Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1879-09-09
DIR GREENBACKERs IN CONGRESS.
From the Kennebec Journal. ]

|
are good evidence of the lunacy with which
they are afflicted. The representatives
| from Maine of the Greenback persuasion,
when they were not following the lead of
the Confederate Brigadiers, devoted them
selves to the advocacy of imitation meas
ures. Mr. Ladd, however, though elected
partly by the votes of Republicans in the
Fourth district, thought of but little after
getting into Congress except TO walk in
humble subservience to the wishes of the
old Bourbon leaders of the House. His
votes and acts completely ignore the idea
that he was indebted to Republicans for
his election. His chief aim seemed 10 be
to make himself useful TO the Democracy.
! Mr. Murch is as much Il Democrat as
Mr.. Iadd, but found time TO introduce in
the House five bills "for the relief OF the
people" These bills are described and
mentioned i'm the Tribune rs follows:
One of them provides for an issue OF
| $50, 200, 900 of fractional currency, which
is TO be receivable for all public dues to the
amount of So, and eXchangcable for United
States notes in any sums not less than 81.
! 1t is to be paid out by the treasury i'm cN-
change for subsidiary silver coins, which
are thcrcupon TO be Immediately recoincd
into silver dollars which are TO be used by
the Secretary of the Treasury To pay for
all government bonds now due and unpaid,
and To pay interest on all other bonds,
except where IL is expressly provided by
law that said interest shall be payable in
currency" Having thus provided for an
imitation of the currency TO the extent Of
SjO, 900, 900 and made direct assault on
the public debt. Mr.. Murch, hardly waiting
to take breath, brought forward another
bill. in which he proposed to stop the re-
funding operations of the Treasury Depart
mcnt, which had just then been Sisnalzed
by the greatest financial triumph in the his
tory of this or any other government. This
bin also provides for an immediate imitation
of the currency 70 the extent of about
500, 900, 600, paying off that amount of
government bonds lin lawful money or
grccnbacks II also provided for the like
reputation of the remainder of the public
debt rs it falls due.
The third bill by which Mr. Murch pro
posed 10 relieve the people provides that
| the $50. uOO, 900 Of trade dollars which have
been coined for use in China shall be legal
tender for one year, receivable for all
debts and demands, including customs
dues. owing 10 the United States, and that
all the trade dollars 50 received shall be
| Immediately recoincd into standard silver
dollars and added to the amount on hand
and i'm circulation.
The Maine statesman was still unap-
| pcaScd. He felt that something more was
necessary "for the relief of the people.
! lie accordingly offered two other bills
| which are somewhat obscure in their pro-
/ visions, but which appear 10 require that
/ "all laborcrS, wOrkmcn, mechanics, team
stcrS. watchmcn and ShipkccpcrS employed
/ by or In behalf of the United States NJ
any time within the last eleven years, shall
receive ~ per cent. In addition To the sums
already paid them To carry out these
provisions the appropriation OF an UNI
| known sum. but not less than $4,000, 600
will bc required. And IL l. understood
that Mr. Murch will himself be one Of the
| hcucGciaricS. The above gratuity Mr..
Murch proposes that the Government shall
pay 70 a class of men who have already
been paid more for doing less work than
has been received by similar employees in
private establishments for doing more
work This bill will hardly cndcar Mr..
Murch 20 the great mass OF working men
everywhere who are not in the employ OF
the Government.
But Mr. Murch was not alone in intro
ducing crazy projects for the relief of the
people" Wright, Weaver, De Ia Matyr.
and Gillette were aS conspicuous with
their greenback plaSterS - Murch. The
following summary shows nearly how
much money would be- required 10 satisfy
the bills introduced 10y these five of the
fourteen grcenhacN representatives In the
short extra session of three and a halt
months should this party be increased
i'm Congress 60 "a majority their financial
operations would be wonderful and fearful
10 behold.
No. OF
Bill. introduced by Amount subject
,cg Mr. wright s2DuUOuU0 Humc~tcad
settlers
10 Nj Nurch 5IuO1un Fractional
currency
10 Mr. Nlurcn 2uu.upOuuU Payment
! Nat debt ii
grccnback-
I'm Air Nurch. 100000 Redeem au,
reissue trade
dollars
lIaNl4 Mr.. Murch. 100000 Extra pas
! government
employees
IlU-g Mr. VIEWER ig.OodUuJ Fractional
| currency
IlC-a Mr. Weaver cld0,aUu1 Legal ten
der papcl
money