Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-08
THE QUESTIONS Of THE DAY.
Speech Of Hon. Daniel w. voorhees,,
at GrcencastIe, UPon the Present
7spect Of Public Affairs.
Concluded from Fourth Page

Mr.. VOORHEES, then dwelt at length on the con
di,ion TO which the country had been brought by
this prOlOngation of the war. growing out of the
determination of Mr Lincoln and hs advisers
never TO have a restoration Of the government
except upon the platform of the republican par
" as amended aud advanced from time to time
by proclsmations and unconstitutional l~egisla-
ton. He showed that every prediction which be
had ever made in congress in regard to the
amount OF the public debt had in every instance
been acknowledged by the republican leaders to
have been under, rather than over, q correct Is
innate. he had estimated "A year ago that our
debt. according 10 the figures OF the treasury de
partment. was at or about four Thousand millions
of dollars. This was vehemently denied at the
time, but within q few weeks past eastern repub-
lican journals had made the same estimate, and
expr essed their fears that it would be sI thou
sand millions before the war was over. Those
men were usually only about . year behind in
accepting the truth "a laid down by the demo
cratic party Was il disloyal to lay these facts
before the people? l. any man afraid 10 know
the TRUTH Many IN this county preferred at the
outbreak VI this war 10 believe that il would be
over in sixty days-that women armed with very
domestic weapons could whip the south, and
that The expenses of the war could be betrayed
by The sale of = certain animal belonging 20 q
very distinguished republican politician in your
midst. Laughter
| allude 10 this veil known circumstance with
no desire to wound. but for the purpose of asking
you which YOU are going To do hereafter; follow
still the lead Of men who have always deceived
YOU, or thOse on the other hand who never did2
hazard nothing in saying that by the year 1866.
taking all the demands upon you into consider
alton, your taxes will amount 10 four dol
lars on the hundred, and | fear that in less than
four yearsit will DC Elk dollars on the hundred
Luck at this, you farmers of all parties. lam
standing for all. This is a common iterest IL
is q fearful one TO consider. heard men last
fall say that times were good-porS ten dollars
a hundred. and hence they would vote for Lin
coin. not wishing a change. Such men do not
look below the surface of things. How will il
be in a year or Two when prices are all down for
what they have 10 sell--hard times upon them
an outrageous tariff making the farmer pay ten
prices for what he has TO buy, and taxation de-
handing literally the last dollary Then the dc
ceived. misled and injured followers of this ad
minis ration will call it a fearful reckoning
Then will come fOcking home our own brethren
of the democratic faith who have misplaced their
confidence in the party now in owe What
will the re,ul be, however, in regard to this
enormous debtI
] will sttemp, 10 answer. A lew years will
pass away. ana its exactious will be sore and
grievous. Then will come propositions TO reduce
the rate OF interest. You will be shown that
most of this debt consists of bords issued by the
government and bought up mainly by men who
have grown rich BY this war, and that your hard
earned taxes 20 to them in the shape of interest.
You will also be shown that these bonds, which
are held az their full value over you. cost their
owners, owing To the state OF tbs currency, about
fOit ~ cents on the dollar. 10 view OF these
frct-, insteid o. continuing TO pay six per cent.
as now, you will send representative Is 10 congress
pledged 20 reduce the rate perhaps as low as two
per cent. And the danger ia that the reduction
will not stop there The people will despair of
ever paying off this debt. They will be 10th to
leave it as a miserable legacy TO their children.
They will become convinced that much of 1t
ought never to have been incurred. Thew will
read over the speeches Of such men a. Hale.
Dawes. and other eminent republicans, and there
End that great thieves have helped 10 swell il.
and | fear that there will be an irresistible incli
nation TO pay 1t all off at once by means Of the
btllOt-box. This means reputation you say
So il does. | trust | shall never be for il or see
its dire necessity Butin the last congress a bank
rupt bill was passed which enables the mercantile
class to repudiate. and the farmer and mechanic.
grooming and sweating with no hone OF ever get
ting out OF debt. NAV conceive ttat they have s.
similar privilege. If they should do so, is i, not
their own at sir spprehend that the repub'i
can party, which passed the bankrupt bill, " II
be the first 20 embrace reputation in another
iorn. They would certainly do so if the bonds
were not 80 largely held by their leading men.
Mr.. '. then considered the question of sla-
very in connection with the war He regarded
the constitutional amendment as Of little mo-
ment in it, practical operation upon that i~nsti,u-
ton But II was important n an unwonted ex-
erci-e OF power. and IN developing the hual Dur-
pose OF the administration IN reg ird 10 the ne
gro. De had expressed his views on the floor
of the House, bui lost the privilege Of voting
sgainst It's passage, owing 20 the dana erous and
proiracted illness OF bis wife, by which he was
called home. No one. however. would doubt
his position. Ii was not az tbs late day that he
desired 10 change bis views on the SLAYER, cues
ton. But We will have S slsvers question TO
deal with but little longer. When both sections
have armed the negro the institution j. prlrt,-
cally az al eud But what nexts Free negroes
will constitute the next issue in regard 81 this
race. | here aver my solemn conviction, founded
on facts within nv own kn0wledge. that il i the
settled purpose OF the republican parts now IN
power at Wsshington 10 place the negro by leg
islstioa on an equality a. q citizen with the white
man. This is the next great issue; Shall The
white man maintain his supremacv, or shall he
AXE into partnership in the a ,ins of govern
nent three or four millions of Africans.
lt Is the purpose OF those ia power that this
war shall result in the substantial determination
OF the southern people-those who are not killed
TO be scattered aud iriven Of Then. under the
conEscation act. the lsnds OF the entire country
will change hands Ret men. con;rac'ors and
~fayOrites OF power. will 20 and buy. The free
negro population. il Is supposed. will mostly re-
main there. and the great new landed proprietor !