The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-12-14

the several states. It Is of tile first M
cessity, for the maint, na4rrg of th
Union. that the commerce should b
free and unobstructed. No state ca
be justified to any device to tax tn
transit OF travel and commerce betw eel
states. The position of mauy states
such that if they were allowed to TAX
advantage oft, for the purpose, OF loca
revenhe, the commerce between state
might be injurously burdened, or eve,
virtually prohibited It is best, Will,
the country is still young, aud Will,
The tendency to dangerous monoy ollie
! of this kind is still feeble to use tn.
power OF Congress, SO a. to prevent an,
selfish impediIne,,t TO the free circula
tiou Of men ard fnerchaudize. %, "A Ia,
on tnayel and merchandise. in. thei
transit, constitutes one OF. the, wors
forms of monopoly; and, the evil is in
creased, IF coupled withta denial O
route. WI en- the vast extent Of .ou,
ecuRtry is considered. it is plain tha
every. ebstic!c totth free circulation Of
commerce between states ought to be
sternly guarded against by appropriate
legislation within tbe limits OF the con.
stitltiea ~srns > r n, l.E.r-... ..r.-.
hold it the duty of the executive to in.
sist upon frugality in the expenditures and
sparlng economy is itself general re-
source. We may require the greatest mod.
Grafton and prudence and the law must be
rgidly enforced, and when its limits are ex-
ceeded, We may each Of us counsel our ac
tive and enterprising country niietii to be con-
stantly on their guard to liquidate debts
contracted IN paper currency, and by con-
Quoting business us nearly as possible on a
system of cash Payments or short credits
to hold themselves prepared to return to
the standard of gold and silver. 10 aid
our fellow citizens in the prudent manage
ment of their monetary affairs, the duty de-
wolves on us to diminish by law the amount at
OF paper money now in circulation.
Five years ago the bank note lcircufaticrI
OF the country amounted to not more than
two hundred millions. Now the circulation
bank ana national, exceeds S; ven hundred
millions. The simple statement Of the fact
recommends it more strongly than any words
OF mine could do the necessity of restrain.
ing this expansion. The gradual reduction
OF the currency is the only measure that
can save the business Of the country from
disastrous calamities, and this can be i'm.
perceptibly accomplished by gradually fund
ing the national circulation in securities
that may be made redeemable at the pleas
ure OF government. Our debt is dDtitIy
secure; hrst in the actual wealth and still
greater developed resources of the country.
and next in the character of our constitu-
ton The most intelligent observers among
political economists have not failed to re.
mark that the public debt Of country is
srte in proportion as the people arc free
that the debt Of a republic is the Safest Of
all Our history confirms and establishes
the theory, and IS firmly believed destined
to give tia still more signal illustration. -
Ihe secret Of this sHoasS.--:A-------------.
WIDELY through countless numbers in all
classes of society. 1t has its root in the
character Of our laws. Here oil men con-
tr butte to the public welfare, and bear their
full share Of the public burdens.
During war, under the impulses Of pstri-
otism, the men Of the great body Of the
people, without regard to their own com
parative want Of wealth, thronged to our
armies and filled our fleets of war, and held
themselves ready to offer their lives for the
public good. Now, in their turn the prop
erty and income Of the country should bear
their just proper ton Of the burden of taxa
ton. While in our system, through means
Of which increased vitality is incidentally
impaired to all the industrial interests Of the
nation, the duties should be 40 adjusted as
to fall most heavily on articles Of luxury,
leaving the necessaries of life as free from
taxation as the absolute wants OF the gov
ernment economically administered will jus
tify. No favored class should demand free
dom from assessment, and the taxes should
be SO distributed as not to fall unduly on
the psor, but rather on the accumulated
wealth Of the CO untry. We should look at
the national debt just a. it is-not AS ma
tional blessing, but as a heavy burden on
the industry of the country, to be discharged
without unnecessary delay.
Our domestic contest, now happily
ended, has left some traces in our reia-
tions with one, at least, of the great
maratime powers. The formal accord
ance of beligerent rights TO the insur-
gent states, was unprecedented, and has
not been justified by the issue; but, in
the systems of neutrality, pursued by
the powers which mede that conces-
sion, there was marked difference.
The materials OF war for the insur
gent states were furnished, in = great
measure, from workshops Of Great
Britain, and British ships, manned by
British subjects, and prepared for re-
eeiying British ornaments, sailed from
the ports of Great Britain 10 make var
on American commerce., under the
shelter of commission from the insur-
gent states. These ships, having once
escaped from British ports, ever after
ards catered them in every part Of
the world to refit. and to renew their
depredations. The consequences of
this conduct were most disastrous I"
the states then in revolution, increase
their desolation and misery by the pro-
longation Of our civil contest. 1t had
moreover, the effect, 10 great extent,
to drive the American flag from the
sea, and taans.er much OF our shipping
and our commerce to the very power
whose SUBJECTS had created the neces.
sity for such II change. ..5 a. .
These events took place before / was
called to the administration Of the gov.
ernment. The sincere desire for peace
by which l am animated, led ms te
approve the proposal already made ,e
submit the questions which had thu:
arisen between the countries to arbitrs
ton. f-.... ...,
Tho Sc questions are of such momen
that they must have commanded th'
attention of the great powers, and ART