A statesman argues for restoring coin payments and a stable currency, outlining a practical plan and stern warnings about centralized banking.
This edition presents the speech in which William C. Rives defends and adapts a currency reform plan. It frames why the government should favor specie or bank-notes convertible to specie for all public revenue, and why it opposes the Sub-Treasury style. The talk balances a detailed policy proposal with reflections on national finance, public trust, and the constitutional questions of money.
Readers will see a persuasive, historical argument about currency stability, confidence, and the role of banks and state institutions in shaping economic policy. The speaker lays out modifications to a prior bill, aims for early resumption of specie payments, and argues for coordinated action by Congress and the states.
- Explanation of why public dues should be paid in gold, silver, or notes of specie-paying banks, with safeguards for small denominations.
- Proposals to set a fixed date for resuming specie payments and incentives for banks to meet it.
- A comparison of different banking systems and a call for coordinated, state‑level support to stabilize the currency.
Ideal for readers of early American economic policy, congressional debates, and the history of money in the United States.