Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-12-14
GIHrL-E AA-....
IConclrisd tron, tfrst paqe. 1

no part of The Presidents policy
He says: Zi.ss' sa1 sfa assa'
Our dsbtYis depbly secure-frs'
IN the actuaf wealth. and stiH greater
gsaeveloped resources of the coun
4 and next In the character OF oul
institutions. The most Intelligent
observers among political leeono.
mists have not failed to remark, thai
the public. debt of q country is-safe
in proportion as its people are free
that the debt Of a republic is the
safest of all. Our history confirms
and establishes the theory, and is, ]
firmly believe, destined to give a
still more signal illustration. The
secret of this superiority springs not
merely from the fact that in re-
public the national obligations are
distributed more widely through
countless numbers in all classes OF
society; it has its root in the charac-
ter of our laws. Here all men coI-
tributed to the public welfare, and
bear their fair share of the public
burdens. During the war, under the
impulses of patriotism, the men OF
the great body of the people, without
regard to their own comparative want
of wealth, thronged to our armies
and filed our fleets Of war, and held
themselves ready to offer their lives
for IhepubHc good Now, in their
turn, the property and income of the
countTyssf4Nld bear their just. pro-
portion OF Che burden of taxation,
while inseurimpost system, through
means of which increased vitality Is
incideptly impaired to all the indus
trial interests Of the nation, the du-
ties should be so adjusted as to fab
mostsheayily On articles of luxury,
leaving the necessaries of life as free
from taxation as the absolute wants
ol the Government, economically adj
ministered, will justify. No favored
class should demand freedom from
assessment, and the taxes should be
so distributed as not to fall unduly
on the poor, but rather on the accu-
mulated wealth of the country. We
should look at the national debt just
as itis-not as a national blessing,
but as a heavy burden on the indus
try of the country, to be discharged
without unnecessary delay.
1t is estimated by the Secretary of
the Treasury that the expenditures
for the fiscal year ending the Both of
Juresls66, will exceed the receipts
SlI2,194, 4Z 1t is gratifying. how
ever. to state that it is also estima-
ted that the revenue for the year
ending thes30th. of June, 1867, viii
exceed the expenditures in the sum
of Sl11.6S3,61S. TIis amount, or
so much as may be deemed sufficient
sfof the purpose, may be applied TO
the reduction of the public debt,
-Khich, On the 3lst day of October,
1865, was s2,740,S54,750. Every
reduction will diminish the total
amount of interest to be paid, and so
enlarge the means of still further
reductions, until the whole shall be
liquidated; and this as will be seen
from the estimates of the Secretary
of the Treasury, may be accom-
.plished by annual payments, even
within period not exceeding thirty
years. 1 have faith that we shall do
all this within a reasonable time,
that, as we have amazed the world by
the suppression of civil war which
was thought to be beyond the con-
troll of any Government, SO we shall
equally show the. superiority of our
institutions by the prompt and faith
ful discharge of our national obliga-
tons elfiTE :
After adverting to our relations
with Foreign Powers in calm and
dignifed tone, yet not to be misun-
derstood by any of them the mess
age is concluded in the following
beautiful language, which should
find a response an affirmative in
every loyal heart:
Where, in past history, does par
allel exist to the public happiness
which is within the reach of the peo-
pie of the United States? Where, in
any part Of the globe, can iinstitu-
tions be found so suited to their hab-
its or so entitled to their love as
their own free Constitution? Every
one of them, then, lin whatever part
, ot,the land he has his home, must
wish its perpetuity. Who of them
will not now acknowledge in the
words of Washington, that "every
step by which the people of the
limited States have advanced to the
character of al independent nation,
seems to have been distinguished by
some token of ProvIdential agency?"
WHO will not join with. me in the
pfager that the invisible hand which
has led US through the clouds that
gloomed around our paths, will so
guide us onward to perfect restora-
ton of fraternal affection, that we OF
this day may be able to transmit our
great inheritance of State Govern
merlts in all their rights, of the G en-
eral Government in its whole con
stitutional vigor, to our posterity
and they to theirs through countless
generationsP s-''s.. "a
81 - - 49, ANDREW JOHNSON. /,
6ei5 WASHINGTON, Dec, 4, 1865. Ia
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