Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1895-09-07
Further Views of Hon. Thomas
Scott on tho SILVER question.

communication, have been in quite
romantic spirit. 1t arose from the
fact, that about that time / discov-
cred the identity of "Civis'' in the
person of very genial old friend,
whose talent and power of research
quite assured me of gratifying re-
suit in his reply which was to follow
me. 1t failed to come in regular
order of time-and now after three
weeks dilligent research, examination
of authorities, and devotion to the
cause of free silver-he has quoted
my uneasiness, but has not relieved
my disappointment. 1t appears from
his last letter, instead of finding any
authority to sustain free silver, he
has stumbled upon o far more inter
esting question to him, which he
characteristicall fails to argue, and
also leaves unsettled. His question
be asserts is very difficult to decide,
and informs us that it naturally pre-.
sents itself to his mind, and he at
tempts to state the proposition. /
had never thought about it. but
Ciyis says it's really true, and here it
is-"It is difficult to decide which is
the most interesting and wise looking
object, an owl sitting on an Egyptian
obelisk deciphering hieroglyphics, a
crow blind in one eye drawing math-
enatical diagrams in the sand, or
sage eXpounder of the mysteries of
silver Well, must confess, how
ever much it may interest my guam
dom friend, Hon. j. W. Fl. Parker
who writes as Civis with all the diff
culties of settlement in his own mind
Il feel no interest in the matter
whatever, and therefore shall not
discuss it, but leave my friend Mr.
Parker to decide 1t, if he can. He
mentions but three characteristic
owl, the blind crow and sage eX-
FOUNDER of the mysteries of silver, and
as know him and you know him
to be a sage eXpounder OF the
mysteries of silver. he talks
about it, writes about it, and am
sure would die by it, and by this
time the intimate relations of the
parties with the study given it, he
certainly ought to be sufficiently IN
formed on the last point ut least to
settle the question for himself. l
shall not attempt it. Indeed L fear
Mr.. Parker has spent rather too much
time on this strange question and
has somehow forgotten the matter
under discussion, or he would have
given us something more than, "a
few more reflections in favor OF sill
ver.n I will not dignity what he Fays
in his last letter, as an argument, for
he does not claim it for himself-and
calls it "a few more reflections and
expressly discountenances an effort to
argue the question Of the free and
unlimited coinage of silver-here is
what he says-''I do not feel at all
bound to engage in idle alterations
with Mr.. Scott in answer to his within
steal criticisms which are noticeable
chiefly for strength of i'll nature and
weakness of reason This is unique
indeed for Mr.. Parker who invited
the candidates for the Legislature to
express themselves on the silver ques-
ton evidently to find out how we
should cast our votes in the Fall
election. This will not do-and all
must see how great is the weakness
of free silver-when one OF its chief
advocates places himself in such a
position. Many Of our people say
they are on the political fence, but
want to do the right thing in 1896
when the question will be before the
people for decision. If free silver
coinage is highlander present con-
ditions-Mr Parker, as al ardent eX
FOUNDER of its beauties and glorles,
ought to be able to turn on the light,
TO show up my whimsical criticisms. J
What we are after and the people are
after, is to put the Democratic party
right and keep it right for the great
contest before us, so that the people
NAV be protected against attacks
from Populists, Republicans and all
other parties, and we can do this by
Investigating the truth Of the matter
within party lines and be ready for
the issue when the national conven-
ton meets. The tariff, Force bill,
Sherman bill and all other issues
have been settled-let Us settle this
one of free coinage of silver. 1t Is a
question about which all thinking and
patriotic voters may and DO hold
different views. Let it be settled
within the party before the attack
from our common enemy comes ID
open field Don't let us say as Mr..
Parker does-that 1.-The merits of sill.
yer as money is too well known and
appreciated to need any defense al
nv (his) hands, This is the very
question we are trying to decide
This is what all the hurrah is about
If the use and merits of silver were
"well known and appreciated" there
would be no open question about IT.
and the administration gold bugs,
"silverites, Populists and all would
clasp each other in proud embrace
If it be true that silver has beenan
should continue to be lie great cir
culating medium among the people,
if it be true that "its great character
istic is to warm the current OF life
through the channels of trade, let NJ
have the proof by the history OF sll'
yer itself, by its workings in the
monetary system of our own ano
other counties. Its place in our owl
system has always been in doubt
since the first coinage law of 1872
Mr.. Jefferson himself stopped the
free coinage of silver in 10O5-anC
only one thousand silver dollars wa:
coined during the whole of Andrew
Jackson's administration, and the
regular coinage was resumed during
Van Buren's ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
was accused of being an aristocra1
and using gold spoons, and thus on II
the history of the government iron
1893 to 1850-fifty. seven years-whel
California gold entered circulation
there were coined only 50, 1855, $50 sll
yer dollars, and down to 1873 only
SS, 031, 23S-in eighty-one years-al
this time silver had free coinage
Thos. Jefferson and Andrew Jackson
were pretty good Democrats, yet
they did not agree with Mr.: Parker
as to silver being the 'life-blooc
of the country or should bt
the great circulating medium among
the people. Mr.. Parker says, cease
III ~. nt1a olr q ~