The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-08-12

SPEECH OF HON. tHlS. REEMELIN.
The Political Situation Scanned by
q Veteran Observer.
The Republican Party and Resump-
tion.
SPRINGFIELD August 4 -Inasmuch as
the speech Of Hon. Charles Reemelin,
delivered here at the Democratic Conven-
ton Of Saturday last, has produced 80
much const,rnstion in Republican quar-
t,rs, it is perhaps we'll enough to have
the full text of the same. Herewith is
transmitted verbatim report:
MR.. REEMsLIN's SPEECH.
Seneca tells us that "men must he edu-
Gated to virtue and truth; vice and error
they learn OF themselves" / shall, as
always, bear this axiom in mind while /
am speaking to you, and address myself
therefore to what are at this time the
more dangerous self-learned errors and
vices prevalent in our public life. |
shall not cater to them BY discus sing
before you such Improbable Questions
an WHITTIER business is good, and if bad,
which party is to blame, but pass at once
to the essential point whether those in
power are pursuing a rightful policy from
the ethical standpoint as to money and
finance. If they do, they deserve cur
support; il not, our opposition. On
that issue we have a right to arraign
them, while the merits or dement's OF
hard or easy times are always divided
over society and its economic ways and
means, and present questions hardly
proper amid our pol tical partisan discus
sions. ~
That IT is just now peculiarly difficult
to find ourselves to rights as to financial
politics can be denied only by persons
ensnared in pa,ty prejadices, who do not
see the deep shadows in which we all
stand Such folks will also reject my
statement that the main source OF the
tattered condition Of the public will
springs from the vacilliations Of our Gov
ernment OF Washington. Twill therefore
present the opinion of man standing
outside Of our politics, who is one OF the
best thinkers of Europe on money ques.
tions, A. B. Blschoff, of Basle.
He writes in the last number OF Hilder.
brands Journal on Political Economy
published at Jena:
"There prevails at this time in the
United States on the subject of money
such distractedness and unreliabiliiy
that it is impossible to form judgment
as to the future money policy of thai
country"
These words express, as l think, nc
more nor less than the sorrowiul truth as
to the political situation among us
Against them stand the bold. unscien'
tiically formulated assertions OF the Re
publican party OF OHIO 10 the fifth article
of its platform, as adopted as its lat.
State Convention, which ask leave now
to read to you:
"The financial administration sof The
Government by the Republican party il
accomplishing the great work of the re
sumption of specie payments, in restor
ing our currency to par value, N great,
reducing the burden Of the national debt
in refnnding large portion OF the sam,
at q rate Of interest one-third less thar
the former rate, thereby alone saving Il
the Treasury sl3, 100000 year and en-
hancing the national credit to standins
never before affirmed, is source of jus
pride to the Republicans Of Ohio ant
deserves the warm appreciation OF tn,
American people"
You see the impartial Swiss Republican
thinks very different from our partisan
Republicans in Ohio. The free look o
the Swiss thinker is angerad by looking
at the policy of our Government on mon
ey matters, while our Republican part
politicians are proud OF it Who doe
not recall to mind in view of this the re
mark of Socrates when he censured
scholars pride by saying. "Your prid
shines through your rags!" Or am / il
error2 Has the Republican party reall
cause to plume itself? Is she, or, bette
said, are her leaders animated by goo,
motives? Have they really achieves
what they claimp That's the point Q
this election campaign. I ask, there
D fore: gs
! Is III true that the Republican party, o
respeo lively its Administration, has az
complished resumption; that oar pape
money has par value that the burden c
: our National debt has been reduced ont
4 third; that a saving of interest equal I
Al $l3, ,000,0 600 has followed; that publ
credit stands higher than evelp Wer
these things true then Democratic oppt
g sition would DO unjusti6able; indeed, tl
elevation Of Sherman to the Presidenc
wonld be but the logic of facts,
/ Let US now, with view to clearness
! this matter, place before US the actu
: situation in plain truthful language.
81 We have, according to Shernan's ov
= reports, $346, 1881, ,0l6 OF gresubacks
G circulation. They are legal tender I,
, all debts their redemption is legally ar
IA actually in force; but mind! BY tue
!, metallic standard and redeemable only
: New York and Washington, The optic
o whether to pay gold or silver 3 with Il
in Treasury officers, and we have thereto
l. both a limited as well as, preraricus I
=. sumption, and all under difficulties.
{. We have next in circulation $3.50, ,00t
~. 600 of National Bank nutes which a
OIL now increasing daily at the rate ola b
~ q million. They are, by law, redemat
he in greenbacks As courtesy to Gust
of mers, banks and others pay gold or 8
yer for them, but they can not bs col
lpelled to do it. Since there are orer 3,
&c thousand National Banks scattered ov
= the whole country, and the notes Of ca
er never circulate near their homes. there
esf IN facynU fedempu0nMHn tHS5retfEs
" law, except with great delays md differ
al ties. Sc
II We have besides in circulation 81
- 000,0 900 of trade dollars, whose 6nal f,
~ is entirely undecided, and floats in I
be sir. $40 Sssss
n. Then we have about $50,00Q000
~ silver of various denominations. Tht
coins are from Is to e25 per cent, uni
gold coin par, and only the lega tenG