The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-14

Black and others.
i have Just finished reading the speech
made by AAr Voorhees, in the Senate
on the 22nd. of August, 1893. HIS mis-
take in trusting Cleveland and Carlisle
has often been alluded to as if he had
been willing party to the fraud. His
speech and conduct at the time do not
justify this harsh estimate. He honest
ly thought he was taking the best road
to bi-metallism, and was grlevously de-
ceived by men he thought he could I'M
plicitly trust. This will be the verdict of
history. All the same, he had to suffer
the deception practiced on him and had
to hear suspicious that gave him great
annoyance. Some have said that it short
ened his days. tE.EfEtEE#
Some extracts from his speech in sup
port of the repeal of the Sherman law
show his position. He began by charging
that the panic was worked up by the cry
of the selfish pessi1nist who wanted to
compel big bond issue and the retire
ment of greenbacks. He called them
''trafficers in money and the permanent
investors of capital" Referring to the
original passage of the Sherman act
he said: f.t-..t
"a bill for the free coinage of silver
had passed the Senate by the great
majority of 16, and then the measure,
since known by the name of the Senator
from Ohio, was brought forward and
rendered to the representatives of the
States having silver bullion to SELL as a
compromise in lieu of the great victory
they had just obtained. In an evil hour,
the worst and darkest that ever befell
the cause of bi-metallism or the honor
and existence of silver money. this PERM
cious compromise was accepted and fast
ened on the country. The Senator from
Ohio, it is true, now claims credit for
his repeated assertion of late that there
has never been an hour since the COM
promise was effected that he has not
stood ready to violate it by voting for its
repeal"
The dog in the fable, letting go the
meat he already had for the shadow
which looked larger, made no greater mis-
take than did the silver States when
they supported the Sherman act as a
substitute for legitimate free coinage. The
act was not intended in good faith for the
coinage of silver at all. On the contra
ry, it emanated from the enemies of
silver money, and its purpose was to de-
grade, dishOnor, and disgrace this one
of the precious metals until it could no
longer hold it's place with gold as a part
of the specie basis of this country and
of the world"
After giving the vote by which the
Sherman law was passed, and avowing
his devotion to free coinage. Mr.. Foor-
hees continued:
ut will neither be demonetized nor
driven away from the habitations of the
laboring masses of mankind. 1t has
come down to us from immemorial ages,
and it will continue to exist as one of
the precious metals, uphOlding the cred
it of nations and bringing blessings TO
the sons and daughters of toll when the
scenes through which we are now pass
ing have grown dim in the light and pro-
gress of distant centuries. | shall vote to
repeal the Sherman act as | would re-
move dead fly from a box of sweet
ointment, as l would abate a nuisance,
and wipe out an obstruction to rational,
wholesome legislation 1t taints and Wit
iates our entire financial system, and
destroys confidence in all business trans
actions every hour it remains a part of
our laws. Often the question has been
IL
for its unconditional repeal, or whether
before it goes, something in the way of
Il substitute must be agreed upon 10 take
its place"
He then quoted the Democratic plat
form which he said committed the party
to 1.-The coinage of silver on an equality
with gold" He then quoted from the let
ter of acceptance written by Mr. Cleve-
land pledging himself to the safe utili
zation of both gold and silver upon equal
terms" And after showing that Mr..
Cleveland was committed by every hon
orable consideration to treat gold and
silver equally, Mr.. Voorhees, said:
who dares in the face of the clear
and explicit words which | have just
read to charge that their author is a
mononetallist in disguise, believer in
the use of the gold and gold alone, but
wearing, for the sake of an election to the
Presidency, a bimetallic mask?
Sir, who has the hardihood to assert
or to insinuate that Grover Cleveland is
Il dissembler, a man who conceals his
opinions or dispositions under a false APP
pearance; u hypocrite, practicing de-
ception upon his countrymen in order to
crafty his personal ambition? On the
contrary his fearless frankness in the eX-
preston of his views on all public ques-
tions without regard to their effect upon
himself has long been conceded by friend
and foe to be the leading characteristic
of his mind.
"He has never recalled, retracted, or
explained away a single word of his let
ter accepting the nomination for the
I In, hat lott
are to-day alive and in force, and as bind
ing this hour as they were when first
given to the world; and hereby declare
that / am willing to stand or fall by my
faith in the truth and honor of Grover
Cleveland and in his well-known fidelity
to pledges when once they are made"
| would like to see Mr.. Cleveland read
these glowing words of faith in his in
tegrity, this challenge to any who has
the "hardihood to assert or to insinuate
that Grover Cleveland is N diSSembler'