The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-14
THE GREENBACK MOVEMENT.
TburIOw Weed on Butler as "a Leader and
Blaine as an opponent.


Blaine as am opponent.
Thurlow Weed writes as follows to the New
York Tribune:
,Str-"Signs" possessing far more than
their usual significance fail, | fear, to attract
the attention due to their Importance Even
| journalists. formerly alert and yigilant In
discerning and interpreting the outcropplngs
Of popular opinion and public sentiment, are
now oblivious to the approaching political
revolution. They content themselves with
"glittering generallties about "sound
currency" and the national credit" vital
interests only endangered by the blindness
and fatuity Of those who really desire to pre-
serve them. Perhaps 1 cannot better illus
trate my. meaning than by pointing to
the attitude of two distinguished
from Washington to grapple with
and guide public opinion upon the currency
question. / alIudp, of course, to Senator
Blaine and Gen. Butler. The programme Of
each has been enunciated. The former In
rnsOlutons adopted by the Republicans Of
Maine, and the latter in speech at Newbury-
port, supplemented by an elaborate CONVEX
satlon with Sun repOrter-Gen. Butler him
self being the reporter Senator Blaine anti
Cpates and invites o "Greenback' political
issue, taking ground against the movement,
while Cen Butler. as will be- seen by his
carefully prepared manifesto, places himself
skilfully and adroitly at the head of a move
ment destined In all human probability to
be assumed that both Of these gentlemen
are presidential aspirants and that both
have given their "bauner to the breeze"
Senator Blaine In great crisis, and under the
pressure OF crucial test, stands revealed as
u political Bourbon, learning nothing and
forgetting nothing" from the instructive or
deals through which the country is passing
| regret this deeply, for Mr.. Blaine possesses
great ability, with generous and patriotic sem
timents and sympathtes But in an "irre-
pressible conflict" between capital and labor
he has lost his way and is cropping In the
dark At lucid interval, while the bill re-
monetizing silver was pending in the Senate,
his eyes were half opened. That encouraged
a hope that he would work out the currency
problem and become champion of class
sure to be heard and felt In the approaching
election. But in this we. are disap-
pointed. He has not only lost his
Gen. Butler. On recent occasion, as will be
seen in the Tribune remarked that ut Is an
alarming sign Of the times that man OF But
| ler's astutenpss thinks that the course he
chooses TO adopt is one that will give him q
large following" This apprehension is real
lied sooner than anticipated. Ii thoughtful
editors and politicians will read Gen. Buffers
presidential platform they will soc that he
has already taken ground which will give him
a large following.
The question now to be asked and answered
Is, whether Gen. Butler will be permitted, in
| the struggle which approaches, to become the
| representative Oh ClHSSe8 which, In the pro-
gress Of the canvass will be found c0nstltut-
| ing q majority, first of the State separately,
and then Of the United States.
| The first danger was ayerted by the re-
monetlzation OF silver. It should not be for
| gotten, however, that the banks the press
and the President labOred, unConsci0usly,
admit, to preciptate most disastrous DO
litical revolution by defeating that measure
And now, learning nothing from the fact that
| their prophecies and turebodings against sill
have nTnyn1 ntfpTIV rp-
new the crusade In another form. The ran
| corous spirit manifested against silver Is now
| being converted into bitter hostility against
greenbacks. The indisputable and unques-
for the preservation of our government
and Union is forgotten. Nor is 1t re-
membered that from their inception to
the present hour, no government or
country ever enjoyed a currency other than
gold or silver as uniformly sound as that
which the greenback furnished. No incon-
venience, no depreciation, no failure and no
loss has been experienced or can be charged
nally, first to crush out rebellion, and next to
aid in the restoration of prosperity through
the resumption of specie payments. Such
great national emergencies only could justify
| the government In resOrting to q paper cur
rency. The first purpose of the financial
policy OF 1861 was happily accomplished,
and now, when resumption, tho second
purpose OF that policy, approaches, green
be made available SO far, in the dis
charge OF his high and responsible duty.
Sectetlry Sherman has evinced wisdom and
courage equal to the occasion. He has found
I am sorry to say, but slight encouragement
from bankers, most of whom remain welded
TO their single-standard idea. That the sup
ply OF gold is insufficient, as the specie basis
to transact the business interests of the
world, will not be denied, and that the only
effect of an arbitrary gold standard would be
to make the erich richer and the poor poorer"
But, notwithstanding distractions and him
ORANGES, | rely confidently upon Secretary
Sherman. Whatever his original views about
reconciliation may have been, when the law
passed he promptly and cheerfully accepted
the situation" and finds his way clearer and
his work easier by blending silver with gold
and thus doubling the money resources of the
treasury. He will, doubt not, by liberal and
enlightened constructions of law, avail him
self Of all the support greenbacks can fur
nish IN eftecting resumption. And then,
having aided in the accomplishment Of all
that was contemplated by the craftsmanship
which inaugurated the financial policy of
186O-61, the greenback currency can be with
drawn and retired to be remembered with af-
lection and gratitude for services rendered to
the people and the country In carrying them
safely through two OF the most eventful
periods in our history. Unhapply, however, |
our State elections precede the time fixed by
law for resumption.
1t Is not to be expected that the views of an |
old man with impaired health and vision will |
be needed by those who now form and guide |
political opinion and action. Spoiled, proba- |
bly,, by the recollection thatin earlier days he |
was permitted to take humble part in the |
councils of his party, his we'll intended ad-
monitions may be pardoned. During my
more than fifty years OF political labor was |
associated with party which sought power |
through its sympathfes with the oppressed, |
and which retained the confidence OF the peo-
pie by its efforts to advance their welfare and |
promote their happiness. The duty of the
so imperative as now. Nor Was there ever
time when the faithful discharge of that duty
would be more gratefully remembered or
more abundantly rewarded T.W.
New York, July 7, 1873.