What statement could be clearer and more concise than that? It being a mercantile problem, it of course was understood to be subject to fluctuation and change. Accordingly, in 1834 our forefathers concluded as their first attempt at a double standard had utterly failed in keeping the two metals circulating side by side as money, that they would change the ratio from 15 to 1 to 16 to 1, which they did. It seems this ratio undervalued silver, that is to say, the gold dollar was still worth 100 cents, but the silver dollar was worth from 102 to 103 cents. Gold at once became the hard money circulating medium in this country, silver the higher priced money, was entirely retired by the money changers, bullion dealers and silversmiths. This is another illustration where the cheaper money drove out of circulation the higher priced money. GREENBACKS WERE CHEAP MONEY. In 1861 our country was engaged in civil war, and the greenbacks were issued as money, and were at once looked upon as a cheaper money than either gold or silver and immediately drove both gold and silver out of circulation and kept them out of circulation for seventeen years, or until we resumed specie payment in 1879. The history of these seventeen years is another instance where the cheaper money was victorious and drove out of circulation the higher priced money. Mr. Harvey no less than four times in his recent speech in this city gave the following definition of bimetallism: "Bimetallism is the right to use either of the two metals for money." This condensed answer bears about the same relation to the correct definition of bimetallism as the Boy Orator of the Platte compares with those intellectual giants whom he seeks to imitate, but without success, the immortal Washington and Lincoln. (Applause). Bimetallism as is understood in the discussion of our financial question, is the use of both gold and silver as money; both legal tender money, and the legal ratio between the two metals determined from the commercial ratio. Throughout Mr. Harvey's published works and lectures we find him affirming the false principle that money is a creature of law, and that by operation of law the commercial ratio between gold and silver can be made to conform with the legal ratio of 16 to 1. Let us follow the author of "Coin's Financial School" for a few moments, and see where this false principle will carry us.