Thought Freedom Quotes
Later published under the pseudonym Silence Dogood in the New England Courant, July 9, 1722. Cato originated the quotation in Ancient Rome. A millennium later, Ben Franklin picked it up and made it and made it very popular. Note that it was very common in early America for publishers and writers to copy materials from others and publish them under their own name. America was a major intellectual property pirate in its early years copying and printing much and rarely giving credit and never paying an author's royalty--not unlike some of the Asian nations today.
The United States money was then on the Gold Standard. The country was growing and needed more money in circulation. But most of the gold that might be available was in England and English bankers could control much of the U. S. economy. The Populists and the Democrats wanted us to use silver to back U. S. money as there was plenty of silver in the United States. The Republicans would not relent and depression was upon the country. A half century later, it would be Republican President Richard M. Nixon, who took the United States off the gold standard. Lease was far ahead of her time.
