The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1879-05-29
HOT SHOT.
GEN. WEAVER'S SPEECH IN Re-
PLY TO THE OPPONENTS OF
THE NATIONAL GREEN
BACK PARTY.

OeDeTnl weaver OF Iowa, on tne Itn ln5t.
in the House Of Representatives, delivered
an able argument against the monetary
conspiracy, from which we take the con-
cluding remarks:
Talk about the sxtravagancs of the peo.
plel The author Of that letter to day is
spending more money in his trip around
the world than most of our poor constitu
enis who labor for their living will ever
see or handle, and yet he advises the mon
ey kings of this country TO COM
bine and crush them. The. New York
clearing house and other financial organi-
cations took him at his word; and the Sec
retary Of the Treasury, although an officer
not even named In the Constitution, being
q mere Cabinet Minister whose highest dn-
ty and pleasure should be to obey and en-.
force the laws, shook hands with Wall
street and Lombard street, and struck
hands with General Grant across the water
and with the men Of this country who
have fixed incomes, and says he will not
pay out silver. Let me show you what he
says. Here is a letter written by this emf.
nent cabinet officer, addressed "To the
Honest Money League of Chicago"
Laughter.l Honest money The letter
is dated the Both January last. He says:
81 have q clear conviction that the
forced payment of the silver dollar to pub
lie creditors would tend to depreciate il
and cause il at once to be sold in the mar
kst at less than par" *"While it
is the duty of the Government to coin diff
ferent kinds Of money, public policy die
tatss it should be within the power Of the
citizen, at his option to demand either form
of lawful money"
Thus the Secretary stands up in his
place, not to obey the law, but to say: 81
have a conviction that il obey the law
il will injurs the value Of silver" This
reminds me Of an incident thot happened
when an effort was being made to launch
one Of our great steamers. A sub -engin-
ser in charge Of part Of the work feared
that there was some defect or fault in her
construction which would prevent her
from being safely launched. There was
great confusion, when the chief officer came
upon the scene, saying Launch her!
LAUGH herl I'll take the responsibility.
[Applause.
Now, the American people say to the
Secretary of the Treasury through the law
Of the land "You are our servant; you
have no law making power; We have told
you to pay out the money and you must
do il, and We will take the responsibility. /"
Ls. ma call particular attention to this re-
markabls language of the Secretary:
"while it.isths duty Of the Cove rnment
to csin different kinds of money, q public
policy dictates il should be within the
power of the citizen, at his option, to de.
mand either form of lawful mohey."
You will see that this places an absolute
veto against silver in the hands Of the pub.
lilo creditor. The law says it shall be legal
tender money for the bond. The Secretary
10 bound by it, but he says the public
creditor shall determine what he will take
and not the law. The President had a
qualified veto Of the bill, and the veto
failed. But the Secretary like an autocrat
confers upon the public creditor more pow
CT than ,hs President possessed. He gives
him an absolute veto. If that il to be the
law the bonds can never be paid. Again,
he has coined under the law the minimum
ins,esd of the maximum amount.
Ishall, II ! am recognized for that pur-
pose, at the proper time, offer the following
amendment:
"Ths Secretary of the Treasury is here
by directed aud required to cause to be
paid out without discrimination standard
silver coin the came as gold coin in iqui-
dation of coin obligations against the
government"
This amendment should be incorporated
into this bill, and Shen am in favor OF
passing it. And those who take the rsspon-
sibility to defeat this measure, demanded
by every confederation of public duty and
justice, and by the almost universal pub.
lie sentiment, will have to do SO. The
American people shall understand it.
The National Gresnhack party is not in
favor Of undue expansion of the currency
We believe in . trinity in fnance-gold,
silver and legal tender-all issued by the
Government and not by banking corpora.
tions, and all full legal tender. Zap
plause.
The gentleman from Indiana, Mr.. De
La Matyr,] introduced petition here, but
he disslaimed upon the floor that it wal
his bill or that he Endorsed it, yet the most
indecent allusions Q man would dare tc
make on this foor have been INDUCED to.
ward him. He seems to be the center o.
their abuse and detrsction.
Mr.. Thomas Turner. Did the abus,
come from this side Of the House?
Mr.. Weaver. No, sir, Loud cries o
"Oh, mop from the Republican side of thu
Houss.l 1 hope the gentleman from Indi
ana Mr.. De La Matyr will pay no attsn
tion to the abuse. The post of honor is tn,
post Of danger. You may FIRE off you,
blank cartridges from the guns of your syn
dictate. Fire! We are here, and the Ma
tional Grsenback party has come to stay,
notify you of that. [Applause.] TIL,
workmsn may fall, but the work will &c
on. There Ii no doubt about that.
The gentleman from Michigan Mr.
Horr] pranced down the isle the other day
and facing the little party in the center
poured out the vials of his wrath. Hil
effort was full Of impotent rage and utterly
void Of argument. wondered if there wal
any stringency in the money market up in
his district, il there had been any bank.
ruptcies there? Then the distinguished
gentleman from New Y FORK Mr.. Chitten.