The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-03-08
Garfieid's Speech,
Geid Logic, Good Finance and G,od
Sense.

Mr.. Garfeli delighted his friends in the
Horse Wednesday by the really terrific force
with which hs demolished the criticisms upon
his recent financial speech which were made by
Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania The latter geo.
tleman, who must have known that Mr.. Gar
field was going to reply TO him, was judicously
absent, on the plea of i'll health, and did not
listen to the ex,oriation which Mr.. Garfield
administered to him. The Ohoan's speech
was better, even, than his original financial
speech to which Mr.. K-lley had attempted to
reply. Heshowed that the Pennsylvania mem
Der had only picked hi N up here and there ON
stray citation or fact, or something Of that
kind, but had not really touched the main cur
rent OF his argument or refuted one Of his
facts He showed that Mr. Kelley bad COM
pletely stut fed himself by charging that the
demonetization of the silver dollar was a trcti
when he had really taken prominent part ia
the act OF denonetz .tion and had then pub-
licly declared that the country did not want
silver dollar. He properly characterized Kel.
ley's communistic utterances in the OHIO cam.
paign two years ago, and wound up with
strong declaration of his intention to stand for
honest money, no matter what the results were
to him personally. When he flushed the
whole Republican side aud some Democrats
applauded him, aud he was immod ately con-
graduated by over 100 members, who passed in
procession down the aisle on which Mr. Garfield
sits, IN continuous tbroug. Such a scene has
seldom been seen in the House.
Mr.. Garfield took exception to the sneering,
unk,nd personalities of Mr. Keey's speech
As to Mr. Keey's denial that the legal teooer
act was adopted with reluctance be Mr.. Gar
haI nm fad~ nd 14as.
It was "a measure OF necessity, not of choice;'
Mr. Fesseeden as sayiog that it was "ooly
Temporary policy sdJpted under circu instances
OF overwhelming necessity" aad Sumner as
say19g: Il warn yoa against continuing 10 this
step which necessity comoels The mediclne
OF the Consultation must not become its daily
Bread. 10 regard to the designations of green
backs as forced loan, and to kelley's a-ser-
tiou tnst ne (Gardedl would have b. seO Missed as
venomous conperhead If he had so character-
lied them in 1862. he quoted Secretary Chase,
Mr Thomas OF Massachusetts aud the Supreme
Court OF New York State, 10 which the same
character was given 10 them. H. reiterated
the assertion (Mr Kelles's quotations TO the
contrary notwithstandiugl that, in a long lipe
OF American Presidents and finance ministers,
they had ali believed ia money based on
com and no other money. He quoted Jeffer-
son as stating that '.jugglers only will prooose
to create capital b. lsgerdemain tricks of paper
money, aud John Adams as asserting that
there would be no confidence in pablic men
and measures until paper money was done
away with. AS to the sentiment of England,
he said that the great voice of ParliameutarI
authority and the recognized voice of 6nsncIaI
authority We're firm 10 the opioiln that the
restoration OF cash payments 10 Englaad was
blessing to the nation aud necessary act
after the war. To show the Inconsistency of
Mr.. Kelley in matters of finance, Mr. Garfield
reerIes to a resolution offered In the House IN
1865, thanking Secretary McCulloch for his pol
Icy IN contracting the currency, and pltdging
Tn q ,nfin Of
at as early day as possible. That resolution
had been adopted, wita only six negative votes,
and among those voting 10 the sffir rmatiye he
found the name of William G. Kelley.
Nj Brown Of Indiana-Is Senator VOORHEES,
name there?
Mr.. Garfeld-I will look. Yes Voorhees,
voted aye. de also quoted MIR. Kelley as
making remark in favor of the bill de-
moneuz'ng silver to the effect. that the sill
Yer dollar could nos be kept up and must be
dropped, and yet he said the gentle man, not
long siuce with the voice Of NestoD had de-
nounced that act as a legislative trick. He re-
minded the House of the com muuistic speeches
made by Mr. Kelley in the OHIO campaign of
1876, when he spoke of labor taking capital by
the throat, and he said that the country came
very uear having scenes of riot awakened at
the dash of such communistic threats, Ard af-
terwirds some of his colleagues, in the House,
graclously aud tenderly, because of the gentle-
mans years, had written TO his people implor-
Ing them to trust him again, and that the scenes
OF 1876 would not be repeated, and, on these
assurances (ssid Garfed), he is here to-day,
here to assail every man who believes in re-
deeming the pledged promises of the nation.
For myself, I Care not in what party it lands
me or what company 1T finds me. When that
day comes 1 stand with the men vino are for
the money of the Constitution, aud for the
faith of the nation. We cannot be a moment
too soon ia understanding the nature aud de-
signs OF those who are advocating what they
call the American system of finance.