North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-12-14

friendly relations existing between us and
the kingdoms Of Guinea, Sacka,oo, Ninkapoo
aDd other great central African powers haye
been slightly dist urbed--by this gunboai.
On the subject of the finances we find in
the message a suggestion that Congress
should not only secure the government bond
holders against taxes but that they should
also exempt them from the payment of their
debts. Is it possible that Mrs. LincoIn's
millinery bills, or old Abe's bill with his
glove maker, has been the father of this
brilliant idea 2 Or are the greedy Hotel and
boarding house keepers pursuing the govern
quarters board In either case, relief sho'd
by all means be granted by Congress passing
this bankrupt bill. Another idea on the
subject Of finance, would, but for the presi-
dents sagacity, have escaped the attention of
the taxpayers of the country. He says:
''The great advantages of being creditors as
well as debtors with relation to the public
debt is obvious" Men cannot be much op-
selves" The next time the government tax
collector comes around, of course every "Loy-
al man will empty his pockets of all be has,
for he would only be paying debt which he
owes to himself Certainly every man should
deal h nnestly with himself This new fnan-
cial idea, may, to the ignorant masses
seem to conflict with The proposition which
also originate with the sage of Sangamon-
that it is easier to pay small debt than
'big one )" but this apparent discrepancy, is
easily understood, when we reflect that 'the
world moves"
While we are told that there are $4,000
names on the invalid and pension rolls: our
hopeful President still adhcres to his original
declarations that there's nothing the matter
-nobody's hurt" Ga this point he says:
"While 1t is me lancholy to reflect that the
war has filled SO many 9rdres ard carried
mourning to SO many hearts, it is some relief
to know that compared with the surviving,
the fallen have been so tel1. While c"rps
and divisions and brigades and regiments
have formed and fought and dWindled, 9lne
ont of eristdnce, great majority OF the men
who compose them are still living. The
election returns prove this, So many voters
could not else be found"
1t will certainly be great source Of Con-
ISOLATION to the hundreds of thousands If wide
ows and rphans in the land, to know that
those whom they have incurred as dead, arc
still livrng-and able to vote If they should mt
exactly see the poiut, they cannot fail to dis
cover that tie number of men killed, as COIN
pared with those still tiring, isfer. What
homeless widows. or shivering orphans Will
be "disloyal;' enough to grieve for husband
or father, when they reflect that there are
''mor9 men living now than when the war
began"
On the nieger question. the
l.. .I-...o otIIer than ever. He has Cum
cIuded 10 Continue his "bull against the COM
ct" in full force aud virtue. The late cleo
ton is considered as complete endorsement
Of all that has been done or may hereafter be
done b. him-against the comet. The few
Democratic congressman, who voted for ''the
constitution as it is" at the last session, are
now modestly asked to give up their prcju-
dices in favor Of that instrument, and aid the
abolitionists in making such changes as they
may deem best. For, says he, sit is only a
question of time" The naw congress, which
will meet in March next, will certainly 'pass
the measure, if this does not" The feeble
highwavman finding himself overpowere6 by
a man whom he has attacked, begs him, to
join in his infamous calling and tells him, if
he don't the next man he meets will. This
kind Of argument cannot fail to abolitionize
all the Democratic congressman, who have
stood as wall OF fire against the assaults Of
| the abolition destr1ctionist IS for the past two
years, We had supposed that the question
of niger or no niger, in these United States,
had been settled by proclamation. The
Presidents wish for Congress to do again,
what has already been done, can only be ex-
planned By the defamation, that 1.-THE execu-
tive power itself would be grestly diminished
by the cessation of actual war" He seem ms
to greatly fear tina, the war may stop; and
his proclamatlons may thereby be shorn cf
their efficacy. What pity it would be if
his "bull" should cease bunting the comet
and it should escape unhsrmed. On this
subject he says:
II repeat the declaration made year ago
that while remain in my present position |
shall not attempt to retract or modify the
Emancipatio proclamation. Nor shall
| return to slavery any person who is free by
the terms of that pruclama' ion, or by any Of
The acts Of Congress. If the people hsould,
by whatever mode OF means, make it an ex
ecutive duty to re-enslave such persons, an
| other, and not |, must be their instrument to
perform it."
It is matter Of serious alarm when we
reflect that we are liable in any evert to
loose the invaluable servi ces of the sa, re Of