The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-03-16


from tne taias Of even the suspicion 0. cor.
ruptian. Public virtue is the vital spiri, OF
lrepublies, and history proves that when thi
usurPed its place, although the forms of
free government may remain for season.
the substance has departed forever.
Having thus paid tribute to the majesty
of virtue, the Few President tarued bis at
tention 20 more material topics, and called
the world to notice the extraordinary con-
dition of prosperity which surrounded the
national treasury. And well be might. The
entire public debt, at the time, amounted
to bat $50 ,060, 1860, aud there was a
balance in the treasury on the next Isl. Of
July, of SIT, ,7l0, ia, 81, leaving a ba.ance
OF Indebtedness of only Sll 1856, ,222 CO.
The revenues were rapidly wiping this out,
and we were in a fair way of reaching the
almost unparalleled exhibition, which bad
been accomplished in JAcssoS's time. of a
great nation without creditor. So i'm
pressed was Mr.. BUcHASAS With these facts.
that he gave utterance to his feelings rs
4 follows:
Sour present financial condition is with.
out parallel in history. No nation has
erer before been embarrassed from too
large surplus in its treasury. This al
most necessarily gives birth to extravagant
legislation. Ii produces wild schemes of
expenditures, and begets race Of specu
iatiors and jobbers, whose ingenuity is
exerted IN eontrlying AMI promoting expe-
oients to obtain the public money The
Iarty, through its official agents, whether
riightiuliy or wrongfulIy, is suspected, and
the character of the government suffers in
the estimation of the people. This in itself
is very great evil. The natural mode of
relief from this embarrassment is to appro-
pirate the surplus in the treasury to great
national objects, for which a clear warrant
can be found in the constitution. Among
these might mention the extinguishment
or the pubic debt; reasonable increase
OF the navy, which is at present inadequate
10 the protection of our tonnage anoat-
now greater than that Of any other nation
as well as the defense of our extended sea
coast.'
1t was under such circumstances as these
that the head of the Democratic party, who
goes out of power to-day. became also the
head of the nation. 1t is almost a m ockerv
to invite comparison Of the present con-
dition of public affair, with that which ex-
listed when Mr.. BUCHANAN became President
The people have already a sufficiently keen
perception of the difference.
''The voice of the majority" has again
been heard, but instead of the ''ins,ant sub
mission which followed Mr.. BUcuASAS's
elevation, seven States are in open aebellon
to it, and their rebellion is led by the Presi-
DENTS most trusted advisers, is openly
countenanced by the Presidents party, and
has been encouraged by the President
himself
The government which Mr.. BUCHANAN os-
tentatiously proclaimed ought to be pre-
served ''from even the taint of the susl icion
of corruption," has been the agent of the
most unblushing corruptions, robberies and
swindles ever perpetrated by any govern
meut known to the civilized world. The
President himself led the way, in the open
purchase, with public money, of congress
sional support to the Lecompton fraud. His
agents all over the country have pursued a
systematic course Of plunder and extrava-
gance. His Secretary of the Treasury
bankrupted that Department. His Secreta-
ry of the Interior permitted the Indian bonds
to be stolen from him. His Secretary of
War issued more than six millions of fraud
ulent acceptances, knowing that either the
government or their holders were to be
swindled by them. Contracts intended to
rob the people of thousands and hundreds
Of thousands Of dollars have been given for
the asking to pet politicians of the Demo-
cratic party. Every State, and almost
every large town, in the nation, has con-
tributed its dcfaulters and its malfeasant to
the general army Of thieves and plunderers
which this administration imposed upon the
country. No public service was ever so
dcmoralizod and debauchod as that of which
| Mr.. BUCHANAN is now the head. No people
was ever so robbed of their money and their
character, as the American people have
been by the expiring administration.
No policy could have been better adapted
to obviafe the embarrassments Of an over
flowing treasury than that which has been
pursued by Mr.. Buchanan ard his Demo-
cratic followers. The dsbt which, four
wears ago, was virtually eleven millions of
dollars. has been swelled into m aggregate
of s96.IsS, ,99i, without including
claims yet under consideration! And this
without the occurrence of a foreign war,
or anv unusual legitimate demand upon the
treasury. The money has gone to pay par
,isans, and to meet exgravagant habits
Thousands Of Democrats who have neither
the capacity nor the disposition to make an
honest living, have become rich through the
plunder which BrcHASAs and his party have
held out 10 them.
\ Here then are the legacies which the
Democracy and their chosen leaders be.
aueath to the country to-day. They found
it prosperous and united-they leave il
broken, distracted, and in danger Of psrma.
nens rupture its treasury almost bankrupt,
its credi; impaired, its reputation stained,
its business embarrassed its public property
in the hands of armed enemies, its harbor;
closed against free commerce, its flag dis
graeed. its people in sore perPexity, ant
L. r,rlsti1,e anannz The nations OF the eartt