The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-08-21

vaults Of the banks nor in the pockets Of the
people. 1 want broaderbasi than gold alone |
can give; one that gives to the people an
business.
Let their policy be carried out, and every
business man in the country viii soon become
If their theory is carried into effect, and sill
yer demonetized and legal tender notes re-
money?
Under their policy everything is to depreci-
ate except the bonds of the government, the
interest of which has to-day three times the
purchasing power IL had when those bonds
We're first issued; the advantage to the bond
holding class who seem to have SO many ar
Now, take from the people the legal tender
currency, demonetize silver, and one per cent.
per cent. of that which it is now, and the re-
suit Will be to concentrate all the wealth of
this country in the hands OF few men; and
some legislation in the interest of the pro-
ducers of this country. want its industries
looked after, as well as the interests of the
non producers.
Mr. Speaker, I hope this amendment will not
be agreed to. Although the trade dollar is now
a legal tender to the amount of So, want this
house to say to the senate that IL shall go no
further with this contracting policy. This idea
that IL will n Of do to have two standards of
value is a new one, known only to the states
men of this day. Sir, we have always had two
standards; we never, until 1878, had anything
else. 1t can not be defended that because sill
Yer has been discountenanced as money by
some OF the monarchial governments of Eu-
rope il should also be demOnetlZed here. |
want to know if il is the policy of an Ameri-
can congress 10 shape its legislation after such
governments! 1 want to know whether this
Is TO be our future policy. That is just what Is
now being done by this specie basis. contrac-
ton policy inaugurated by England in the in
terest Of her 6ondhoiders, who soon became
Der of landholders in that country from one
hundred and sixty thousand to less than forty
thousand, and have filed her with peasantry
and nauDarS since. W1l not the same
policy produce the same result here? Is II TO
be our policy to legislate all the property of
this country into the hands of a few men, and
to make slaves of all the balance? II SO, let
sucn legislation be carried into effect. Mr..
Speaker, again | say hope this amendment
will not be concurred in by this house.
The strong opposition of Mr.. Landers to
the bill as amended caused the house to re
fer it to the committee on banking and cur
rency. In a short time thereafter the COM
mittee reported the bull back to the house
without amendment. The question being
put on concurrlng in the senate's amend
ment the amendment was lost Mr.. Landers
voting in the negative. Mr.. Randall then
offered an amendment to the bill, and to
this amendment Mr.. Landers proposed the
| following amendment:
Be il further provided that the secretary Of
/ the treasury is directed 10 authorize the COIN
age of the standard silver dollar, of the same
/ weight and 6neness as those in use January 1,
! 1861, and said dollar shall be legal tender in
payment of all debts, public and private.
/ This amendment OF Mr.. Landers' was
adopted by the house, the vote upon it being
Ill ayes and % nays This was the first
vote taken in the house upon the quest on
of remonetizing silver The bill as amended
went to the senate for its consideration, but
its provisions being antagonistic to the con-
traction policy of that republican body was
rejected. committee of conference was
i then raised, composed of John Sherman,
George G. Boutwell, and Lewis V. Bogy on
the part of the senate, and Franklin Lam
ders. Henry b. Payne and Samuel ]. Ran
dali on the part of the house. A majority OF
the committee agreed to strike out Mr.. Ian
ders' amendment and restore the one
proposed by the senate to demon
etize the trade dollar. Mr.. Lam
ders refused to sign the committee
report, and when the report came before the
house he attacked 1t with all the power al
his command. His speech delivered upon
that occasion is printed in the Congressional
Globe, page 1852, first session of the Forty
fourth congress. On the vote to concur in
the report of the conference committee, Mr.
Landers, Mr.. Holman and Mr.. Hamilton, TO
gether with all the democratic member
from Indiana, with the single exception o
Mr.. Raymond, voted in the negative. Aftel
this exposition of facts, will the Journa
have the honesty to correct its false charges
against Messrs Landers Holman and Ham
ilton, or will it persist in them?