The Wilmingtonian., 1885-02-14
.THETRADE DOLLAR.
SENATOR BAYARD'S TRADE
DOLLAR HERESIES.
Shall the United States Government
Bastardize its own
Offspring.

| The recent declarations of Senator Bay
ard demanding that the National Govern
ment shall deny its paternity of ''the Trade
Dollar" arc re-arousing a very general in
terest in this subject.
The Trade Dollar was issued by the di-
rect authority of the Federal Government
| and each and every one of said dollars have
the United States signature for one hun
dred cents to the dollar.
The special pleadings of MIR. Bayard in
the Senate Chamber, that the government
| should break faith with the people by dis
ayowing responsibility in matters of its own
creation, were unworthy the Statesman and
| in contraposition to the wishes and interests
of his constituency.
Divesting the Trade Dollar question of
| all superfuity, and bringing it to the plane
of every day life it comes to this, that Sen
ator Bayard asks the government to cheat
those having trade dollars in their possess
sion out of fifteen cents for every dollar
held by them.
The Trade Dollar was placed in circula-
ton at time when the business of the entire
| country was seriously crippled because OF
the paucity of currency under five dollar
bills and the issuance of the Trade Dollar
was gladly welcomed by every interest, and
while it is true that the Trade Dollar was
diverted from the avenues of its primary is
| suance yet this divergence received the
acknowledgment and encouragement of the
Federal Government.
Trade Dollars passed everywhere in this
| country at their face value; they were taken
as readily by the Federal offices as by the
laity, and as the national authorities never
| indicated that the Trade Dollar was an lille
gitimate production without parentage, It
is simply species of craftsmanship run
mad' to plead that the stamp of thSiSovern-
nent on the Trade Dollar is null and
| void.
Let us illustrate; A baysa bill ef goods
of B, for which he pays with Z tie at nine
ty days; prior to the time Of ths note fall
! ing due r being indahted to G, transfers in
liquidation of said claim the note for it;
now, suppose when AS note cories due and
is presented by G for payment tfet A cayis
about the goods received of B, and makes
the specious plea that said goods might
have been better in quality, lower in price,
or fabricates some excuse for squirming out
of just and righteous claim. G took the
note for it in good faith for its face value
believing that its demands would be sacred
ly met, and what would be tina opinion o
an attorney who would be party to tn
the villany and rascality of defrauling {
out of his just dues.
The American people indiscriminatel
took the Trade Dollar because it bore tn
signature of the government and our peopl
had faith that the government would homo
its obligations. Four millions $4,000, 900
5 of trade dollars are to day held by thos
: who took them at their par value, and
; Senator Bayard's views are accepted b
Congress as finality, the government wi
rob her subjects who hold these Irat
F Dollars of six hundred thousand dolla
/ ($6OO, ,OoO).
/ Some of our learned Doctors of Finance
~ mystify the subject by much talking tn
i the average man is engulphed in the il
D. mensity of the matter, but every man do
III know that he should pay what he promis
- to, ard it is equally plain that the Natior
" Treasury ought to take back what it pt
III out, and if the government, under the lef
OF ership of Senator Bayard, shall obstinate
Oh refuse to redeem it's own obligations, wi
will be thought of her subjects If they sh
ioi 60 and do likewise?
'as An honest man will religiously regard
10 premises to pay, and the United Sta
Is Government cannot afford to do anyth
'he less, even with BAYARD rotesting.
IN James G. Hallock, Jr., has made SC
70 timely suggestions in reference to this 8
ke- iect from which we make the following
w tract:
"The rejection of the trade dollar by
III Treasury is repudiation. 'Tis bad ex
~ Pile. Everybody should understand
hu- the Treasury was wrong from the beginl
ford ~ .oc,,.o, &c +roae dollars iswroro r
any and will be wrong every day and hour it
10 fuses them.
ions With one hand the Treasury pushes
its trade dollars, and with the other
ronp more silver for the express purpose of G
,llow month coming $500, 900 silver dollars ol
sign weight, these only to be added to an
'he heap i'll the Treasury already amountin
more than one hundred and forty
rally lions.
party Iu 1888 asked silver man, "How
'ouia do you desire this monthly coinage to
~" tinue7'' "Ad inJinitum," was his l
At least as long as American citizens
idate tolerate it, this enormous coinage will
O. r. creased every mouth. Over one hui