Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1843-06-03
GOV. BIGGER AND G.. b. SMITH.

SO great a number of persons convened that II
was impossible to procure a room sufficiently
large to hold them, consequently the speakers
were placed under the unpleasant necessity OF
speaking ia the street. The wind blew quite
briskIy TOO, during Mr.. BIscER's address, so that
had he possessed less physical power 1t would
have been with difficulty no could have been
heard. However, but 70 Of our public speakers
have tho Same control Of their voice that Gov.
Bigger hns Of his, which enabled him to be heard
by all who wore within reasonable distance.
Gov Bigger commenced his speech by allu-
sions TO his declarations when he last addressed
this Same people. during the campaign OF 1910,
and whilst he a candidate for Governor He
then told the people that things had all gone
wrong for number of years-lhat the wild spirit
Of speculation had well-uigh ruined the State,
and that it indispensably necessary that we
should re,race steps, and rectlfy the errors o
the past, ra her than engage III any new enter
prses. He had 10 his inaugural address recon-
mended an abandonment of the system OF inter
nal Improvement and subsequently, had advised
tho disbandng of the Board Of Canal Commis-
siouers and tho entire corps of Engineers; all oil
which suggestions had been adopted by the legis'
ia,ure. He stil though. it to be the better policy
for the State to husband her resources and endea.
vor by some means secure the pa yment Of her
public debt. The editor Of the Goshen Democrat
had said that if the people Of Indiana would only
elect Mr.. Whitcomb Governor The public debt
would be paid, and without giving the "whys and
wherefores" said it would be time enough to tell
after the election; but DR.. Jackson, the ocofoco
editor of the Indiana Eagle, had avowed the prn
cpie of reputation! Gov. Bigger in indignant
and eloquent language denounced tho idea of Re-
pudiaiion as unworthy the character of Indiana;
and every man present, however deep his mind
may DO imbued with the principles of locofocoism,
mus. have admired the elevated and honorable
position he occupied in regard to the fame of the
State over which he presides. Gov. Bigger said
no did not attribute to Mr.. Whitcomb, the dis
grace Of being Repudiator; but that he was en-
tirey unable to say what Mr.. Whitcomb's posi- !
ton was in regard to that subject which is now
OF the far greatest Importance TO Indiana OF any !
other subjeci-her State debt, os he believed
Mr.. Whtcomb had s,udiously avoided, and had
positively declined to "define his position" a. this
time, and until after the election in regard TO IT.
Mr.. Bigger stated the bonded Indebtedness of the |
State to be about II 900 900 of dollars. A little
more than 100000 of this sum ac-
count Of the Wabash and Erie Canal. frac
ton less than S2O0O,O0O on account of the State
Bank. The payment Of the interest, and ultl-
mntey the principal Of the Canal debt, is doubt.
less secured in tho growing importance of that
work. The Bank has uniformly paid the interest
on her debt, and there can be no doubt Of the final
payment of its debts when due. Thus will be,
or is now secured the payment OF S4,OOO,OOO, OF
our foreign debt. If The general government were
20 adopt q plan similar TO that recommended by
VIM. Cost Johnson, for tho distribution Of the
proceeds of the public lands to the several States
to which they rghtfulIy belong, Indiana would re.
ceive something over S6OOO,0OO This would
secure the payment OF that amour, of our indebs
ednes., leaving q balance of only $4,000 900 to
be provided for by direct tax. which could be
raised by an assessment of 10 cents on the one
hundred dollars The value Of the property OF
the citizens of the State, and at a rate of tax Of
half that which is now paid. Mr.. Bigger
said he no, willing nov to endorse or recon
mend the plan of MIR. Johnson in its details, bu,
tina, he believed something Of the kind, having
for its basis the public lands which belong to the
States, would ultimately be found neces sary aud
proper He said, tho people, embarrassed as they
by their individual debts, cannot relieve them
selves by direct tax, and a resort to The public
lands, through the issue Of Bonds by the general
government. is the means by which the faith and
honor Of the State may be maintained. He de-
MED the charge that the Wings wished the gene a
raj government to assume the debts of the States
No man could be found advocating the assun ption
as i, 10 termed; but a right, the people asked Il
Bonds be issued in anticipation Of the receipts
of the proceeds Of the sales of the public lands.
Mr. Bigger reviewed at considerable length the .
pamphlet Of Mr.. Whitcomb, and the principles of .
q tariff for protection in general. He read ex,
tracts from the messages Of Washington, JefTer. =
son, Madison, and the hard featured old hero of i