Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 17 (of 20)Sumner, Charles
History
Charles Sumner: his complete works, volume 17 (of 20)
Sumner, Charles
Slavery -- United States; Speeches, addresses, etc., American
The demand by the people for legal-tender will not be appreciably
increased, as the bank-note is receivable by the Government for all
dues except customs, and those demands are necessarily localized. While
the growing scarcity of greenbacks, because of their replacement by
bank-notes fulfilling all the requirements of general trade, will not
be noticed by the people, the banks will take heed lest they fall, and
at an early day begin to strengthen themselves. Legal-tender reserves
they must have, and, with the honest eyes of our Secretary of the
Treasury to detect any deficiency, they will begin their strengthening
policy at once. Instead of putting gold received as interest forthwith
on the market for sale, they will put it snugly away in their vaults.
The gold which comes to them in the course of banking operations will
be added thereto; and almost imperceptibly the country banks will
arrive at the condition of the city banks, whose reserves in coin
and legal-tender notes are now far beyond the requirements of law.
In the mean time, and without derangement of business, the Treasury
may strengthen its reserve,--while, on the other hand, the quiet
reduction of its liabilities advances the percentage of the reserve
to the whole amount of liabilities in almost a compound ratio. With
this strengthening of the condition of the Treasury, made manifest to
all the world by its monthly publications, the mistrust of the people
will be gradually, but surely, dissipated, and as surely be replaced
by confidence that all demand obligations will be redeemed at an
early day,--a confidence as wide-spread and deep-seated as is that
now prevailing in relation to our bonded debt, that it will be paid
according to the spirit as well as the letter of the law.
It will thus be seen that just in proportion to the strengthening
of the legal-tender do we strengthen the bank-note. Strike out of
existence in a single day the legal-tender notes, and I fear that
the bank-note would for a time fall in comparative value: so would
everything else. But I advocate no such violent measure.
The Senator from Indiana in his remarks appeared to forget that
we have in the country two or three hundred millions of another
legal-tender,--being coin, now displaced, of which no legitimate use is
made in connection with the currency,--that should resume its proper
position in the paper circulation of the country. Here are two or three
hundred millions of money, now by force of law demonetized, which I
would have relieved of its disabilities. I would change the relation of
master it now occupies to that of servant, where it properly belongs;
and I would inflate the currency with it to the extent that we possess
it. Inflation by coin is simply specie payment, or very near it.
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account