Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1878-08-29
Helena, Montana Thursday, August 80, 1873.
BLAINE.S KEYNOTE.
Full Test Of His Speech Before the Maine
Convention.

Full Test Of His Speech Before the Maine
Convention.
Portland Press.]
Mr.. Chairman md Felloao- Citizens: The
people of Maine are distinguished, think tor
two characteristics; one is high sense Ut
honor, and the other is strong common sense.
[Applause.] They do not propose with
nigh sense Of honor to repudiate any obliga-
tiOns. They do not believe with their strong
common sense, that stamping piece OF pa
per creates value And they remember a
lesson which can never be forgotten, single
incident which covers in its scope and its
meaning the entire greenback discussion.
When had the honor to enter Congress from
an adjoining district, there were $3.50, ,OOO, 600
of legal-tenders in this country, and they
were worth $147, 600, 900 in gold dollars. |
staid there myself, voting for legal tender bills
until we had $3.50, ,000, 900 of legal tender, and
they were worth $145, 200, 900 in gold. We
had three times as many paper dollars, and
the aggregate was worth ~, 1000, 600 less than
when we began, and if we had doubled the
amount they would not have been worth
anything at all.
do not however, with all due respect to
nv honored. valued and eloquent friend, have
the slightest apprehension OF the reputation
of the greenback dollars of this country, not
the slightest l beg to say distinctly that
there is nothing in the situation to-day, II he
will pardon me for differing from him, to
create an apprehension with sound common
sense governing us, that we are to travel the
road with the national legal tender note. that
was travelled by the continental currency OF
the revolution. Our forefathers issued $24l,-
600, 900 of legal tender paper, and they did
not have over five hundred and fifty millions
of property in the entire thirteen colonies.
[Applause.] To pat us on the same perllous
edge we would have to put out vi, OOO, VOO,OoO
of legal tender paper before we got to the
point they reached. Suppose the continental
currency had only reached the aggregate of
of S3O. 600. 900. is there man here who be-
lieves that with the victory and peace OF
1888 there would have been solitary dollar
left? There would not have been dollar OF
it left behind. So that while agree, and l
am sure the great mass of the people OF Maine
agree. that an enlarged and inflated issue of
paper money in time of peace is not only un-
constitutional but is wild and visionary, and
would end in the destruction of the whole
mass. I do not believe that with property
running up to $50, ,OO0, 600, 900 this day, the
United States are in the slightest danger of
repudiating solitary penny of the 4341, ,O0O-
600 that is stamped upon their honor.
Mr.. Baker-Suppose they initiate?
Mr.. Blaine-Ah says the chairman, sup
pose they initiate. That reminds me when
we had reached the point in 1854 OF $4OO,-
600. 900 legal tenders in circulation and $780,
600, 900 of reserve, and the danger OF rapid
depreciation was such that we were on the road
toward the continental result of the revolu-
ton, the Congress of the United States,
speaking for you and in your name, speaking
to its creditors of botn continents and all ma
tions, said, and put on your statute book, that
the amount of legal tender notes issued and
to be issued should never exceed $4OO, ,OOO,-
600; and charge the greenback agitator not
only with standing on an absurd and vision-
ary theory-not only with flying in the face
of the experience Of all nations In all Gen.
turies-but charge him with still more
serious and still more f1agitious course OF
action. charge him with inviting you and
me to violate solemn and repeated and en-
nhatic pledge. given by this nation IN drticulo
rnort;s. as we then feared; given with as
sacred will as the man who is drowning. to
save himself from destruction beneath the
waves. should say, ''Save me and will keep
this pleige." =,
The United States, In its hour OF peril, said
to the whole world, we want your treasure.
we are in struggle for nationality and ex-
istencc; we will give you our bonds and we
will pledge yon on the honor of this great ma
ton, speaking with unanimity through, both
branches of Congress, all parties and all sec
tons we pledge you we "h;h win 50 rnS oh;s.t"u Rro
shall be paid that we will never permit the
amount Of legal tender currency to be issued
to exceed $40O, ,OOO, 600. I charge the green
back agitator, standing safe on the soil of the
country, beneath its flag saved by an honor.
able pledge, that he to-day asks you and me
to join with him in violating tnst pledge
Robert Martin-We shan't do it.
Mr.. Blaine-The people of Maine will
never do it-never, never. never.
A Life Riddle Solved.
Once upon time, the conversation having
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