Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1895-10-05
The Silver QuestIon-Further Views of
CiyiS.

yer, and thereupon hon. L. Ill. ScOtt
came forward and, agreeing with Inc
as to the propriety of such call, pro-
ceeded to express his views very
fully upon the question, advocating
the single gold standard, insisting
that the stamp on the American sill
yer dollar Is "a lie, that such a dol.
lar is only worth so cents, and OPP
posing the free coinage of silver at
the long established ratio of 16 to /;
and as if to attract notice to himself
in connection with that election he
said that he did not expect to be a
candidate. Dispensing, however,
with any lengthy speculative inquiry
into his intention and inward mean
ing in expressing his views on that
occasion, it may be suflicientto adopt
the language of Uncle Remus, by
saving, "Brer Scott, he lay low for Il
while, watchin dat rabbit, pertendin
and pertendin dat he didn't want it,
but if it had only come close enough
to him you can bet a so cent dollar
he'd cotch dat rabbit sure" Now,
if he could not catch the rabbit" if
his views in opposition to the free
coinage of silver and in favor of the
free coinage of gold alone for the
benefit of the holders of gold to the
injury and oppression of others, were
so Objectionable to the Democratic
people of Accomac that they did not
encourage him to be candidate, he
ought not to pour out his indigna-
ton upon me,-the fault not being
IL P,,t
seems to be indisposed to discuss a
great public question without being
personal and insists on finding out
who Civis is, although it is certainly
not regarded as improper for any one
to write under an anonymous sigma
ture Having, for his own purposes,
come out under his own name, he
seems to think that others should Go
the same; but as did not desire to
make myself conspicuous, | have not
deemed it proper to follow his exam
pie. If any one is engaged in Il good
cause, contending for the rights OF
the people, it is immaterial as to who
he is; if a good deed is to be done, it
matters not who does the deed so
that the deed be done. If Mr.. Scott
thinks that his name will add weight,
real or imaginary, to his views
against the free coinage of silver and
for the continuation of low prices and
dulness of the times with which the
country is afflicted. he can flatter
with such consolation to his
hearts content; but if l, actuated by
no desire for notoriety, have needed
the injunction which says, do not
sound a trumpet before thee as the
hypocrites do in the synagogues and
in the streets that they may have
glory of men," exercise a privilege
which, according to the rules of cour.
tesy and propriety, no one has right
to call in question. AS, however, he
has evinced great anxiety to know
who l am, although l regard it as a
matter of no consequence so tar as
concerns the great question of the
times, l will inform him, that l am
an humble citizen Of Accomac; that
II am native here and to the manor
born; that ] am entirely identified
with the people of this county, that
nv interests and sentiments are
blended with theirs and in the sin
cerity of my affection for Accomac
and her people, l can say to her as
Ruth said to Naomi, "entreat me not
to leave thee or to return from fol-
lowing after thee; for whittier thou
goest | will go; and where thou lodS;;
est l will lodge; thy people st hsa.I Sc
my people, my God, my God
where tbou diest, will die, and
thsCSwill | be buried; the Lord dc
y to me, and more also, if aught but
death part me and thee; that | am
in common with the people of this
county and the country generally
opposed to the combined gold power
Of this and foreign countries BY
which we are threatened to be re
duced to such condition as God il
his wrath has seldom sent to execute
vengeance on an offending nation
that am one of the many who wish
to see the sun of prosperity agair
shine above the horizon, so that oul
land now darkened with sorrow may
once more be filled with happiness
that the chain which the tyrant
gold monometalisIn, is fastening
upon us may be broken; that the
faces of our people may regain theil
cheefulnesS and their hearts be glac
within them, and that as they rejoice
the whole country may resound witt
their shout that 1.-The people are once
more free"
But, our friend, Mr. Scott. at
tempts to bolster up bad cause by
trying TO maintain that Thomas JET
ferson and Andrew Jackson were
opponents of the free coinage of sill
yer; charge almost as absurd as K
say, that Jefferson was opposed Il
the principle of the declaration oil
independence and that Jackson
wanted the British to succeed in thu
battle of New Orleans. He Says
Mr.. Jefferson himself stopped tn,
free coinage of silver in 1S05,-anC
only one thousand silver dollars wa
coined during the whole of Andrew
Jackson's administration; and as i
to add more weight to his assertion
he says again, Mr.. Jefferson stopped
it in 1906 and Andrew Jackson coine(
only $1,000 during his administra
ton After disappearing JEFF
ferson and Jackson as opposed to FREE
coinage of silver, he exultingly ex
claims, chow do you get around thi
history, these facts directly in point?'
In answer | will say, it is not tru
that Jefferson and Jackson were op
posed to the free coinage of silver
and let US see if such was the case
Mr.. Jefferson was President from tn,
4th of March 1901 to the 4th Of March
1909. The official records of tn,
Treasury Departments show the "golC
and silver coinage of the U. s. minis
from 1901 to 1909, both included, t.
be as follows:
Gold Silver
1901 $422, $1,000 S 74,75S.0
1902 23,3lO.OO 5S,343 0
1863 25S. 377.5O 87,11S.O