Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-10-02
THE CHAMPION OF RATIONAL HONOR.

Mr.. Blaine, as far back as 1867, took a
strong position against the greenback fall
acy. When distinguished Ohio Demo
crat and Massachusetts Representative,
then Republican. but now aGreenbacker,
originated the doctrine that the iive-twcnty
bonds of the United States might be re-
deemed in currency, Mr.. Blaine, in the
House, denounced the scheme as mischier-
Gus. He held then, and has ever since,
that the honor and good faith of the Gov
eminent was pledged to gold redemption,
according to the letter and spirit of the
contract To violate the contract as pro-
posed, said he, ''is to contemporary
ignore the common understanding between
the borrower and lender at the time the
loan was negotiated. Even if such mode
of payment were honorable and practicable,
it would prove disastrous to the financial
interests of the Government and the gen
eral prosperity of the country
There can be no installing his words,
and they came promptly and vigorously
from the sincerity and honesty of his be-
lief He went, however, beyond this, and
rebuking Mr.. Pendleton and General Butler
for the false ideas they were fostering re-
garding this matter, he denounced the
scheme they had originated as species of
Reputation ''at once unworthy and I'M
profitable And he added, even that
early:
Let us direct our policy steadily, but not
rashl,y toward the resumption of specie pay
ment. And when we have attained that end
easily attainable at no distant day if the proper
policy is pursued-we can all unite in some hon.
orable plan for the redemption of the five
twenty bonds + As to the particular
measure of legislation required to hasten the
resumption of specie payments, gentlemen
equally entitled to respect may widely differ
but there is one line of policy conducive thereto
on which all ought to agree and that is a Sc
rious reduction of the Government expenses
and q consequent tightening of the burdens OF
taxation.
The outcome of the scheme of resump-
ton which he thus advocated, when it was
but a dream with most men, has proved
the wisdom of James g. Blaine bears testi-
mony to his foresight and stamps him a
statesman So we find Mr.. Blaine seven
teen years ago standing forward as the
champion of national honor, and demand
ing that the Government of the United
States, equally with individuals, deal hon
orably with all men. In the speech from
which the extracts cited are taken, he thus
concluded, and his words we commend to
all thoughtful men Declaring that the
Republican party would do battle for the
good faith and credit of the nation, he
said
And this, Mr.. Speaker, we shall do. Our ma
tlonai honor demands it; our national interest
equally demands it. We have yindicated our
claim to the highest heroism on a hundred bat
tle-fields, and have stopped at no sacrifice of life
needful for the maintenance of our national in
tegrity. am sure that in the peace which our
arms have conquered we shall notdishonor our
selves byzsyithholding from any public creditor
dollar that we promised to pay him, nor seek
by cunning construction and clever after
thought to eyade or escape the full responsible
ity of our national Indebtedness. 1t will doubt
less cost Us a vast sum to pay that indebtedness
but II would cost us incidentally more not to
Day it.