, 1897-04-19
JEFFERSON AND SILVER.
In All His Writings He Leaned Toward
Gold, Says Senator Gallery.

To Senator Caffrey. of louisiana, il
seems absurd that the silver democrats
should suppose themselves to be honor.
ing them memory of a firm supporter OF
the silver folly and other populistic doc,
trines.
Il see" said he to your correspondent
today, that we are to have n celebra-
ton Of Jefferson's birthday by the free
silver democrats here and elsewhere.
These gentlemen are evidently sincere
in their belief that Jefferson advocated
free silver coinage at the ratio OF IS to
| to gold, but nothing could be a great
than to say that jefferson advocated the
free and unlimited coinage of silver at
that or any other ratio. Jefferson's is
deservedly the greatest name in the
democratic party. and it is not unnat-
ural that these gentlyemen should try
to prove that he was one Of them. What
are he facts. however? They have been
published over and over again, but they
ought to be set out anew. They ought
to be kept before the public as long as
Jefferson's name is used to bolster the
free coinage heresy.
I'm the first place, it is u matter OF
history that the following order was is
sued by President Jefferson's secretary
Of state; it is reprinted in the report of
tn director OF tn mint for 1895:
Department Of State. May l. 1896.
Sir: In consequence Of a representa-
ton from the directors of the Bank Of
the United States that considerable pur-
chases have been made of dollars coined
at the mint for the purpose OF exporting
them, us il is probable further pur-
chases and expectations will be made,
the president (Thomas Jefferson) di-
reefs that all silver to be coined at the
mint shall be of small denominations,
so that the value OF the largest piece
shall not exceed half Il dollar.
JAMES MADISON.
Robert Patterson, esq, director OF the
Mint.
Pursuant to this order the silver dol
lar was dropped from the coinage, and
no more pieces were struck for 80 years.
Only 1000 were coined during the
eight years Jackson was president. Then
again, as | see from a recent carefully
prepared pamphlet entitled Jefferson
and Jackson on President Problems
Jefferson throughout all his writings on
leaned to gold as the standard and never
at any time varied from his proposition
that the proportion between The values
of gold and silver is a mercantile prob
lem altogether Nothing could be
stronger than that, but he goes on to
say in fiat contradiction of the agitators
who. scorn the aid or consent Of other
nations: Just principles will lead us
to disregard legal proportions altogeth-
er; to inquire into the market price of
gold in the several countries with which
we shall principally be connected in
commerce and to take an average from
them
ANY one who has looked into the
history OF Jefferson's opinions as ex-
pressed in his public arts. his public and
his private %utterances, will be curious
to see just how Jefferson car be made
out a free silverite at a 16-tO-1 ratio or
any other ratio whatever. The sound
money democrats hold that. apart from
the views of any man in the past, the
financial question before the American
people is a present and an urgent one
and to be determined according to the
laws Of trade and enlightened modern
finance. At the same time they have
a right to protest against the use OF
Jefferson's name to shield a doctrine
which his every utterance proves he
would abhor If now living"