The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-02-21
Hon. Thomas A. Hendricks.
New YoRK. Feb. 9. 1878


graphed the Herald reply to August
Belmonts letter, published in tho same
journal Jan. 80. Mr.. Hendricks says:
The purpose of his (Belmont's) letter
vas to ahow that the views attributed TO
me on the silver question are inconsis-
tent with opinions heretofore expressed,
and therefore it cannot be correctly re-
ported. The report in the Cincinnati
Commercial was correct. 1 very much
desiIe to be considered consistent, but I
would rather be certain l am right than
consistent upon this question. think
quotesme as holding that since the act
bel, BE- paid ia gold, as cqn,gsYdistinguished Y
correct. The bill to strengthen the peo-
PIES credit was pending IN the Senate in
February, 1862 1 made an argument
against the section which held the faith
OF the Government to the payment Of
the bonds in coin. opposed it because
l thought that the contract allowed tie
payment of the principal Of the fiye-
twenty bonds to be made in Treasury
notes.
Mr.. Belmont takes one sentence to show
that held that the effect Of the measure
would be to pay ir gold Had MIR. Bel
|aeen thaE i read the section containing.
these -:oEde: "That tho faith of the Uni.
ted States is solemniy pledged 20 the
paymehtiin coin or itss 1ediivaiapt.n and
that then said: "It will .cause The re.
moval OF doubt. and make the law to
read that the debt shall be. paid in coin.
That is the effect of this section" Upon
that construction / made my argumenh
against the section, not as in controversy
whether payment should be in silver as
but whether IL, might be in
paper rs against coin. It was net qucs.
toned in that debate that silver was coin.
and that the debt would be payable ia
RI; 4. :.a. c:;;i iis5s or tiid
not pass. The section, substantially as
] Eeed it in the Senate, became law nine.
teeh days afterwards. ITS force and effect
did not become 10 question of political
controversy in Indiana III 1872, but it did
ester iate the distrssiof. 1874. In
the Democratic Convention of that year
O resolution was passed declaring the
500 bonds payable in grcenbacks, Il
presided, over THAI convention, and as I
could not give that resolution my support
-I,took OCCASION at the frat public meet
ing which Iaddressed lin Indianapolis 20
say so, and to give my reasons, thought
then, rs ! believe nov, that after the
faith of the nation was pledged to pay.
meat in n,coin, We could h1ss Jay in Treaa.
ury notes That pnrchass bDhds after
that date took thcm relying upon that
pledge. and that We are bound by ft.
That tvas my argument before the peo-
pie. Neither my hearers nor thought
of the question whether payment could
be made in silver. It was not then
known TO myself, and suppose not to
ono OK the audience, that tho silver aol-
lar he'd been, discarded. - :,
ME. Belhent rel fers 20 eligt ada ateas, and
to the use OF the word 4g0ld" iis-fs, its
stead OF the word "coiu,1 MS committing
me TO the payment of the debt. in gold,
and net in silHeE. The gonly question
then discussed was the right to pay in
greenbacks. The right 10 pay ia silver
We rot then questioned or considered 80
Llama, In the address which / made
as President of ths convention, two
months before, my opinions upon the
currency were somewhat fully expressed.
Il then Baid: "We cannot too strongly
express ehe Importance Of THO policy
that shall restore uniformity of value to
all the money of the cnnnlrv 81 thaL I.
shall DO always and readily converted.
That gold aad silver are tho real standard
OF yalne, Is . cherished DemocYatic sen.
timent, not nov nor hereafter to be ahan.i
done6." 1cortainly could not haga used
that language i'll the carapaiga OF 1874,
and known that silveT was no longer
slsfJn ,ss,ls-..s,ss .s.sss
A more important question made nv