Norwich bulletin., 1922-09-09
FAMOUS NICKNAMES
"oLD BULLION"

During that period of the middle of the past century, when the financial meas ures of the country were so much the topic of the day, Thomas Hart BeH1nN was the great champion of sound mon- ey He repeatedly urged measures to der twenty dollars, and said he would have preferred to make. the limit one hundred dollars. His object in this measure was to create a demand for coin and he repeatedly inveighed against the prevalence of paper and spoke in the highest terms of the French system and their large amount of actual gold and silver in daily use.
 So persistently did Benton urge all measures for supplying hard money to the country that for time his opponents called him "Gcld Humbug Benton" but this term of approbrium finally gave way to the nickname of "Old Boullion," while the gold coins which began in few years. ''to shine through the inter stices of the lone siEken purse and to be locked up safely in the farmers trus- ty oaken chest" were dubbed "Bentohs mint-drops." More than one story is told of his dogged and universal ad- herence to his principles on this sub ject and of repeated refusals by him to accept in change for gold what he call l- black and rags yclept government pa per"
 An eyewitness. for instance. noted the fact of seeing him hand twenty doiler gold piece to a hotel clerk to pay his bill; and, when offered notes in -ex- change. Benton made the clerk go and get coin, saying to his companion: "This | is the money the constitution provides ! for. and I will not have anything to do with any other kind" His son-in-law | once saw precisely similar scene Reh- | ton exclaiming: What Do you want a coroner's jury to sit and say, Old Bullion died of shinplasters?
 On long journey Benton made to the south in 1897, he says he always gave 1 out specie in payment and was never 1 offered rags; and he thought no one would carry notes when he could get coin. In his war against the United i States Bank, in his detestation of Cal houn and notification, in his long fight 1 for vindication under the "expunging i resolution Benton was President Jack l sons real prime minister and parliamen- l tary leader.
 Among the American statesmen of the l nineteenth century, only Jefferson, Jack. son, Webster, Clay, Calhoun and Iln- l coin can be conceded to have influenced the history of their country more deeply l than did the great Missourian.
 It is a noteworthy fact that Benton'i influence survived the struggle over slav- cry and tre Civil war to much great | CT extent than did that of any other 1 statesman of his time. Clay only ex
 cepted. As "old Bullion" and the stal
 wart advocate of currency of the preci ous metals Issued only by the govern
 ment he is identified with a permanen question of public policy much as Cla. by his advocacy of the American sys
 tenn, is with that of direct taxation. l The following incident Is related Q
 Bentons detestation of paper money il
 184i. Certain treasury notes bearing in
 terest had been authorised by congress
 and were allowed to be reissued afte
 having once been paid and the govern
 ment was in the habit of paying all it
 creditors, including the salaries of mem
 bers of congress, in the proportion 0
 two-thirds in these treasury notes ant
 only one-third in specie.
 Benton felt that citizens could hardl.
 successfully oppose this forced uncon
 stitutionaI tender" and determined him
 self to raise the question; so he had warrant drawn on the Bank of Washing
 ton in his favor for few days salary endorsed it the hard, or a protest" an had it presented for payment by a no tary. When the bank stated that onl