People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 20, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 November 1893 — CONSTITUTIONAL MONEY. [ARTICLE]

CONSTITUTIONAL MONEY.

The I’se of Silver a* Moner I* a Constltn. : tlonal Right of Which Congress Cannot Deprive the People. As King Saul towered above his fellows in physical stature, so does Sen- > ator Morgan rise above his associates i in the senate as an expounder of the j constitution. It is conceded by demoj crats and republicans alike that Senator Morgan is the ablest constitutional lawyer in the senate or that has held a seat in that body since the days .of Daniel Webster. Hence when he I speaks upon any subject involving a | constitutional principle he commands the respect of the senate and arrests the attention of the whole country. In his speech before the senate Mr. Morgan took the broad ground that the use of silver as money was a constitutional right of which congress could j not deprive the people. In most explic- , it language the constitution recognizes ; gold and silver as the money of this | country, and grants to congress the i power to regulate the coinage of the | two metals on equal terms. There is nowhere in the constitution even the | suspicion of authority for congress to ( discriminate between the two metals, much less to demonetize either. A fair I construction of the constitution is that if there is unlimited coinage for one metal there must be for both. There can be no separation of the terms or conditions upon which the two metals shall be coined. But if by strained construction it should be held that congress did have this power, this would not carry with it the right or power to strip either of its money quality with which it is invested by the constitution in language as plain as it is possible to make it | Congress has not the constitutional power to demonetize silver or gold. Both are coupled together so inseparably by the terms of the constitution that the right to destroy one would carry with it the right to destroy both; and if gold and silver were both demonetized the country would be left without any money. Surely there is no one, noteven the hard-faced gold champion, who would have the temerity to contend that congress has the right to : destroy the whole money supply of the nation. Then the converse must be i true. If both cannot be destroyed, then neither one can be singled out for destruction. The use of silver as money is a right guaranteed by the organic law, and it is as sacred a right us any guaranteed by that instrument which is the palladium of our liberties. If silver can be stricken down, then any other provision of the constitution can be violated with equal impunity. The peo- ! pie of this country will not permit an invasion of their constitutional rights by either congress or the executive, j This is a government of constitutional limitations, and it is necessary to maintain it as such in order to preserve the : liberties of the people. If any brunch of the government attempts to usurp authority not delegated by the constitution, the people will rise in their might and overthrow the usurper. Thegoldolatersare treading on dangerous ground when they attempt to deprive the people of their constitutional right to use silver as a part of the money of the country. The people will not submit to it. They will not be j robbed of their constitutional rights. As long as American manhood and American patriotism exist, the constitution shall be preserved intact, and the people shall have full enjoyment of the rights guaranteed by that instrument.—Portland (Ore.) Telegram.