The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1892-09-15
NEAVER'S GREAT SPEECH
He Advocates Free Coinage in
Congress in 1879,
The Gold-Bug Conspiracy Exposed in
an Able Argument.

The following is General james B.
Weaver's speech delivered in con-
gress May 9th, 1875, and is taken from
the Congressional Record. 1t proves
conclusively that he was then a strong
advocate of the reconciliation of
silver, the goldbug press to the con-
trary Notwithstanding. Read it care
fully and judge for yourself:
Mr.. Speaker, the discussion OF the
system of finance for great govern
ment Is an important matter. 1t
was remarked once by Alexander
Hamilton that government without
an adequate system of finance is an
object OF pity. | have not been
highly impressed with the manner
in which the gentlemen who oppose
this bill have discussed the question.
They seem to regard the bill as an
unwarranted intrusion upon the
rights OF somebody. They attack it
alternately with levity, sarcasm and
abuse. 1t is a question that ought to
be discussed in the light OF the con-
stitution, the necessities of our people,
and the present condition of public
affairs.
The facts strike my mind with
great force at the threshold of this
discussion: First, silver and gold
haye been used as money from the
foundation of human society, so far
rs we have any history. The next,
that there is about an equal amount
Of gold and silver bullion in the
world. Now, how any gentleman
can oppose thorough reconciliation
of silver unless he first takes the pos
ition that there is too much metal
money in the world cannot under
stand. The annual gold product
throughout the whole earth at this
time is about 800 900 200, (and it is
rapidly declining) barely enough if
we could command it all, to pay the
annual interest of the bonded debt
OF the United States alone. Ii we
are TO demonetize silver. and have no
power to create legal-tender paper
money, it will be readily perceived
that the proposition is to hitch the
car OF American progress and Ameri-
can civilization 10 this decreasing
product. and this will lead us into
inevitable decline and pauperism.
The proposition to my mind is
unatenable and unreasonable. The
constitution provides that congress
shall have power to ''coin money,
regulate the value thereof, and of
foreign coin" Again, by the same
article and section of the constitu-
ton, congress is clothed with power
18TH
nations, and among the several
states and with Indian tribes" The
same instrument again provides that
congress shall have power to admit
'new states into the union" These
grants of power are affirmative and
express.
Under the power to admit new
states into this union, can congress
expell states from the union? BY
virtue of the authority to regulate
commerce with foreign nations and
between the states, can congress pro-
hibit all commerce with foreign gov
ernments and between the states?
Certainly no one will claim such ex-
traordinary construction. Then how
can congress under an express grant
of power, "to coin money, regulate
the value thereof, and of foreign coin"
derive the right to prohibit the coin
age of either gold or silver? To pro-
hibit coinage is to exercise a power
just the opposite to that conferred,
and is the destruction of the power
named in the constitution. de-
mand of gentlemen who oppose this
bill, that they shall tell us where
congress derives power to prohibit
coinage. 1t strikes me that gentlemen
who hold to the opinion that the
government has no power to issue
legal-tender paper money III time OF
peace, place themselves in adilemma
here, for if congress may prohibit
the coinage and ciculation of silver
as lawful money they may lawfully
place the same restrictions upon gold,
and here is another method of ''starv-
ing the government to death. +"
Laughter -
/ hold therefore that the law
passed in 1873 was unconstitutional.
1t was claimed upon the stump and
claimed in congress in the discussion