The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1865-01-19

This action of our Legislature was in
duced by the extraordinary circumstances
in which the nation was placed, and am
free to give it as my opinion, that, altho'
the United States have made their notes
legal tender in all transactions, and we
have no State revenue in coin to meet our
interest, that our justification in depar-
ture from paying j. in coin can only be
found in one of those State necessities
which vindicate nation in temporarily
postponiug its obligations, IN order to pre-
serve the power to discharge them at
future day.
[ am also free to say that my feelings of
sympathy for the holders of our securities
in your country, have been very much
weakened by the action of your people
since the expression of my opinion to the
Legislature, to which / have called your
attention.
For four years our National Government
has been struggling to put down a most
wicked and causeless rebellion upon the
part of some Of the States of this Union,
and the enormous expenses incident upon
this war in which we have been engaged
to preserve the life of the nation. must be
met by the various States of the Union,
and the amount of those expenses which
has thus been thrown upon the citizens of
our State, would have paid the entire
amount Of our debt more than four times
over.
In this struggle we looked for no assis-
taace whatever from your people Or your
Government, and desired none; but we did
hope and believe, aud had right so to
believe, that your people and your Govern
ment would give no countenauce or assis-
tance to the rebels who were In arms
against our Government and its authority.
In this we have been disappointed and |
believe that but for the granting of bellig-
erent rights to the rebels by Great Britain,
and the assistance aud counteuance which
they have received from her people, we
should have long since put down this
rebellion, and you would have had 10
occasion to ':protest" against what you
term "a reputation of the obligations of
State"
1t is true We have no positive evidence
that the holders of our bonds in your
country are among those who have given
aid or countenancs to our enemy; but it is
also true that all the public expressions of
sympathy in your country, for our nation
in this It's hour Of trial, have come with
few noble exceptions,) FROM that class in
your midst who are unable, from their
position in life, to OVID public securities Of
any kind.
We have looked in vain for any openly
expressed sympathy for our nation from
that class in your country who represent
its wealth and official position, with the
few exceptions | have before ADMITTEDLY
while we do know that our enemy has
received SO much aid, assistance au0 sym-
pathy from this class of your people, and
protection in many instances from your
Government, that it has ueeGlessly pro-
longed this rebellion, and added hundreds
of millions to the expense necessarily
incurred by the States in its suppression,
besides largely Increasing the sacrifice of
life and the sufferings Of the people.
While | 90 not offer these facts as an
excuse for our State for the action she has
taken, as she needs no excuse at nay
hands, I do aiiude to them as reasons 6hv
the holders of her securities in your
country have much less cause for complaint
than they otherwise would have, and why
your protest does not carry that weight
and force which, in my opinion, it would
possess, did these facts nor exist.
Our Legislature will convene in few
days, when [ viii submit your protest for
their consideration and action, and al.ho'
they may not yet feel at liberty, in the
present state of public affairs, TO re-instate
our former policy, yet trust the tine is
not far distant when this rebellion shall
be crushed out, and it will be in their
power to take such action.
1 remain yours, respectfully,
(Signed) HENRY ID. MOORE