Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-05
FREE SILVER SUIT.
A Momentous Question to Go
to the Courts.
MILLIONS DEPENDENT ON THE CASE

Who Has the Right to the seigniorage on
silver Coinage "a Formal Demand
Made on the Philadelphia Flint BY
Colorado Mem to Turn '.Rrick" into
Coin and Return Its Full Coinage Value
In Dollars-9'he Demand Refused.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 5.-Judge Henry B.
Morse and George c. Merrick, of Denver,
Colo, called at the United States mint
In this city Saturday with brick of sill
ver weighing 5l4s ounces fine, and pre-
sented it TO tho weighing clerk and de-
manded that it be coined for them. Upon
their demand icing refused they waited
upon Col. Bosbyshell. superintendent Of
the mint, and made the same demand
verbally to him. Col. Bosbyshell re-
fused to accept the brick for private coin.
age, and Messrs Morse aud Merrick then
presented him with the following formal
demand in writing;
The Formal Demand.
DEAR SIR: We, George c. Merrick. George
T. Batchelder, Harley b. Morse, and Robert J.
Coleman, citizens OF the state OF Colorsdo
United States OF America tender TO you and 10
the proper officials in charge of the United
States mint at Philadelphia . bar or ingot Of
silver bullion marked and identified rs follow:
From Boston anil Colorado s. N. company-hne
-hne-weighing BIAS ounces troy. 800 fine and
demand. as of right under the constitution and
laws OF the United States, that the said silver
bullion be received and coined into silver dollars
OF the weight OF 4ls,x grains troy. standard ST.
yer, for the use and benefit OF the depositors
and without unnecessary delay.
Certificate from the Colonel.
After presenting the above demand Mr.
Merrick asked Col. Bosbyshell to give him
q certificate or letter certifying that he
and Judge Moore had offered their silver
for coinage and that il had been refused
by him, so that they would be saved the
trouble of proving that fact in court.
where they proposed to test the right of
the government to refuse the bullion. In
compliance with their request Col Bosby-
shell gave them the following letter:
GENTLEMEN: / have the honor to acknowl
edge the receipt of your offer OF this date OF n
bar or ingot of silver bullion. described in said
offer, to be received and coined into silver dol
lars OF the weight Of 4ls54 grains troy standard
silver, for the use and benefit of yourselves as
depositors, and beg to decline such offer on the
ground that it is in violation OF the laws and
yer for private account. Very respectfully
your obedient servant,
o. @. BosBYsHELL-
Claim the Right Of Free Coinage.
After receiving Col. Bosbyshell's writ
ten refusal To receive their bullion the two
gentlemen wrapped up their brick in .
piece OF paper and departed The ground
upon which Messrs. Morse and Merrick
based their demand is. they claim, con-
stitutional one, and denies the right
of the government to take what is known
as seigniorage. At present the market
value of silver bullion is tl0Sj< cents per
ounce fine. while the mint value Of an
an ounce when coined into silver dollars
Is tl209 cents. When the government
buys bullion It pays the market bullion
price, and makes the difference, which is
the seigniorage between that price and the
legal tender value IL is this seignioraee
which the gentlemen who presented their
silver brick at the mint think they have
as much right to as the government.
win Take IL TO the Supreme Court.
In speaking OF the ground upon which
he based his claim for free coinage. Mr..
Merrick said. I'VE will carry this case 10
the supreme court OF xle United States
We say that IL is the constitutional right
OF an American citizen to bring his gold
and silver bullion TO any United States
mint and to receive therefor coin of lawful
weight and finsness for his use aud benefit,
based upon the coinage value OF the metal
deposited. Congress has no power to de-
monetize silver or limit its legal tender.
The act known as the Bland bill restores
by operation OF law the coinage by the
mint OF silver dollars of the weight of 4I25<
grains standard silver to all the provisions
OF the act OF Jan. IS, 1887, applicable to
fhar 4 al