Part 13 (1/2)

That I may not be suspected of misrepresenting these men, I give some of their own words as follows:

It is not doubted that the power to establish a standard of value, by which all other values may be measured, or, in other words, to determine what shall be lawful money and a legal tender, is in its nature, and of necessity, a governmental power. _It is in all countries exercised by the government._--_Hepburn vs. Griswold, 8 Wallace 615._

The court call a power,

To make treasury notes a legal tender for the payment of _all_ debts [private as well as public] _a power confessedly possessed by every independent sovereignty other than the United States_.--_Legal Tender Cases, 12 Wallace, p. 529._

Also, in the same case, it speaks of:

That general power over the currency, _which has always been an acknowledged attribute of sovereignty in every other civilized nation than our own_.--_p. 545._

In this same case, by way of a.s.serting the power of congress to do any dishonest thing that any so-called ”sovereign government” ever did, the court say:

Has any one, in good faith, avowed his belief that even a law debasing the current coin, by increasing the alloy [and then making these debased coins a legal tender in payment of debts previously contracted], would be taking private property? It might be impolitic, and unjust, but could its const.i.tutionality be doubted?--_p. 552._

In the same case, Bradley said:

As a government, it [the government of the United States] was invested with _all the attributes of sovereignty_.--_p. 555._

Also he said:

Such being the character of the General Government, it seems to be a self-evident proposition _that it is invested with all those inherent and implied powers, which, at the time of adopting the const.i.tution, were generally considered to belong to every government, as such_, and as being essential to the exercise of its functions.--_p. 556._

Also he said:

Another proposition equally clear is, _that at the time the const.i.tution was adopted, it was, and for a long time had been, the practice of most, if not all, civilized governments_, to employ the public credit as a means of antic.i.p.ating the national revenues for the purpose of enabling them to exercise their governmental functions.--_p. 556._

Also he said:

It is our duty to construe the instrument [the const.i.tution] by its words, _in the light of history, of the general nature of government, and the incidents of sovereignty_.--_p. 55._

Also he said:

The government simply demands that its credit shall be accepted and received by public and private creditors during the pending exigency. _Every government has a right to demand this, when its existence is at stake._--_p. 560._

Also he said:

These views are exhibited ... for the purpose of showing that it [the power to make its notes a legal tender in payment of private debts] _is one of those vital and essential powers inhering in every national sovereignty_, and necessary to its self-preservation.--_p. 564._

In still another legal tender case, the court said:

The people of the United States, by the const.i.tution, established a national government, _with sovereign powers, legislative, executive_, and judicial.--_Juilliard vs.

Greenman, 110 U. S. Reports, p. 438._

Also it calls the const.i.tution:

A const.i.tution, establis.h.i.+ng a form of government, declaring fundamental principles, _and creating a national sovereignty_, intended to endure for ages.--_p. 439._

Also the court speaks of the government of the United States:

_As a sovereign government._--_p. 446._

Also it said: