The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1860-09-26

Address Of che Bepublicam Central Commit.
tee Of Ingham County.
IcOxCLUDHD.
But let US now pass TO the consideration Of the
STATE DEBT SINCE ls47.
A the pro-slavery Democracy would gladly
repudIate the policy OF their party in the matter
OF the State debt prior TO lsi7, just as they re-
pudiated the unpaid portion Of the five million
loan, and Just as they seek to repudate the prof.
liease and corrupt administration of James Bu-
chanan; and as they claim that the Democratic
policy commenced with that period, We will trace
the history of the State debt from that time un-
ill an outraged and indignant people hurled the
Democratic party from power; and compare their
record with that of the Republican party.
DEMOCRATIC INCREASE OF THE STATE DEBT IN I
YEARS.
Auditor Gen u V Bell in his Report of Pee !, 1917
(sg- 49, states the Total STATE eh', t,r sh'eh sns
e liz bio vithou, eon,ipget y, 10 be-. f.OiasS 81
Auditor General Swegles, IN hrs Report Of
Iec |. 1854, (psge mskss the Total
fun .si and undabie Debt, -Sot,'ia 10
democratic Increase IN .,ea-.. s2.o,7... 10
REPUBLICAN DECREASE o. IHE sTArk DEF ~ 5
YEARS.
sa e i~tt Uee. lsa4 (s.-ges kep"rtJ ;.53 ,5i5 20
Au,i.t,r Gen.rai Case, IN his Report 81 Dec.
I,...,e,.us ..s .2l5 s.s ~
Republican decrease 10 s .-ars. ... 2I5.2l5 IS
Notwithstanding this evidence. furnished prn,
cipaIv by Democratic records, there are not
wanting those who have the hardihoOd to declare
that the Democratic policy was constantly TO
diminish the State deot," and that the Republi.
can marty nave hrocy increased II
The exhibit We have given does not include
the accretions to the Trust Funds, but pertains
exclusively to the bonded debt of the State.
The relations Of the Trust Funds to the State
are entirely different from those Of the bonded
debt. The latter consists of loans made, usually
for 81 years, the interest payable semi-annually,
and the principal payable at the close Of the pc.
Rod for which the loan was made, or sat any
time thereafter, or at any time previous, at the
option of the State"
1t is plain, then, that this debt is under the
direct control of the State government and may
be increased or diminished according to the
means or necessities Of the State. But with the
Trust Funds the case is different. These are
funds arising principally from the proceeds OF
the sales Of lands granted by the United
States To the State, for educational purposes,
and the proceeds of al. lands or other property
given by individuals, appropriated by the State
for like purposes" which the constitution de-
clares "shali he and remain PERPETUAL
FUND" the interest and income of which ''shall
be inviolably appropriated and annually applied
to the specific objects of The original gift, grant or
appropriation"
Hence, the increase of the debt to the Trust
Funds is no argument against the economy of an
administration, or the prudence with which it
has managed the affairs of the State. The only
manner ia which this increase can be prevented
is by robbery OF these sacred inhertances of the
people. In this as in other instances, the De-
mOcracy have availed themselves of their pre-
rOgative of plundering the State, as the follow
ing exhibit from the School Laws of Michigan
a work issued in 1859, by the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, will show:
Table shosoing the last 10 the Primary School ard
Jnirersity Funds duing Ben.ocrattc rule
Deficiency in the Primary School Fund ee School Laws
worthless loans of Primary School Fund, (see
School Laws, psae 49, IL 800 oO
Laws, page 81 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. % $40 81
Total, ...... ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ST. ,725 10
Thus we see that the Democratic party, beside
the vast amount it has pundered from other
sources, has been guilty OF most culpable rob-
berry Of S7l,725 l6!: from funds made
forever sacred to the youth of Michigan, by the
constitution of the State Fellow citizens, do
you wish return to this Democratic policys If
80, vote the Democratic ticket.
But to return. We have shown by their own
records that the Democratic party, during the
last seven years of its swsy-a period pointed to
with pride as illustrating, par excellence, Demo.
cratic State pOlcy-increased the State debt
$240,777 19. When, therefore, they assert that
ish the State debt" they state II deliberate and
wilful falsehood.
But what apology can they offer for this in
crease? None Whatever. They did not expend
the resources of the State on works of internal
improvement, with the exception OF finishing,
in lS4S, the grant of land made by Congress for
that purpose, and paying old debts,) because
these works had already been sold or abandoned.
Neither did they apply these resources to build
ing up State Institutions, for they left this work
for the Republican party to perform. They will
hardly desire to claim that this increase was
made necessary to meet the ordinary expenses Of
the government, and on account Of sums squan.
dered or stolen from the treasury by themselves,
yet we defy them to show that this sum was de.
voted to any honest expenditure whatever.
The Republican party, on the other hand, be.
sides reducing the State debt 81 5,2l6 76, as
shown by the Auditor Generals Reports, have
paid much larger amount of interest accruing
thereon than was paid during the Democratic
period referred ts-have met the increasing ex.
penditures consequent upon growing State, and
have paid much larger sum for the develop
ment Of the resources Of the State and the build
ing up Of its institutions; while all these have
been done with less aggregate receipts than were
those OF the seven previous years OF Democratic