Year: 1879

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During the discussion Of the War


ner Silver bill, which recently pass


ed The House. a few well-timed re-


marks we're made by Hon. Robt. L.


TAYLOR, our brilliant and patriotic


Bob, of this District. His con-


stituents will be glad to learn that


he has kept the promises made


during his canvass, and that he was
on the alert day and night, never
missing vote during the protract-


ed fight which took place oyer this


bill. His devotion to duty and his
fidelity to his promises are to be
commended, Explaining his vote
on the bill and opposing an amend


ment which had been offered, Mr..
Taylor said:


Mr.. Speaker: rise to oppose the
amendment. This is not the first time
that attempts have been made in the
Congress of the United States to compel
the laboring millions to contribute the
proceeds of their toll and sweat to in
crease the wealth of the favored few, in
violation of binding contracts and under
the wicked pretense of giving to all an
honest dollar / remember that the
people of this country rested for seven
years in the consciousness of owing
81, SOC, 200, 600 in $50 bonds, payable in
greenbacks. This was the contract, but
in 1869 the Congress of the United States
passed an act making these same bonds
payable in coin. And when they did
that they broke a solemn contract. I
will not say what the intention was, but
I do say that the result was millions of
dollars wrung from the suffering and
sweat of the common people and given


TO the bondholders. Then silver was
demonetized and the double standard of
our fathers, struck down by stealth, and
so silver has been twice humiliated; once
by Judas Iscariot, who sold his God for
thirty pieces, and once by Republican
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the work of ruin and reckless discrimi-
nation in favor of bonded aristocracy.


Why is it that we have Democratic
majority in both Houses of Congress to-
day? If party rules justly and with
an even hand why take from it the pow
er and give it to another? Why is itg
1t is because cOnfding people have
been betrayed by leaders who have held
the sway for fourteen years; tits because
right has been trampled under foot; it is
because the most binding contracts have
been repudiated and the dearest interests
of the people disregarded; it is because
by demonstration and contraction and
taxation the great mass of the laboring
and business men of the nation have
been ruined. And, now, say to the
Democracy, you have the power, use it;
the eyes of the people are upon you.
Do not use it as the Republicans have,
in the interest of capital and against la
Dor. If you do, take warning; the pee
pie will turn their backs on you forever;
anu tAleg 0uSAb w w A.


The passage of this bin as reported by
the committee will be grand step in the
right direction, because the free coinage
Of silver with 412a grains to the dollar
is the will and wish of the people and
it Is just and honest, the amend
ment of the gentlemen from Maryland
10 the contrary Notwithstanding Ihave
40 doubt the intention of the gentleman
himself is good, but the effect of his
providing for AGO grains of
silver to the dollar would be to compel
.he debtor class to pay to the creditor
class All grains in the dollar more than
s due; the terms and conditions of all
'oFmer contracts would be changed; the
gold worshipers would gain another
great victory, silver would be again hu-
and the people, now overbur-
lened with debt and taxation, would be
robbed again of millions more.


Mr.. Speaker, there is no danger of sill
yer becoming too plentiful as long as
we have four millions of laboring men
md women among us without employ
nent and without bread. Let lis pass
.he bill, and the voice of the people will
De, well done, ye good and faithful
servants"