The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-03-09
DECENTRALIZATION.
An Argument showing the t"consu'
tutionulity of the Act
of 1879.

ID not the law that was passed by
congress in February, 1873, and which
resulted in the decentralization OF sill
yer, unconstitutional?
Section s, of article i, OF the con-
stitution, says: Congress shall have
power TO coin money, regulate tie
value thereof. and of foreign coin;
and fix the standard Of weights and
measures" Thus, is it not that money
must he coincd?-and it is necessary
! that some substance must be used Tor
| coinage: and also, that If il Is coined
| out of more than one substance, ana
each and every substance out OF which
| government coins money does no.
| have equal rights: is not treated by
the government exactly the same as
the government treats other sub
stances out of which il coins money.
can the coin that may be stamped
from such substance which does rot
possess these same rights be called
money as dcnned py this article in the
constitution? That it may be made
.or the right and power OF govern
ment to issue) a legal tender Is not
Questioned. but only, is il money
that IL. coined money. as defined by
the constitution? is it not an accept
ed fact, that, at the time of the adop-
ton of the constitution by the l3 col
onics-thus making one government
COMPOSED OF states-that the metals
gold and silver were the substances
acknowledged by the colonies land ~
the world generally To he materials
cut of which money was TO be coined;
and that it was these metals that this
article in the constitution had refer
ence to? In proof of this congress
very shortly after the beginning Of
the existence of the government, April
>. 1902. passed an act providing for the
free coinage of gold and silver at
ratio as prescribed in that act-to-wit
u to 1-both metals having equa
rights. Each metal, when coined &C
cordine to this law, became money
In further proof that gold and silver
and that only gold and silver-wer'
:, intended as the substances out o
which money was to be coined accord
!, ing TO this article, the constitution
!. prohibited, in the same article. sector
!. 10. the states from making anything
! but gold and silver coin a tender u
payment Of debts and prohibited IN
!, states from coming, reserving to TN
a general government alone that pow
= cr. Now the government and IN
a states have at various times sine
the adoption of the constitution issue
!, obligations and borrowed none.
And these Obligations and these prom
Uses TO repay money borrowed have
N ways been expressed in coin--some
the obligations of the states may ha'
been expressed in lawful money. IL
il not always been understood-has
ever been uuestioned--tha the VOL
coin as so used has always meant go
Il. and silver? Thus it must be an !
disDutablc fact that gold and silv
u. we're the substances out OF win'
ii money was to be coined by the so
N eminent according to this article
the constitution: and also an ind
ma putable fact that should one met
ne be deprived Of any rights that we
accorded to the other metal. be tire;
Ell DN INT GONti " Ahs
II than the government treated I
no other; the coin of the metal so
or prived was not money. the same
. IS the coin of the other metal was,
n. money is defined by this article in I
N constitution? For the intent a
meaning of this artcle-giving &C
rls eress the power to coin money a
regulate the value thereof. as he
nrovcd--was not gold or silver, |
re gold and silver.
70 Alexander Hamilton and Thou
nj Jefferson both expressed this idea
10 the time when the first coinage ]
Ike was passed by congress. Daniel w
l.. ster in his address to the senate
cember 21. 1885, said: II am certa
lv of the opinion. then. that gold
Tx. silver at rates fixed by congress c
stitutc the legal standard OF value
hia this country. and that neither c
gross nor any state has authority
Ike establish any other standard or TO I
place this" Andrew Jackson said
il II same thing in his farewell addr
James G.. Blaine in his speech in
nvc senate February Z, 1878, said: Il
ere iieve gold and silver coin TO be mo
pw. Of the constitution. No power
ual conferred on congress to declare
hat either metal should not be MOI
Congress has. in my judgment.
as power to dcmonetizc silve. any IN
than to dcmonetize gold. No powe
az" dcmonttizc either any more than
mrs dcmonetize both"
d. Now, the law that was passed
eep rrary, 1873. did demonetize 81
Took away from silver the. right
power to be money! right and 7
CT IL had always formerly posses
"y equally with gold-thus reservinf
!, a gold alone the power 20 be none.
dea the will OF the holder. Thus 81
uo ceased TO be money as defined by
Iuif- constitution. For Is it not an In
VIE putable fact that. II person poss
h'n ing both gold and silver can have
'ney gold coined into money. thus the