng them Tor the priVI~
| lsge OF obtaining it. And they ask that the
am punt thus placed In circu alton shall bear
reas Enable and judicIOus proportion TO the
| the United States.
| They remand that the currency circu-
laced on the authority If the government
snail be made ~ legal tender IN tue payment
| OF all debts. putt e and private. including all
dues TO the government, w. Ii knowing Ina.
it Will then ba at par with gold or more
Kelly a. premium over IL
8. 1hsy demand that hereafter the finRn-
cal policy Of the country be framed PEI
| nAneh iy IN their iDteTes that tneS shall
not De uiscri minated again Il IN future Il ais
lltlon as IN past, aud that their prosperity,
AMI not the m gov h OF income to re-
ured cspttslsts, shall bs the primary duty
OF TIL. government.
In 10Y Judgment, those demands are Just
and IN Oderat-. / Impinrs Senator'S not TO
suppose that hey can be sregarded with
safety. IL ths v are rejected now hey will be
| renewed hereafter with still greater de
termination a d perhaps with othe added
plead for he financial ere dit Of the gov
ernment. IL rests on the popular " II alone,
ana ~ viii can no longer be def d or
m-naced with IMMUNITY. The people are
soVereiRd, and they can bind and they can
loosen. IL the IN JneY power Is advised with
wisdom II will sfop and retracs its ste, r. 1t
confroats power now mlghuer than itself
free peOI IL at the ball 4 b K, inhamt d by
sense oflI dstics and oppression IL, how
ever, IL ~ JJDsd to its gol len idol; If its
heart IS hard ned and ITS neck stittened By
it's vast possession; II the burning lust OF
aVaric has ma lie it Ieaf to the voice Of reR-
sou and blind to all human experience, II
will push on in it's career until IL works it,
own destruction; for, sooner later, the
peof le, irres pectiye Of party names, n
unite IN their Own defe nse and establish
justice.
They have been slow TO believe that there
wss n dehb crate purpose to degrade and 80
IoverIsh the great producing classes, but
they are being rapidly educ ated now. The
condition Of the country - a teacher whose
awful lesson ~ sBRraFen on all their hearta.
They have also recently read the proclsma-
tons Of the great organs of the money
power, removing all disguise a 70 Ihe mean
ing OF our hnaocisl legslu IOn and the
mi -ery 1t has created In the columns of ne
they have read that
"rhe American Iaborer must make up his
m nd enc-forth not TO be so much better off
than the EurOpeau laboreT. Men must be
content n work for low wage, Ia |
this way tina workingtnRn viii be nearer TO
that s-ati a In life 70 which At has pleased
G d TO ell m"
In the c. lumns OF another organ Cf con
- | dated capital they have read the follow
ing revolving sentiments:
There Gems to be bat one remsdy. l. II |
q cha ige OF thesownership OF the soil, and l
the creation of a cIsss OF land owners on the |
one hand and Of tenant farme on the other; |
30 netting sim lar IN both Asses to what hAs |
l1ng existet and now exists In the old /
countries Of Europe"
Aud 10 every form in which the EngIish |
language be used the American people, |
a ID especially the peoI lie Of the Wesi, have