The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1898-10-26

that splendid position which we have
attained with so much toll and so many
sacrifices, and to maintain unimpeachable
the honor and good faith of this great
nation.
During my brief service in congress
have seen, on account of the exciting
times through which we have recently
passed, many exciting and inspiring
scenes, but 1 have seen none more in
spring than that which occurred in the
house of representatives on the 31st day
of January, 1898, when the so-caIied Tel
Ter resolution was considered and defeat
ed by the full strength Of the Republican
majority. That resolution was not a joint
resolution, which when enacted and APP
proved would have the force of law; 1t
was simply a concurrent resolution,
which does not require the approval of
the president, and which, If adopted, is
only the expression Of the opinion
of the two house of congress
and inferentially OF the people pOr+ t dcS
therefore, was in the fact that if the
house should adopt it and thereby concur
with the senate, it would have been IN
evitably regarded here and throughout
the world as an expression of the del1oer-
ate judgment of the majority of the Am
erican people as to their standard OF hon.
or and good faith in the discharge OF
public and private obligations. 1t was
artfully drawn, with its numerous pre-
ambles and whereases, SO as TO seem u
he a mere expression by congress OF the
mower and technical legal right OF the
government as to the
Payment of It's Obligations
and as to what may be declared
legal tender Upon these questions
there could be no difference of opinion.
No one would deny that this or any
other sovereign nation could pay us op-
LEGATIONS in full, or in part only, or not
at all; that it could pay them In gold or
silver or paper or copper or any rmn,s
according to it's own pleasure. Any SOW
ereign nation can do that. EVERYBODY
knew that payment could not pc enforced
against it and that it's obligations were
measured by it's own sense of honor anu
GOOD faith But covered up under these
oreambles and whereases there was
declaration which was not an assertion
of power or even OF a tecnnlcal lesa5,
right. but a declaration of the STANDARD
of honor and good faltn when Tue INC Ill,
lean people were prepared, under eAisIliS
conditions to proclaim to the Worlo:
This declaration was as follows: Inat
to restore to it's coinage such silver COILS
as a legal tender in the payment OF suGn
bonds" (meaning all the bonds OF the
Irnifed States now outstanding) 'is not IN
violation of the public faith nor IN Zero,
cation of the rights of the PUBIC creult,
or in other words, that we were 10 go INTO
the unlimited coinage OF silver uollars a.
the ratio of 16 to /; that these COINS We're
to be made legal tender, and wnether
they remained at a parity with goid OF
sank actually or approximately 70 Ino
commercial value of the silver IN tneni.
they were to be used in the pavmentt "
orr bonds and other obligations, whether
the creditor was willing to receive tnem
or not. and that such payment Would not
be in violation of the public falth, or IN
derogation of the rights Of pupl1c creul,
tors. And all this in the face of repeated
Seciarations by the country and pledges
embodied in positive law that we Wouid
maintain the parity in value or the coins
of the two metals and the equal power
of every dollar at all times IN the mai
kets, and in the payment OF DEBTS; IN
the face of the fact declared by Gen.
Grant that at the time of the issuance
of the first of these bonds 1t was unuer-
stood by everybody that they were TO De
paid in gold or it's equivalent; In the race
of the fact that at the last general cleo
tion the people had declared for eXactly
the reverse in the presence Of conditlons
of calamity and depression Sucn as the
country had seldom before witnessed;
and in the face of the further Iact ina
the country had shaken off those cond1-
tions of blight and gloom, had struggled
again to its feet and again had its race
turned to the rising glories Of the coming
day.
the 31st day of January, 1893. 1t was re-
ceived with cheers by the Popocrats-l
call them so because there were DEMO-
Gratis even in that house who refused to
receive it with honor. In i've hourS-ln
one session Of that body-it was stripped
bv the Republicans of all the subterfuges
which had been resorted to to conceal
its real character, and literally
Kicked With scorn
back to those from whom 1T came.
The responsible majority of that
came The responsible majority OF that
house did not hesitate. In one short ses-
sion they gave notice to the country
and to the world that they would not
temporize or trif1e with such PROPOSE
ton, that the, opening flower of national
prosperity should not be blighted in the
bud. that the good name of the nation
was safe in their hands, and that they
would preserve and maintain unchanged
their standard of values and would keep
without equivocation their pledges OF
honor.
Many statements have been attributed
to me of late that I have never made,
many positions that l have never as
sumed, and this has been well known to
those who have so stated. nave never
said, I do not say, that the financial ques-
ton is not one to be considered by the
voters in this campaign. 1t is a question
as important as ever, one winch the Vot-
ers should have constantly In their mlndS,
especially in this district, but one which
I firmly believe is already decided before
hand in the minds of the people, one
which they are determined shall remain
settled as it was settled in the last cleo
ton. 1 believe they are determined now
to countenance no more of this agitation
and to turn to other and greater ques-
tons. 1t is only necessary that they
shall know for what man stands. That
is sufficient. Argument is unnecessary.
Two years ago all over this country,
all over this state, in every village and
school house in this district, that ques-
ton was discussed in all it's phases, sub
jected to every light, exposed to every
view, in the presence of conditions more
favorable to the cause of silver as then
and now presented than ever before
known in the history of our country, and
let us hope more favorable than such
conditions will ever be again, and the
people by an overwhelming majority-in
those states which were not controlled by
polluted ballot boxes or by some special
local interest or fancied grievance-the
most overwhelming ever shown by the
returns of any northumberland In IA