The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-01-14
SILVER.
Sentiments of Foreign Governments Upon
the Decentralization Marbles
Mission.

President eleveland IN answer to a resolution
adopted by the Senate Dec. ., last week trans
mitted copies of documents showing the action
taken by him to ascertain the sentiments of
foreign Governments in regard to tho establish
ment Of an international ratio between gold and
silver. The correspondence is accompanied by
a letter from Secretary Bayard to the President,
in which he says in part:
1T has been tho object Of this department and
its agents, while avowing our readiness to Co
operate not so much to impress our own opin-'
ions and wishes upon others as 70 obtain WELL
considered and Independent views from the most
influential, responsible, and competent sources,
in order to lay before Congress-; First the actual
status of the metallic currencies in the re-
spective European countries; and secondly. the
intentions and poicies'of those Governments in
relation to the. subject, with details of their
action up to the present time. 1t is believed
that the accompanying letters from the Minis
tiers Of the United States 70 Great Britain,
France. and Germany, respectively, summarize
and convey the true condition of opinion and in
tentions of the Governments and people to whom
they have been severally accredited"
The latter then mentions the designation Of
Mr.. Marble as a confidential agent to obtain in
formation upon the subject and says no sep
arate report by Mr. Marble has been made be-
cause the results of his Investigations appear
fully in the replies of Messrs. Phelps, McLane,
and Pondleton. The CORES pondcnce opens with
n letter from Secretary Bayard to Manton Mar
BILE notifying him Of his designation to visit
Europe upon the mission above indicated. Let
tcTs were also addressed TO Ministers at
London, Paris, and Berlin notifying them Of
Mr.. Marbles visit ana asking their cooperation.
A reply was received from Minister Phelps, I'M
der date of London, Oct. 90 1885, in which he
gives the result OF conferences by himself and
Mr.. Marble with the leading members of her
Majestys Government, and says:
Prom these, well 8 other uources, am
satisfied that the British Government will in
hexibly adhere 70 their past and present policy
in respect TO coinage; that they viii not depart
from the gold standard and so long estab-
lished tina they will not become party TO any
n n or n fqrt he
alton of bimetallic standard at n common
ratio between gold aud silver for the purpose OF
making both an unlimited legal tender; nor
adopt such double standard in Great Britain.
On this point both political parties quite concur,
and believe If either were TO attempt to intro
duce such n departure from the existing money
standard il would be driven out of power by the
force Of public opinion.
A reply from Minister McLane, at Paris dated
Oct. l. 1886, expresses his opinion that:
while France would gladly receive the INTEL
ligence that the United states would adopt the
French ratio OF fifteen and one-half Of silver to
ono OF gold, no consideration of future conse-
quences could induce hor TO adopt the American
ratio OF siXte an to one still less would she
adopt any higher ratio 70 assimlate the present
commercial or market value of silver with tho
value OF gold, nor would she consent at any rate
now TO permit an unre ssricted or even limited
coinage of silver at her mints. The present
purpose OF her Government and people is to
maintain, IL possible, the two metals at their
present ratio of fifteen and one-h half to one, in
domestic circulation and International ex-
change
Mr.. McLane says the facts obtained naturally
suggest the United States the greatest gold and
silver country in the world. should suspend its
silver coinage in order to utilize it. not only for
circulation but part of it's Treasury reserve
Minister Pendleton in his reply dated Berlin,
October 10. 1885, gives his conclusions briefly as
follows
THE adhesion Of Germany to an international
biineta1lic union such was proposed by the
United States and France in 1881 can scarcely
be expected, it seems to me, within any limit OF
time now TO be predicted. The cooperation OF
Germany in such a union may be sought with
fair hopes OF success whenever it becomes pos
sible to include in such n union England and
Russia, the former OF which seems to cleave
tenaciously to her gold Recommendations while
the latter stnggers under the evils OF n depre-
ciated and largely flhctuating paper money.
The adhesion Of England at least Is certainly
now and would probably for an Indefinite period
be regarded by Germany a sine qua non.-
Consul General Welker. in a letter to the Sec
rotary OF State, under date of Paris, Aug. 90
1885 reviews in detail the changes Of sentiment
OF foreign countries in relation to monetary
matters as shown in the proceedings OF the con-
ference, and expresses the opinion that nothing
will so much hasten the adoption in Europe OF
the monetary poity which we desire to nave
adopted as the suspension Of silver coinage in
the United States. The correspondence also in
cludes n copy Of an agreement entered into at
the Paris Monetary Convention. the essential
parts OF which have been published.