Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-28

FULL TEXT OF HIS REPLY To REPRESENTATIVE
WARNER AND OTHER MEMBERS OF con-.
GREsS
The following is the reply addressed by Prest
dentelect Cleveland 10 the silver coinage ad
vocates In Congress:
The Hon. A. j. Wdrner and Others Members O.
the Forty Eghsh Congress-
Gentlemen: The letter which have had the
honor TO receive nom you invites, and, indeed,
public necessities, although In advance of the
moment whep they would become the objects
Your solicitude that my Judgment shall have
been carefully and deliberately formed is en-
trely Just, and l accept the suggestion In the
made. IL is also fully justified by the nature
OF the financial crisis which, under the
%. 1873, is now close al hand. BY a compliance
with the requirements of that law all the vaults
OF the federal treasury have been and are heaped
null OF silver coins, which are now worth less
than So per cent of the gold dollar prescribed
as the unit OF value in section Ii OF the act OF
February II, 1873. and which, with the silver
certificates representing such CON- are receiy-
able for all public dues. Being thus receivable
while also constantly increasing In quantity at
the rate of 2S.oo0o0o a year, IL has followed,
OF necessity, that the flow OF gold into the Treas
ury has been steadily diminished. Silver and
silver certificates have displaced, and are now
cisplscing gold, and the sum of gold In the fed
eral treasury now available tor the payment OF
the gold obligations of the United States. and
Tor the redemption of the United States notes
called greenbacks, ii not already encroaclred
upon, is perilously near such encroachment
These are facts, which, as they do not admit OF
Ginerence OF opinion, call for no argument.
They have been forewarned to US In the official
reports of every Secretary Of the Treasury from
the last December report OF the present Secre-
tiiry OF the Treasury to the Speaker of the pres
ent House of Representatives. They appear I'm
Inc official documents OF this Congress and i'm
the records of the New York clearing house (of
which the Treasury is a memberl, and through
which the bulk of the receipts and payment of
a he conn frx-A
These being the facts of our present condition
our danger and our duty TO avert that danger
cur with me and with the great majority of our
fellow citizens in deeming IL most desirable al
the present juncture to maintain and continue
In use the mass Of our gold coin, as
well as the mass of silver already
coined. This is possible by present
suspension OF the purchase and coinage OF
silver. / am not aware that by any other
method IL is possible 1t Is of momentous i'm
portance to prevent the two metals from part
ing company; TO prevent the increasing dis
placement Of gold by increasing coinage OF
silver; TO prevent the Gisuse of gold i'm the Gus
tom-houSes of the United States I'm the daily
business of the people; TO prevent the ultimate
expulsion OF gold by silver Such financial
crisis as these events would certainly precpi-
tate were IL now 10 follow upon so long period
OF commercial depression, would involve the
people of every city and every state I'm the
Union in prolonged and disastrous trouble
The revival of business enterprise and pros
perfty, SO ardently desired and apparently so
near, would be hopelessly postponed. Gold
WpuIu Dc 10 It's DodfllflE places, and
an unprecedented contraction In the actual vol
ume OF our currency would speedily take place
Saddest of all, in every workshop. mill factory
store, and on every railroad and farm, the
wages of labor, already depressed, would suffer
still further depression by "A scaling down of the
purchasing power OF every so-called dollar paid
into the hand of toll. From these impending
caamities ii is surely most patriotic and
grateful duty of the representatives OF the
people to deliver them
am gentlemen, with sincere respect your
fellow-ctizen. GROVER CLEyELASD
ALBANY, Feb. 81, 1855.