GREENBACKS AND BONDS. 527 



issue of legal tender demand notes, to circulate as national 

 currency among the people in all parts of the United 

 States. I am opposed to all those amendments of the 

 Senate which make unjust discrimination between the 

 creditors of the government A soldier or sailor who per- 

 forms service in the army or navy is a creditor of the 

 government. The man who sells food, clothing and mate- 

 rial of war for the use of the army and navy, is a creditor 

 of the government. The capitalist who holds your 7 3-10 

 treasury notes, or your 6 per cent, coupon bonds is a cred- 

 itor of the government. ******* 



"I am opposed to all these amendments of the Senate 

 which discriminate in favor of the holders of bonds and 

 notes by compelling the government to go into the streets 

 every six months to sell bonds at the 'market price,' to 

 purchase gold and silver in order to pay the interest 'in 

 coin' to the capitalists who now hold United States stocks 

 and treasury notes heretofore issued, and that may hold 

 notes and bonds hereafter to be issued ; while all other per- 

 sons in the United States (including the army and navy 

 and all who supply them with food and clothing) are 

 compelled to receive legal tender treasury notes in pay- 

 ment of demands due them from the government. Why 

 make this discrimination? Who asks to have one class of 

 creditors placed on a better footing than another class? 

 Do the people of New England, the Middle States, or the 

 people of the West and Northwest, or anywhere else in 

 the rural districts, ask to have any such discrimination 

 made in their favor? Does the soldier, the farmer, the 

 mechanic, or the merchant ask to have any such discrim- 

 ination made in his favor? No, sir; no such unjust 

 preference is asked for by this class of men. They ask 

 for a national currency, which shall be of equal value in 

 all parts of the country. They want a currency that shall 

 pass from hand to hand among all the people in every 



