The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1893-12-16

| this question Shall never reach the United
States Supreme Court. | am ready 10 recon-
mend o the Ninth General Assembly hiiF nc-
lion which may be necessary to compel al
liudication by the Supreme Court OF this
question, important for the general welfare,
aad evaded in so cOwardly q manner.
The speaker dwelt at some length on the
question of legal tender and declared that the
states have the right to make foreign coins
legal tender for debts In such states.
The remedy is for each state to enact that
the silver dollars OF the United States and
of our sister republics in North and South
America, containing not less than 39l IL
| grains fine silver, shall Oc legal tender by
tale or at 100 cents each, for all dc1ts public
and private, collectIble within that state.
| There can be no doubt OF the right of any
state TO make gold and silver coin tender in
the payment of debts colectIblc In that state
Ii is equally clear that this right extends 10
foreign coin, because mt the time the consti-
tuition was adopted, and for scver1l years
after, there were no national coins. IL may
be said Congress enacted In 1851 thai there
| after no foreign coins should be a legal tender
| in the United States. But no act of Coagres'
| can deprive n state Of a constitutional right
| Admit that the right of the United States Is
concurrent with that of the states. that II
| could lawfully pass the statute OF 1871; that
statute Is only entitled TO its legal eject. 1t
Is good in all territory over which the United
States has exclusive jurisdiction; 1t IS COOL
themselves OF their constitutional right to
make foreign gold and silver coin legal
| tender, but cannot possibly take away that
right.
] The right 10 regulate the value of foreign
! coins Is also in congress- and must a so be
| considered exclusive, unless the rlEAt 20
make gold and silver coin tender In the
payment of debts which right Is expressly
/ declared by the constitution of the United
States to be IN the states, does not, in order
] tn rRul l,uF rfr ~ my
clude the right to regulate the value OF the
coin when made a legal tender,
The right TO make gold, silver or paper
money a legal tender Is not specifically grant
| cd to congress by the constitution OF the
| United States, but the right TO coin muncy,
and regulate the value thereof and Of foreign
coins, expressly given to congress In the
| United States constitution, has been held by
the courts TO include the right to make those
! coins legal lender. The right TO regulate
the value of coins foreign and domestic, Is
not complete In m act specifying the value
] at which such coins shall be received by the
] United States at Its custom houses or land
offices, but includes the right to fix the value
of all such coins as tender in the payment
| The governor answered a number OF criti-
cisms that had been made upon his scheme.
In closing lie said
But 1t is said, 1--WE must educate; we must
flood the,East with silver literature And
every once in while we hear OF some dis
| tlugulshed banker in New York or London
who has been converted to bi-metaili-m-tha
| Is, "a to l. That is silver Mt 90 cents per
| ounce! And we are to convert Wall street!
/ G-r-c-a-t God /!
! My agreement was TO abide by the decision
| of this miners convention, aud that promise
will be performed. The matter Is Ia your
hands, but be assured, my fellow citizens that
in this crisis, unless the miners Of silver shall
demand and enforce all their constitutional
rights, both a. citizens of the state and ma
ton, In state legislatures As well as In Con
grcss the free coinage Of silver If forever
gone the slavery described by Senator Teller
commences, and the homes OF the silver mIu-
crs OF the Rocky Mountains shall hcncciorth
be left unto them deso!atc.
G. w. Adams Immediately moved that the
governor call an extra session. Many seconds
were heard aud there was much commoton.
In the midst of this 1t was moved that re-
cess of fifteen minutes be taken, which was
carried.
During recess his friends lost no time In
congratulatIng the governor, while those OPP
posed to extra session used all their persuasive
eloquencc with members to vote against the
proposition
Upon rc-asscmbllug Thornton II, Thomas
of Creole spoke In opposition to the extra
session. lie introduced resolution a3
substitute us follows:
Re,slro3, That the governor be authorized
to submit the right oil states to coin silver and
lcgalEe foreign coins as legal tender therein
to the state Supreme Court.
Governor Waitc-I did not recommend that
the state coin silver. / discussed the ron 'tl-
tutlonal right OF states to cOlu their own
money, and said the remedy for the prcscut
silver depression In Colorado lay In the state
colnlng silver dollars which It has the right
to do. containing 3fl4 grains. That VIII also
get the question before the courts.
Mr. Fitzgerald OF Aspen favored the Cover
nor's plan in thrce-m!nute talk and was
loudly applauded
Senators White and Balsingcr opposed the
extra session.
Chairman McMchael made a strong appeal
In support Of the governor.
The Thomas amendment was defeated and
the original resolution carried by a vote OF 10
tos
Sliveron, Central City, Creole and Bnchc-
lor voted .olidly against the special session.
Aspen b. ckenridgc, Cripple Creek, koko-
| mo and Lawson went soildly in favor Of IT,
while st. Elmo split Its vote.
Governor Waite thanked the convention
I and said he would call the legislature to-
gcthcr in JaruGry
/ The convention then adjourned.
= END OF THE CEHIGH STRIKE.