People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-07-25

SIX years without ever knowing that
an instance Of that kind had occurred
during the congresses in which l
served. When men start out with
the proposition that in order to prove
their case they must also prove that
the majority Of the best men of this
country are thieves and scoundrels,
they had better stop before they be-
gin. (Applause.) The people of this
cOuntry-and the congressman is no
exception-as an average are upright,
honest business men, | admit that
Judge Sherman was guilty OF a crime.
That was never in any way connected
with his brother, John Sherman. and
you know it. They exOnerated him."
Mr.. Harvey: did they impeach
Judge Sherman?",
Mr.. Horr: Judge Sherman resign.
ed Immediately. They drove him
from the bench. (Applause.) The
public opinion of this country would
not permit a man to hold a public
position who would do thing of that
kind. But what has that to do with
the question whether Mr.. Knox open
ly and squarely presented this bill to
congress? Mr.. Knox said himself:
The coinage Of the silver dollar piece
the history of which is here given, Is
discontinued in the proposed bill. 1t
is by law the dollar unit. The pres
ent gold dollar piece is made the dol
lar unit in the proposed act
A voice in the audience: when was
that written?"
Mr.. HOrr: Gust before it was sent
to congress in 1870. 1t was part of
the report that Secretary Boutwell,
sent to the senate in the spring of
1870. 1t accompanied the bill and
was printed in the public documents,
as being an explanation of the bill, by
order Of the senate. Is there any,
thing hidden in those Statements"
Mr.. Harvey: Among the many
charges of corruption made at this
period, 1873, there was one Of signif-
canoe when we consider that silver
was demOnetized by a single sentence
being omitted from the report of the
conference committee In enrolment
Of the mint bill, and indicates the
power that in this instance, a corrupt
clerk could have. George A. Bassett
clerk of the ways and means commit
tee, 1873, was charged with having
demanded $3.50 per month from the
bankers and brokers Of New York to
assist them in repeating the tax on
borrowed capital, and $1,000 when the
act was passed. The Chicago Trib-
une of February, q, 1873, the very
month in which silver was demonet-
lied said: Turkish corruption under
the pashas and beys Or Russian official
rottenness could scarcely be worse
than it is here" (Applause.)
"The salary grab bill passed March
3, 1873. The people rose en- masse
and forced congress to repeal this bill
little dreaming at the time that an
other bill had passed at that congress
that was to rob them OF millions
dollars. The people could understand
a salary grab but they could not I'm
derstand a scientific spoliation
their rights. (Applause.) To make
plain how the fraud was placticed l
copy into my remarks sections Is and
16 Of the bill supposed to have been
read when on its passage, together
with the words fraudulently omitted
in brackets. Omit the words Ia brack
cts and you have the sections as the
bill was supposed to have passed con
gress."
Mr.. Horr: where is that from?
l don't understand"
Mr.. Harvey: 81 take the two Sec
tions as they now appear in the stat
utes and | add between brackets
the words that were erased from the
bill"
Mr.. Horr: "By whom?"
Mr.. Harvey, (continuing:) "Sur.
reptitiOusly in its passage"
Mr.. Horr: by whom? What
proof have you that anything was
erased?"
Mr.. Harvey: "I'll get to the proof
of that little later. The standard
silver dollar was fraudulently omit
ted after the bill had passed both
houses. (Applause.)
st will be questioned by our best
citizens that such fraud could be
practiced, and the hesitancy with
which they accept its truth attests
the integrity Of our citizenship. Be-
fore offering my proof, and l promise
you it shall be conclusive. l wish to
speak of official crimes"
Mr.. Harvey quoted Judge Kelley,
chairman of tie committee reporting
the bill, to show that in in 1873 we
were not using the coin, and that