The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1878-08-29
SPEECH OF SENATOR THURMAN.
THE DEMOCRATIC KEY NOTE.

T{IE DEMOCRATIC KEY NOTE,
en- the 18th inst, at Hamilton, Ohio, Hon.
A. G. Thurman made speech on the cur
rent political questions. His remarks were
principally confined to the discussion of him
self, or rather in an attempt to reconcile
himself few years ago with himself now.
AS it is believed Mr.. Thurman stands the
best chance for the Democratic Presiden-
tial nomination in 1880. and as he has chalked
out his own platform in his Hamilton effort,
we publish tia we find it in our Democratic
exchanges, for the information of our read
ers.
1t is stated Hon. John Sherman, Secre-
tary Of the Treasury, will shortly speak to
the Ohio people, and take occasion to notice
Mr.. Thurman speech. We ask, therefore,
that our readers keep in their mind the ar
guments of the speech below, in order that
they may better understand what Mr.. Sher-
man gmay have to say, as we shall give the
substance of his remarks.
Thurman's speech
Mr.. President and Felloao- citizens IL
have seen several statements in the public
press to the effect that the object of my APP
pointment to address you to-day was that
should ''scund the keynote of the cam
paign." wish, in the very outset of my
remarks, to disclaim any such pretension.-
Under free institutions. it is for the people
I-ax, 60 tbo
Democracy of Ohio are concerned, they have
discharged that duty in the platform adopt
ed by our late convention. Island squarely
on that platform. l confidently defy my
have given during the nine years that have
sat in the Senate that was inconsistent with
these principles. | was one of the first to
propose in the Senate that greenbacks should
be receiyable Cor custom duties, and at the
last session voted for the bill, making them
thus receivable. have been the advocate
of stable currency. and your platform de-
mands stability. have contended that the
precious metals ought not to be demonetized
and the platform asserts the same doctrine.
I have spoken and voted against an increase
of our bonded debt. I have advocated, to
the best OF my ability, stiict economy,
if. My course, therefore, has been perfect
ly consistent with the platform of our con-
vention as the journals and debates of the
Senate will show. And b. leave to state
hot bov oiy TO in, fho min
years have sat in the Senate, to which ex-
ception was taken by the Democracy of Ohio,
so far as know, or have ever heard. When
the currency part of the platform is careful.
cipal feature is the proposed substitution OF
greenbacks for national bank notes. think
do them no injustice when | say the lead
ers of the Republican party are in favor OF
would retire all the greenbacks that theii
places might be filed with national bank
notes. Let either course be taken, and the
metallic money of the country remains the
a mount OF coin iii actual circulation, apart
fir, I'M the small coins, used for change, will
be comparatively small, so long as one an(
two and five dollar notes arc freely issued
for a.ch notes always drive coin out of cir
culation. And whenever conversion int
coin IS practicable and desirable, it will b.
just as easy TO convert greenbacks as to con
vert bauk-notes. The question then is mar
rowed down to this : shall our paper none,
be national bank notes or green-back Fo
several reasons that will briefly state.
think the latter are preferable.