The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1895-04-18
Democratic Excursions.

cratic party was once par eACeileHNO
the sound money party of the country.
1t was 80 recognized everywhere. 1t ,
has occasionally taken an excursion
outside of its traditional policy, but
generally with disastrous results.
When, in 1862, the PROPOSE vas
made TO make Treasury notes d "ksl
tender for the payment OF debts it met
vigorous opposition from prominent
Democrats The Hon. George IL.
Pendleton, of Ohio, said
"The provisions OF the bill contem
plate impairing the obligation OF every
contract and disturbing the basis upon
which every judgment and decree and
verdict has been entered.
1t proposes. in one word, to release
the one party from the obligations OF
his contract, and to divest the other
party OF the right which has been vest-
ed in him by that contract. Sir, / am
,ure l need only state the proposition
to shock the mind of the legal PROBES
sion of the country"
The bill passed the House by ninety
three yeas to fifty-nine nays. Among
the latter were not only such Demo.
Gratis as Mr.. Pendleton and Mr.. Val
Iandigham, OF Ohio, but many others,
and number of Republicans. OF the
Kentucky delegation Messrs. George
w, Dunlap, Henry Order, Aaron
Harding, Robert Mallory, w. H
Wadsworth and Charles A. Wickiffe
we're recorded in the negative, and
none in the affirmative. These were
not all Democrats, but none OF them
at that time called himself a Republi-
can. In the Senate Mr.. Powell, OF
Kentucky, voted to strike out the legal
tender clause, and, that failing, voted
against the bill.
By 1868, however, the greenbacks
had become familiar as currency, old
debts had been paid and new ones
contracted. The situation had chang
ed, and the majority OF the Democrats
in the national convention OF that
year thought there was something to
be made politically by catering to the
greenback sentiment. Accordingly q
A plank was put in the platform that,
! where the obligations of the Govern.
S ment do not expressly state upon their
v face, or the law under which they were
issued does not provide that they shall
be paid in coin, they ought in right
and in justice to be paid in the law
fdl money OF the United States" This
was a rather guarded declaration o.
! the greenback policy, bat the country
! d. clared against it by giving the Re
d publicans 214 electoral votes to 80 iol
n the Democrats. The popular majority
+ for the Republicans was over 800 900
y For a number OF years after this thi
Democratic party ccquetted with lht
greenback issue in various local con
tests, but all this time it was a minori
q ty party in national contests.
;. In 1876, under the leadership O
Samuel J. Tilden, the Democratic par
y ty declared that reform ia necessar,
e to establish sound currency, restor
!" the public credit, and maintain tn
:. national honor" 1t went farther thai
that, by adopting the following ring
ing plank:
% "We denounce the failure for al
s. these eleven years Of peace to max,
,e good the promise OF the legal tende
notes, which are changing standar
oi Of value in the hands OF the .peopl,
ut and the non-paymsnt of which is
w disregard OF the plighted faith of th
!" nation"
IL Thus restored to its old sound NOR
1t, ey ground, the Democratic part
n swept the country by plurality Of
quarter OF million.
In 1892 on sound-money platform
as the Ohio Democrats polled 4O5, II
at votes to f05, 187 cast by the Republ
ne cans. Last year, however, they decic
- ed to make little excursion into til
: region OF unsouud currency by decla
ing for free coinage at 16 to l. o
: this issue they polled 2769O2 vote
III to 413,989 for the Republicans. The
of we fell off, as compared with 1892,
d, 33,213, while the Republican vote il
es creIsed by nearly 5000.
"a It is not insisted that the contes
here referred to turned altogether O
the currency question. Such was
no means the case. The point is tn,
nc Abandonment of the traditional sount
q. money policy of the Democratic part,
ne to which resort has occasionally bee
lis had in days of adversely, has prove
n. delusion aud snare. Success is ne
III to be attained by that route. Oar
=, days must come for'every party, BIZ
evnerience has shown that the Dem,
cre;' have only to adhere faithfully
their traditional policy on economi
81 questions to commend the confidenc
in NJ tha corntrv Thoro