The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-09-07
LOOKING BACKWARD
Colonel Giddings' Famous speech in Con
grcss on Silver Some Years AGO.
Brennan Banner

February .. 1873. stood UP in the hous
OF representatives ana nooly defended
'he rights OF the people, and denodnee
r the act of demonstration as unconstitu
uonal, fraud ana crime But To-Day HI
seems to have reversed his engine, and Il
going full speed in the opposite direction
As many may have forgotten Colone
GiddinEs' noble defense of silver, we quo,,
portion of his speech, taken from tn,
Congressional Recori:
Mr.. Speaker: | propose to state Il:
briefly as possible some OF the reason'
which Influence me in supporting the bill
to remonetize silver and also that foi
the repeal OF the resumption act. being
so intimately connected they may prop
orly be considered together.
Gold and silver by common consent OF
mankind have been recognized from the
earliest period of which history furnishes
any account and are sim the measure
OF values, tested by their own intrinsic
worth. the world over; and 1t Is only III
| times of great emergency ami ovcrwhelm-
ing necessity that resort has hecn had TO
| different measures of value FINANCIAL
DISTRESS AND GENERAL BANK
| RuPTCY HAVE EVER FOLLOWER
ANY DEPARTURE FROM THE
! WORLDS STANDARD. GOLD AND Sill
YER. Alike they are the money of the
constitution of the United States, by the
terms of which it is made the imperative
duty of congress to coin.
article I, section \. Of the constitu-
ton of the United States provides that
congress shall have power to coin
money and regulate the value thereof
ana of foreign coin, and 10 Tx the stand
ard OF weights and measures and section
10 OF the same article leuics an such pow
er to the state. thus devolvlng upon
congress the exclusive power Of coming
or creating money for the people. With
out the action of congress not ole dollar
can exist in the United States Here and
nowhere else reside, the power 10 create
what is called money ana TO regulate its
quality THE POWER BEING VESTED
IN CONGRESS. THE DUTY TO ENER-
ClSE IT BECOMES AS IMPERATIVE
UPON CONGRESS TO COIN BOTH
GOLD AND SILVER IS TT Is TO COIN
EITHER. If congress can refuse to coin
one Of the metals q Gan refuse to coin
both, and leave the people and the States
with no money or commodity which can
Ice by the states made legal tender in
payment of debts.
WHERE is THE WARRANT of Az
THoRiTi FOR REFUSING TO ENER-
ClSE THIS EXPRESSLY DELEGATED
POWER OR To PLACE ANY LlMlTA-
TIpN UPON THE QUANTITY To BE
COINED. The power TO regulate its
quality or value is clearly expressed. butt
nowhere can be found The power TO lin
90 ,''
Wv ''"'''" a. 'he
N'''''"' GU, o. "hi'h eonFres Is
'S'N'''N 10 Vie"'e in"'e' ior ine ns' OF
tue i''Ple an" ""l'h alone 'he states
are permitted to declare legal tender in
pay lh'h' OF oeh's. Il congress may legal /
ly destroy one OF these metals, IL can
destroy ooth' II CONGRESS may legally re-
fuse To coin one 1t may refuse to coin
hoth
hut WHY SHOULD CONGRESS RE |
FUSE TO COIN SILVER. AND WHY |
PLACE \ LIMIT UPON IT'S DEBT I
PAYING POWER? May no; State
make silver n any amount. as well IS
sold, 10 legal tender in payment Of dchtse /
Tho prob h!ton IN section 10. article /. OF |
the institution by which mo Sta-e can /
make anything but gold AMI s,ycr a .
lcsal tender IN payment of debts, carries /
WIN II ,Ae power to make gold AMI silver I
of iAe standard fixed by congress lcgt. .
tender to any amount. When congress. /
in thc exercise OF the powers conferred
coins gold aud silver and fixes hts value, /
ITS duty In this regard is discharged ami /
'ie rover to determine in what amounts
oitAor shall be IA ,egal tender resides with /
o. "a