Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-10-02
The Crime Of 1878.

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The Crime Of 1878.
The Charge Amply Proven by I'm.
impeachabie Witnesses.
The Goldbugs having as a dernier
resort begun to deny proposition that
has been admitted the past twenty
years, and having a no less champion
than John Sherman to uphold the lie,
with all the lesser hounds following
closely in his lead, we accord ample
space for unimpeachable testimony
that the charge SO long admitted is
true. Why this stealthy act was done
is shown by the logical sequence, the
same as the motive for any other crime
is established. Under the guise of an
act 10 revise and amend the law rel
alive TO minis, assay Offices and coin
age OF the United States, the standard
silver dollar, which has been in exist
once since 1892, was mysteriously
dropped. There was no discussion in
Congress concerning the momentous
change to be effected in our financial
system by the proposed act. A few
desultory remarks were made, some in
speeches which were not delivered, but
we're afterwards printed in the Record,
but both branches of Congress seemed
to be in dense ignorance of the i'm
portant provision contained in the
bill, by which silver was destroyed as
equal money metal with gold. So
adroitly was the whole scheme man.
aged that Senator William NJ. Stewart,
the great silver advoc ate, himself voted
for the bill. He afterwards declared
that under no circumstances would he
have voted in that manner had he
been appraised of the provision respect
ing the disuse OF silver as money. The
mystery is only deepeued when we
consider what other persons, who were
in Congress at the time, say about the
passage OF this bill.
Senator Thurman, on the 18th OF
February, 1878, in debate said:
81 cannot say what took place in the House,
but know when the bill was pending in the
Senate we thought 1t was simply bin to re-
form the mint, regulate coinage. and fix up one
thing and another, and there is not single
in the Senate. / think uplpRa q mn uh arn f
the committee from which the bill came, who
had the slightest idea that IL was even sQuint
ord, volume 7. part 2. Forthwith Congress, sec
Ond session, page l,O64.
Senator Conkling, in the Senate, on
March 30, 1876, during the remarks OF
Senator Bogy on the bill Is. 1859 to
amend the laws relating to legal tender
of silver coin, in surprise, inquired:
Willthe Senate allow me to ask him or some
other Senator question? Is 1t true that there
80, is 1t true that the effect Of this bill 10 to
make half dollars and quarter dollars the only
silver coin which can be used as legal tender?"
Congressional Record, volume 4, part 3,
FOrty-fourth Congress, first session, page 2,062.
Senator Allison, on February Is,
1878, when the bill (H. R. 1899 to
authorize the free coinage OF the stand
ard silver dollar and to restore its
legal tender character was under con-
sideration, observed:
but when the secret history of this bill Of
1873 comes to be told, it will disclose the fact
that the House Of Representatives intended to
coin both gold and silver, and intended to
place both metals upon the French relation in
stead OF on our own, which was the true
jet Ia 1873 but that the bill afterwards was
doctored. If may use that term, and use it
in no offensive sense. OF COURSE
Mr.. Sargent interrupted him and
asked him what he meant by the word
" doctored." Mr.. Allison said:
81 said used the word in no offensive sense.
II was changed after discussion. and the dollar
OF 40 grains was substituted for it."-CongresB-
ional Record, volume Z. part 2, Forty.fifth Con.
gress second session, pages loss.
On February 10, 1878, during the
consideration of tho bill above referred
to, the following colloquy between
Senator Blaine and Senator Voorhees,
took place:
Mr. Voorhees," want to ask my friend from
Maine, whom l am glad TO designate in that
way, whether may call him as one more wit.
ness to the fact that 1t was not generally known
whether silver was demOnetized Did he know
as Speaker OF the House, presiding at that time,
that the silver dollar was demonetized in the
bill to which he aludes?'
Mr.. Blaine-"I did not know anything that
was In the bill at all. As have before said.
little was known or cared on the subject
CLaughter.l And now should like to exchange
questions with the Senator from Indiana.
who was then on the floor. and whose business
it was. far more than mine, to know, because
by the designation of the House was to nut
questions: the Senator from Indiana. then on
the floor OF the House. with his power as a
DICTATOR. was to unfold them to the House.
Did he know"
Mr., Voorhees," very frankly say that did
not"
Il bid, 1,063)
Senator Beck, in a speech made in
the Senate January 10, 1878, said:
II ,'tYttHg Bay demoalt2mk qllSeasY {ne III
that With fulf knowledge Of the facts Noa
ppySRsBaf ,Jey0ttaro@hd teyalada 1AH most
vigilant men ever saw in obtaining informa.