Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-13
cssgrss.man sss.sIIs on the Repeal Bill.


Tbs House having aaier soBsbisrAilea ,hs bin
ft X. j TO repeal part - az aes, approved July
=, ssd. rntitist An act directing The parciaas Of
silver balboa and the Of treasury notes there
Ss, aud for 0thsr pgFposss-
Mr. BouteI.e ssid;
Mr.. speaker: am willing to lend my
humble AID - a Democratic President and
= minority Of his party In even tentative
effort to ~arti getting on a sound financial
basis. IN do ~ so do not claim to be non
partisan, because this question does not pee
sent itself in non-partisan character or IN
4 non-parti.an way. shall aot attempt TO
step outside Of or To rise above my legitimate
PARTNERSHIP because | have never yet
found it necessary to be non partisan in or
Ter TO act or vote in accordance with what
conscieniiously believed to be for the best
interests Of my country.
sm the more willing TO lend this aid
aow because today with trium phant Deuioe-
,tcy inirea. he'd in the White House and III
'' . Capitol the public welfare depends as
.b4ulutriy upon Republican patriotism as it
has tor more than thirty years. Applause
III the Rep ibiic.p side.
Surely, there has never been crisis or
IN i4.n' forced upon the poop of the
Unit~' States of moe clearly and unmi--
Ltkti u partisan origin than the pfese II, Or
zoe In correction with which the Repub-
lp.,n Iaft has had less re- lson 10 be afraid
TO invite the seyere.t scrutiny of its public
record Applause on the Republican side.
The maintenance of the public faith in
the financial honor of this nation has been
cardinal principle of the Republican
patty from which it has never been seduced
by the sophstries OF seldshness or driven
by the organized hosts of demsgogism and
Democracy. Applause
From the day when it took possession of
bankrupt treasury on the brink of the
most gigantic Civil War of modern times,
1t has never wsyered in its purpose to hold
the national integrity as sacred as the ma
tons life. Applause.
And, Mr.. Speaker. from that day to this,
IN every battle thar it has fought for either,
i has been confronted, bayonet to bsyonet
and foot to foot, by the stubborn lines of the
Democratic party. Loud applause.
How Democracy Fought Resumption.
In growing this allegation do not now
purpose 10 look back so far as | might
properly do IL my time were not 40 limited.
For the purpose of this discussion, ask
YOU 10 look back over the history Of our
country only for the brief space of eighteen
years. | ask You to go with me to that
period when the Republican party, having
carried this Union triumphantly through
the Red sea of Civil War, was wrestling
with that almost equally momentous prob
lem of lifting up the PROSTATE credit of the
nation.
In 1875, when the Republican party
laid the foundation for the most marvel
Gus period of prosperity. by the brave
reassertiou of that fundamental principle
that honesty is the best policy for govern
ments ~ for individuals the same battle
was on between Republicanism and Democ-
rscy; and the issue joined then in that
great struggle over the maintenance of the
national faith has been going on from time
to time. marked by the same distinct party
contentious from that day to this.
oh, how Familiarity like echoes Of 1875
have been the walls and the lamentations
AMI the predictions of evil that have gone
out from this House to the country during
the last two weeks by the men who today
represent the championship of currency in
hation and depreciation for which Demoe-
racy fought so strenuously less than twenty
years ago.
Listen while recall the action and utter
ances of Democratic leaders in the Senate
and House at the time when the Republi.
can party proposed that the United States OF
America. having suppressed the rebellion,
having restored national unity, having re-
asserted supremacy over every acre OF
national domai ., should now turn its atten-
ton to restoring its credit at home and
abroad by redeeming every obligation OF
the governme and making every one OF
its financial pledges as good as gold the
whole world around.
Let us look at the record, for it is siRniti'
cant. That was an historic episode which
has properly place in the discussion Of the
present question. In the Senate on Decem'
Der "a, 1874, on the question of the passage
of the resumption act, providing for the re
sumption of specie payments. January /,
1879. the ayes were 81 Republicans. and
Carl Schurz, an Independent; the nays were
IL Democrats and Independents. No
Democrat voted to resume specie payment
in this country no Republican voted against
resumption.
In the House of Representatives. Janu-
airy I, 1875. on the same question the ayes
were 1886 every vote being cast by Republi-
can representative and no Democratic rep
resentstive from all this wide land record
ing his vote in favor of uplifting the IT,
nancial honor of the American people
among the nations of the earth.
The nays were 9s: ~ Democrats and p
Republicans. but in justice to some of the
gentlemen who voted in the negative III
should be stated that they voted against that
act because they held that the proper way
To resume was to resume" at once. so that
their record stands simply for opposition
to delay and not for opposition to the
measure.
Let us see, MIR. Speaker, how tenaci-
ou.ly. how persistently. the Democratic
party maintained this hostile attitude to-
wards the credit of the nation. Hear that
well-known Democratic leader, Gen. Ew-
ing. of Ohio. who said on the Gath Of No
vembcr, 1871, more than two years after
the bill had become \ law
IF we were wholly out of debt to
Europe: il our foreign commerce tiosted
under her own flag; if there were no sys-
ten of abs,snteeism among our wealthy
classes, expending their wealth abroad, re-
sumption in gold. or even gold and silver,
would be impossible on our rresen; volume