530 THE IMPENDING REVOLUTION. 



great injury and great loss to all classes of the people 

 throughout the Union, except one. With my colleague, I 

 believe that no act of legislation of this government was 

 ever hailed with as much delight throughout the length 

 and breadth of this Union, by every class of people, 

 without exception, as the bill which we passed and sent to 

 the Senate. Congratulations from all classes merchants, 

 traders, manufacturers, mechanics and laborers poured 

 in upon us from all quarters. The Boards of Trade from 

 Boston, New York, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, 

 Louisville, Chicago and Milwaukee, approved its provisions 

 and urged its passage as it was. * * * It was true, 

 there was a doleful sound came up from the caverns of 

 bullion brokers and from the saloons of the associated 

 banks. Their cashiers and agents were soon on the 

 ground, and persuaded the Senate, with but little deliber- 

 ation, to mangle and destroy what it had cost the House 

 months to digest, consider and pass. They fell upon the 

 bill in hot haste, and so disfigured and deformed it that 

 its very father would not know it. [ Laughter. ] 



" Instead of being a beneficent and invigorating meas- 

 ure, it is now positively mischievous. It has all the bad 

 qualities which its enemies charged on the original bill, 

 and none of its benefits. It now creates money, and by its 

 very terms declares it a depreciated currency. It makes 

 two classes of money one for the banks and brokers, and 

 another for the people. It discriminates between the rights 

 of the different classes of creditors, allowing the rich capi- 

 talist to demand gold, and compelling the ordinary lender 

 of money on individual security to receive notes which the 

 government had purposely discredited. * * * 



"But now comes the main clause. All classes of peo- 

 ple shall take these legal-tender notes at par for every arti- 

 cle of trade or commerce, unless they have money enough 

 to buy United States bonds, and then they shall be paid in 



