The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-01
earning his bread by the sweat Of his
brow. MIR. Deadly was selling books,
which pursuit he follows to earn his
living.
THE ISSUE OF 1900.
Berkeley. Va, August 81, 1897.

"... - L
Editor yirglnlan:
Dear Sir--It Is an old adage that
money Is the root OF all evil. and yet 1t
Is not Il little surprising that men will
Subordinate all other considerations In
order to grasp this root. Just SO long as
people can purchase for the much
abused silver dollar the same amount
as with the gold dollar, just SO long
Will they rcmetn content. The dissatls-
faction resides In the want of All In
crease in the currency. no matter wheth-
er II be geld. silver or paper. The Con-
stitution of the United States nowhere
declares that the government shall coin
gold and silver. The words are "shall
DIN money" regulate the value there
OF. and of foreign coin; but it does de-
clare the United States shall pay their
debts In gold and silver. making no. dis
examination in favor of either metal. 1t
Will be seen hen that the Constitution
recognizes only gold and silver as the
money of the country. Paper. then. IL
not money, AZ 1t cannot be coined, and
at best only represents 1t. The phrase,
16 to ], Is no now theory, and only de-
termines the ratio in value of the two
metals. 1t may be possible that there
are many persons who labor under the
deluslon that 1t had It's origin in the last
presidential canvass, not so-its origin
Lis coeVal with our government. Federal
money Is gold and silver-for nowhere
In the Constitution Is the word currency
Found. Therefore 1t Is very evident that
Congress has no to issue or to
authorize any mpan of individuals to
issue any species Of Federal paper cur
rercy whatever. The power given to
Congress to coin money Is authority to
stamp metallic money, and is not an au-
thority for emitting slips of paper con-
tanning promises to pay money. The
authority granted to Congress to regu-
late the value Of coin Is an authority to
regulate The value of the metallic
money. not Of paper.
The power to punish the crime of
counterfeittng Is limited TO the current
coin of the United States, and cannot
be extended to the offense of forging pa
per money. but by that untustlhablc
power Of construction which POUNDS a.,
implication upon an duplication and
hangs one implied power upon another.
There Is not one word IN the Consti-
tuition which can be made to cover a cir
culation of bank notes, and the wisdom
CT This is In the wreck of two hundred
millions OF dollars which lay upon the
land as the result of the paper currency
issued by the Congress of the Confede-
ration. Hence, the 50th statute passed
at the first session Of the first Con-
gress that ever sat under the present
Constitution was full and explicit on this
head. They are: THAT the fees and du-
ties payable to the Federal government
shall HE received In gold and silver coin
only-the gold coins Of France, Spain,
Portugal and England. and .allsS other
gold coins Of equal fneness at SO cents
Tor every pennyweight. The Mexican
dollar at 100 cents. the crown OF France
at III cents. and all other silver coins OF
eauai nneness at III cents per ounce
RMS statute was passed the 3Oth day
CT July. 1883. and yet In the face of this
We hear politicians prating tina silver
rs n dead issue. Let them no longer
mug this delusion to their soul, for the
time Is near at hand-not farther than
the year l9oO-'when the supremacy OF
the constitution will he fully vindicated,
and the dead Issue Will appear as the
liveliest ghost that has ever startled
American citizens. W