The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-05-14
THE VIRGINIA sun DOES NOT BE-
ITFvF US.

In our issue Of May Sd we rtated the
leading facts connected with the passage
of the act of Congress OF 1873, which
demonetized silver (as 1t is said. We
showed that at that time In all the
existence OF the Government there had
been coined only eight million silver dol
lars. and, therefore, that as there was
no silver in the country law dropping
the coinage OF silver dollars could not
possibly have produced any injurious eff
feet. And we showed further that when
the act Of 1873 was passed 1t was fully
debated in both branches OF Congress
was fully understood and was passed by
Congress with full knowledge Of what
It was doing. We added that the records
of Congress would prove this statement
to be true.
The Virginia Sun, weekly Populist
paper published In Richmond. challenges
both our statements in its issue OF May
10th. 1t says:
Now II Is true that only $, 900. 900 OF sill
yer dollars had been coined in the time
named, but there had been coined $685.
900 900 Of silver in all, most OF IL in half
dollars, which were full legal tender"
The Sun would, OF course. make the
impression that as this coinage was legal
tender It was part OF the monetary basis
though subsidiary coin. II adds:
"And now we call our distinguished
friend TO time. His contention is that the
Congressional Record shows that Congress
was fully aware OF the provision TO drop
the standard silver dollar from the COIN
age We have carefully been over the
Record, and there is not one line OF II
which sustains his contention. There is,
on the other hand. a great deal which
goes 10 show that Congress had not the
remotest idea Of dropping out the stand
ard silver dollar"
Before taking these statements up we
wish TO remark that the Sun also SAYS:
'In the two years Immediately preceding
the demonetizng act in 1873 there were
over two and half millions Of standard
silver dollars coined while in the few
weeks Of 1873 before the mint was closed
10 free coinage OF silver there were nearly
a million of standard silver dollars
coined
" thVOoto u NOISull any annual
report OF the Director OF the Mint since
1873 will see for himself that In the years
1871 and 1872. together. there were coined
s2.235,736 silver dollars. and in all of 1873
there were coined OF silver dollars 1885,
Co.,
The Sun is mistaken in the amount Of
silver that had been coined prior 10 1873.
There had been a little over 100000 OF
silver dollars. and sl447sS.Ooo Of half dol
lars. quarters. dimes and half dimes-over
sl52,OoO,OOO in all. But 1t is just as far
wrong In respect TO the legal tender char
acter OF the subsidiary coin as II is in
respect to the amount. We will now give
a full history of this matter.
Our first coinage act was passed In 1872
q U. s. Stat. at Large. 24s). 1t provided
in express terms that the ratio between
gold and silver should be as IS to 1. II
provided that the silver dollar should
contain ZIG grains, the half dollar 2oS
grains. the quarter loi grains. and the
dime ana half dime their due divisional
quantities and all the coins ware made
full legal tenders for all sums. This act
undwvalusd sitvR "a . fast q tn