The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-02-20
GROVER CLEVELAND.
His Violation of Law in the b
Matter.

GROVER CLEVELAND.
His Violation Of Law in the Bond |
Matter.
Can you say where we are at" what we |
are coming to- under what form of govern |
ment we now live?
Is it possible that we are a people 10000 |
GOO strong, who, from our infancy, have |
never ceased to boast of our greatness and |
superiority, and yet so imbecile that we sit |
quietly by and witness such monstrous acts |
of usurpation and despotism have been |
perpetrated in the past few years and are
now daily and hourly transpiring?
l would like to recount a few of the in |
Vulnerable evils inflicted upon us by legisla- |
ton during the past 80 years, but these
have been so frequently reviewed through
your columns that at this time 1 would
kindly invite your attention and counsel to
recent and present bond issues only.
The recent bond issues of $50. 900 EACH |
amounting to $100, 100000, purport to have
been issued upon the authority of the re-
sumption of specie payments act approved
Jan. IA, 1875 and reads as follows, to-wit:
"And to enable the secretary of
the treasury to provide for the redemption
in this act, authorized or required, he is au-
thorlZed to use any surplus revenues from
time to time in the treasury not otherwise
appropriated and to issue, sell and dispose
of, at not less than par in COIN either of
the descriptions of bonds of the United
States described in the act of congress ap-
proved July IA, 1870, entitled An act to au-
thorize the refunding of the national dept,'
with like qualities, privileges and eX-
emptions to the extent necessary to carry
this act into full effect, and to use the pro-
ceeds thereof for the purpose aforesaid.
And all provisions of law inconsistent with
the provisions of this act are hereby re-
pealed.' Omitted States Statutes at Large,
43d congress, 1873 to 1875, vol. IS; part of
Sec. 8 of act of Jan. IA, 1851
Now, it is plain to that whatever au-
thority the present secretary of the treas
ury may derive from the law is, in reality,
derived from the act of 1870, as the section
above quoted very plainly states. l will
now quote the entire act of 1870, specifying
the three forms of bonds to be issued under
said act that the reader may judge for
himself to the legality of the present
issue of per cent 30-year bonds, payable
interest and principal in gold, approved
July IA, 1870: BE it enacted by the senate
and house of representatives of the United
States of America in congress assembled,
That the secretary of the treasury is hereby
authorized to issue, in sum or sums not
exceeding in the aggregate $500, OO0,O00, cou-
pom or registered bonds of the United
States, in such forms as he may prescribe,
and of denominations of $50 or some multi
pie of that sum, redeemable in coin of the
present standard value, at the pleasure of
the United States, after ten years from the
date of this issue, and bearing interest,
payable semi-annually in coin at the rate
of 5 per cent per annum; also a sum or
sums not exceeding in the aggregate $780,
100000 of like bonds the same in all re-
spects, but payable at the pleasure of the
United States, after Is years from the date
of their issue, and bearing interest at the
rate of Az per cent per annum; also a sum
| or sums not exceeding in the aggregate
| Loco, co0,G00 of like bonds, the same in all
respects, but payable at the pleasure of the
| United States after 80 years from the date
| of their issue, and bearing interest at the
| rate of per cent per annum; all of which
| said several classes of bonds and the in
| terest thereon shall be exempt from the
payment of all taxes or duties of the United
| States, municipal or local authority; and
| the said bonds shall have set forth and ex-
pressed upon their face the above specified
| conditions, and shall, with their coupons,
| be made payable at the treasury of the
| United States.
| but NOTHING IN THIS ACT, OR IN
| ANY OTHER LAW NOW IN FORCE,
| SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AUTHOR
| IZE ANY INCREASE WHATEVER OF
THE BONDED DEBT OF THE UNITED
| STATES" Omitted States Statutes at
| Large vol 16, Laws of 1869 to 1871, page PIP,
| chapter 256, section -
Is it not remarkable, yes, astonishing.
| that those men to whose care the helm OF
| this great ship of state is intrusted, should
| have the boldness and affrontery, the stu
pendous and colossal hardihoOd to even
| pretend to saddle this people with debt
| of 5000, 900 coo by and upon the authority of
| this law?
| You will notice that the last clause is
| in it's self prohibitory. I am not a lawyer
| and would not attempt a legal analysis of
| any compiled ted measure, but it does seem
that the foregoing is SO plain and simple
| that the humblest citizen may read and
| understand.
hOn
| not only mean to increase the bonded
debt of the United States upon the author
ity of a law which strictly and forcibly
| prohibits such act, but they mean to Vlo-
late the prescribed form in several respects.
First, in making them payable in coin
| of the then STANDARD value" which was
| gold and silver; but, on the contrary, they
are to be made payable, principal and in
terest in gold only Second, as to time,
| Unsteady of being made payable at the
| pleasure of the United States after 80 years
| 1 understand from the papers they are to
| bear the stipulation-payabl after so years
| Why not make it a hundred years? Might
Just as we'll far as the law of 1870 is
concerned, for plainly the supposed law
| and the bond issue are distinct and Separ-
ate Why this hypocracy? Why this pre-
tended conformity to law? Would not Mr.
| Cleveland and his henchmen-John Sher-
man and CarEslheimer-be entitled to more
respect if they were to come out defiantly
despotic measure? Would 1T not be far
more honorable for the executive to say
| boldly and in Cromwellian style, a. Grover
| Cleveland dictator of these United States,
do by these presents, authorize the secre-
tary of the treasury to increase the bonded
interest bearing debt of the United States,
in any form or manner, to any amount,
| at the pleasure or behest of the banking
| or creditor class of this country or Eng
| land. Reserving only, to said secretary,
discretionary power in matters of this
nature and also pledging myself that the
| present secretary is, and his succe Ssors ever
shall be during my reign chosen with an
| eye single to the interests of the ruling
spirits of said class resident in Wall
| and Lombard streets"
| This if not in perfect conformity to our
| ideas of Republican institutions, would
have the effect to embolden "timid CAPT.
| tal' and restore confidence"
| Is it possible that there is left so little
of the spirit of '76? What shall we do?
| STURGEON ODELL.
| SINGLE TAX.
| Mr. EOxvo COmas tn the RpSCme and