The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-05-20
From Perry Township.


From Perry Township.
The following letter was written fer
the Goxeitc, but the proprietor, We are
informed, declined to publish l.. We
give i, the benefit Of our circulation al
the request OF gentlemen In the Sout,'-
ern part OF the coanty:
MAI9, 1879.
Ed. GAxxrTE: Antioch has had AL
other Greenback meeting, and conse-
quently is happy. On the evening of
The S,h inst. people were seen coming
from all directions to the great meeting,
and especially were men Of that faith or on
hand in soodly number.. About dusk
Mes.rs. Watson. Flint and others a.
rived and the crowd repaired TO the old
". Z. Cuu: ch, where the meeting was
held.
Mr.. Flint opened the meeting and talk.
ed for an hour or two, commencing in
The history OF our country at the Close
of the last war. This speech consisted
Of the usual amount of figures, quota
tions from eminent statesmen; and corr
ments on an article that appeared in The
SPIRIT.
At the close OF his speech be invited
any one that wished 10 reply, when w.
T. BottenHeld said he would like TO ask
a question or two. Leave being granted.
Mr.. Botten6eld touk the foor and, after
stating the kind Of Government under
which We live, asked il the people coul'l
delegate to their representatives the
power TO create something out of moth
ing, or II their power was limited Of Gre.
atlvei Mr.. Botteufeld further stated
that money, in order TO be sound, must
either have an intrinsic value, or q prom
ise OF value, and that the proposed issue
Of greenbscks, having neither Of these;
would be worthless. Mr.. Bot,enfield
after talking . few minutes, expecting tn
have another chance to reply, took his
seat.
Mr.. Watson then took the floor, and
in answer to Mr.. Bottenfeld's question
stated that the Government had not ere.
alive power. and that this question OF
intrinsic value was an abstract OF the
question, and that he had not thought ol
the question being raised or he would
have brought some documents 10 prove
that this thing OF intrinsic value in mon
ey was all bosh. Al OF which the sea-
sible people in This township thoughtex-
ceedingly thin.
When Mr.. Watson took his seat he
never said will you have smell or no.
and the President introduced Mr.
Dougherty, which we thought was rather
choking Mr.. Butten6eld of. But he did
not propose to be stopped in tina. way,s
he asked leave to ask a question or two
which was granted by Mr.. Flint alone
I rrr. DrJrrcrTucru rrrruT TJrDCecucu 10 ssR
his question and NJ. Watson attempted
to answer, when Mr.. Flint thinking be
could do it little better took the job of
bis hands, and ststed that il Congress
should demonetize gold, aud the people
quit wearing il for iewelrv, that it 9ould
have no intrinsic value, and because gold
bullion was not legal tender there "a.
no worth there; and then, not giving
Mr.. Bot,en6eld time TO say word. Mr.
Dougherty got up and commenced to
enlighten the little boys mind. and when
he go, through Rev. Dunn, thinking thai
perhaps Tommy was not quite dead yet
proceeded to demolish him by saying
that be took gold to the bsnk and instead
OF giving him the face value they gave
him the real value by weight. The Rev
Dunn told him this to illustrate the fac
that paper money was better for general
use than gold,ior when paper. money be-
came mutilated you could get new notes
hut gold would wear away and you
could not 20, the stamped value. prouina
cor elusivcly that the intrinsic soorth ana
not the stump Of the government made shs
vQlus.
Mr.. Bostenfield seeing no chance ol
replying just sot down, coming to the
conclusion that they would not make q
square fight, which, by the way, was the
conclusion Q majority OF the audience
.rrived at. After taking into considera,
tion the .fdet that the greenbackers viii
not discuss the issues Of the party fairly
when left to manage the meeting them.
selves, Antioch has concluded to send
out this
CHALLENGE.
II Mr.. Watson and Flint, or anv 9th
ers, will come to Antioch aud discuss
the issues Of the party, there will be her
found here who will discuss the question:
with them, speech about. Yours truly
| Roxr.
p. S.-Tommy is alive yet ri: