Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-05-21
CARLISLE WRITES a LETTER.
Speaks Of His Famous 1878 speech-His
Present Position.

Louisville, KY, May 18.-The Courier,
Journal prints the following letter from
Secretary of the Treasury John G. Car
Isle to Hon.. John H. Johns, of Pres
tonsburg, Ky. Mr.. Johns had written
the secretary, saying that in discus
sion of the currency question with his
free silver friends he finds that their
strongest arguments seemed to be that
Mr.. Carlisle had made a speech in favor
OF the free coinage of silver on one oc-
casion. The secretary in his reply says:
THE report that made q speech in favor
OF free-cOfnage Of silver was made for the
first time about three years ago, and has
been kept constantly in circulation by the
advocates of free coinage ever since, not
withstanding the well-known fact that the
only speech ever made upon the subject,
and which is printed in the official records
Of the proceedings Of the house Of repre-
sentatives, shows clearly that was op-
posed to that policy. Perhaps it will not be
improper, in answering your letter. to state
briefly what my position upon the ques-
ton of free coinage then was, as shown
by the speech of February e. 1878, which
Is the one from which garbled extracts are
Being made by the advocates of that policy;
anG. in doing this, distinctly disclaim any
purpose to vindicate myself against the
charge of inconsistency. because, in my
opinion, such a charge, whether true or
false is of no consequence whatever in the
discussion of this or any other question.
1.-THE fact that man is wrong at one
time in life constitutes no reason why he
should be wrong always, and even if it
were true that I had advocated the free
coinage Of silver Is years ago would have
been political coward if I had refused
on that account to follow my honest con-
Victions and oppose such policy when
satisfied that 1t would be injurious to the
country. I am more anxious to be right
than to be consistent, and If the gentlemen
who quote garbled extracts from an old
speech, made when the conditions were en-
tirely different from what they are now,
can convince me by fair argument that any
OF my present opinions upon that or any
other subject are erroneous. / will not hes
tate to abandon them.
1.-THE speech made in the house of repre-
sentatives on the 21st day of February,
1875, Is the only one to which the advocates
OF free coinage ever refer, and. that was
made in opposition to free coinage and in
favor of striking out "a free coinage pro-
vision from a BILL and inserting in place
Of it a section requiring the secretary Of
the treasury to purchase not less than S..
GC0,000 worth nor more than 81, 00O, 900 worth
Of silver bullion each month, and coin it
into standard silver dollars on account Of
the United States government and giving
seigniorage. instead Of giving it to the
owners of bullion, as would be the case I'M
der system Of free coinage. At that time
the silver dollar had been dropped entirely
from the coinage, by the act of February
II, 1873 and such has been coined pre-
vious to that date were legal tender only
to the extent of five dollars, by the act of
1874, the difference between the value of q
silver dollar and the value Of gold dollar,
at the ratio OF sixteen to one, was only
with many other gentlemen who were op-
posed to free coinage, then believed that
this small difference between the value Of
the two dollars would be removed If the
United States should resume the coinage
and use Of silver as full legal tender.
ION the 5th day Of November, 1877, mo-
ton was made in the house Of representa-
tives to suspend the rules and it passed
a bill which, among other provisions con-
tanned the following clauses: #
And any owner of silver bullion may
deposit the same at any United States
coinage mint, or assay office, to be coined
into such dollars, for his benefit, upon the
same terms and conditions as gold bullion
is deposited for coinage under existing
laws ta
FINALLY. after a long discussion in the
senate, the bill was amended by striking
out the free coinage provision and insert
ing in it's place the following:
"'And the secretary of the treasury is
authorized and directed to purchase from
time to time silver bullion at the market
price thereof, not less than 2,0O0, 900 worth
per month. nor more than $4,000,COO worth
per month, and cause the same to be coined
monthly as fast as so purchased; and
sum sufficient to carry out the foregoing
provision of this act Is hereby appropriated
out Of any money in the treasury not other
wise appropriated. And any gain or
seignorage arising from this coinage shall
be accounted for and paid into the treasury
as provided under existing laws relative
to the subsidiary coinage.
1.-THE bill with this amendment was sent
back to the house for the concurrence of
that body, and on the 2ist day Of February,
1878, while it was under consideration,
made the speech which has been 80 often
referred to during the last three years by
the advocates Of free coinage, and a few
sentences from which they have frequently
published. In this speech I said among
other things, that the overloaded taxpay-
ers of this country, already staggering and
sinking under the burdens imposed upon
item by unwise legislation, would have
been subjected by that provision to new
exaction of several millions Of dollars an
nually to pay for coming the bullion of
capitalists at home and abroad. I cannot
become the advocate Of such system,
either as to gold or silver, and although
my vote was given for the bill as it passed
the house under suspension OF the rules,
with this feature in It,, I did not approve
of it, and then hoped that it would be
amended in the senate.
my position upon this subject is briefly
this: I am opposed to the free coinage Of
either gold or silver. but in favor Of I'M
limited coinage of both metals upon terms
Of exact equality. No discrimination should
be made in favor Of one metal and against
the other; nor should any discrimination
be made in favor Of the holders of either
gold or silver bullion and against the great
body Of the people who own other kinds
Of property. great government should
treat all it's citizens alike, and whenever it