Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1879-05-31
THE TRUE INWARDNESs" OF DE-
MONETIzATION.

EDITOR INTELLI0KNCKR:-Last winter at
tempted to get up concerted action among the
Legislatures OF the states Of the great interior
valley. for the complete restoration of silver
money, by the use of those rights which believe
them still to retain on the subject OF money.
Finding 1t required more time and attention than
1 could spare from business engagements. the
was reluctantly laid aside. Origin
ally the states claimed and exercised complete
power over tho subject Of legal tender, but by
the constitution they surrendered the power to
make any thing legal tender but "gold and
silver" Thus they retain the power to make
foreign coins 3 tender. There was q long time
In the early history Of our republic that foreign
colns were the only legal tender money We held,
ss we had not begun coming by the federal gov
ernment. Mr.. Jefferson denied the power Of
congress to make any thing 3 legal tender. thus
leaving it entirely with the states. Common
sense shows that all gold and silver coins ought
to be money ,ifany are. Because man sells his
wheat for adol'ar having . Mexican eagle on il,
instead of an American eagle. il no sufficient
son why.it should only pay eighty cents of his
debts. The attempt of Mr.. Bland to get the desir-
ed relief through congress was failure, as the
silver bill was so hampered with conditions that
it has given but little relief to the country WAS
anxious for the states to attempt what ongrsss
refused, and thus force it again upon congress
In \ pamphlet. written in the tall of 1878,
took this ground in regard to the power OF the
states. In q book written by MIR. George NJ &.
Weston. Of Boston, about the same time he
took the same ground. His first publication of
it. however. was made in letter form, in Feb
rnary 1873.
In Mr.. Weston's chapter on the subject he
says that the pretended law of congress declar-
ing that no foreign coins shall be q legal tender
is fraud; that NO such law was ever passed
His language is rs follows: ''The persons,
whoever they were, who manipulated the coin
age title of the revised statutes. have inserted
words declaring that no fereign gold or silver
coins shall be legal tender in payment o.
debts. No such law was ever passed by con
grsss, and those words fraudulent intsrpola
tIons. AS congress could not repeal the consti
tuition, some dishonest members Of it prsbabl,
| had these words put in. But no fraud at Wash
Ington any longer even creates surprise, mucl
less demand Tor punishment.
Congress may yet completely remonetize sill
yer, anu then VIII arise an interesting question
Can we not induce England and Germany t
do the same? Let us suppose an internationa
| congress for the purpose of agreeing on the us,
OF these two metals as money. Our American
| delegates would go over the stock phrases abOu
| ''the brotherhood OF man." and how 18th,
strong bonds OF commerce" are uniting us, AN,
end by suying, ''let US agree that our peopl
shall have the benefit Of all the money in ex.
| istence, and not cut them on from the Use o
half Of it by law" Then the phlegnati
English and German delegates wouiu bIundl,
| add, land while We are about II let us ALLOW
them to buy wherever the gold and silver none,
Will BUY the most: do away with that 'blarsted
| 'ferdammte' tariff of yours''
| At.this the feelings of the American delegate.
who, OF course, would be wise men from tn
east. would be offended. They would say
| "Oh. no We must have some projection for oil,
manufacturers against 'pauper labor" Ant
| the English and German delegates would say
land We must have some protection agains
those paupers whe go west and find SO muc
silver in Nevada and Colorado And this i
the true inwardness'' of the silver question
| ut present. II we want the world to join us II
| allowing every one To use all the money in th
world as money, and demonetIze none of it, til
world will ask us to allow all Of our westerl
and southern producers to buy where they ca
buy the cheapest without regard to our eastern
Manufacturers. And rather than do that tn
tariff men will again hire men to fight
GEORGE WILSON, JK.
j, Lexington, No.. Nay 10. 1879.