Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-09-28
Thnd. stevens' ,ItstImony IN "a
che Public Debt.

che Public Debt.
Hon. TnADbEus SrEvENsis the Chairman
fthe 'CJtkmittee on Ways and Means in
Tobgfess. BY reason Of holding this posi-
0l0A he has something like . atolerably cor
rect knowledge of the Public Debt. On
the 9Th of September he made speech, at
his home, In the city of Lancaster, Pa, and
In this speech he said:
sit (our Public Debit is generally esti-
mated at four billions in my opinion 1t will
90 far beuond that figure. There Is no use
In belittiing it. 1t can only deceive the
ignorant, and these for only time. 1t
cannot deceive financiers. One half OF it
now bears interest and the interestamounts
to one hundred and twenty-five millions
per year. The ordinary expenses OF car
rying on the Government and the sums
required for the army and navy 'oat s.eeM
our aHnudl expenditures TO five hundrea NIT
lions of dollars. The amount derived from
internal revenue will NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
MUST BE DOUBLE WHAT 1T NOW Is TO MEET
EXPENSES. Can our people bear this! III
,oal be curse from generation 90 generat'on'
We pity the playground Engilsnman. In
reality, zoe are toorse of thds he. Our debt Is
onlv trite less, and IL bears double the rate, OF
interest. In the future, OUR BURTHENs
MUST BE DOUBLE HIS" r# J.' 9
This Is an exhibit that, we should think,
would be anything else than gratifying to
our people. In four years the party in
power, because, as THURLow WEED, an ac-
credited authority in that party, testifies,
the country was permitted to drift into a
fraternal War, for the reason that the Re-
publican Press and Republican Represent
atives persisted in standing by and on the
Chicago Platform, debt has been created
that will be to our people "a cursefrom gen.
Grafton to generation their "burth-
ems" Gin the future" ''mnst be double" that
of 'sthe playground Englishman." Even
our present heavy. taxation is represented
as inadequate. 1t must be double tchdt 4
is nop to meet expenses" We have been in
the habit of speaking Of the English peo-
pie as the most oppressively taxed of peo-
pie, and yet their oppressive taxation grew
out of q debt that it took centuries to cre-
ate. This Republican party, that came into
power on professions of retrenchment and
reform, in the space, of-not centuries, as In
England-four years, created apublic debt,
through mismanagement and wholesale
plundering, by which the burthens OF our
people in the future will be double that OF
the playground Englishman, whom we
have been accustomed to pity.
In the days of Democratic Administra-
tions this was the best Government on the
face Of the earth, and itwas so Tor the reason
that the people were less oppressed by tax
alton than were any other people, and labor
received better remuneration. Such a
thing as Federal assessors and tax-gather-
ers were unknown then throughout the
country. The people pursued their avoca-
tions peacefully, contentedly and profita-
bly,. The Government was not only a
cheap one, but it was strong in the affec-
tions of the people, and honOred and re-
spected by all the nations OF the earth
What change! We have had four years of
throat cutting, carrying in its track desola-
ton, waste and impoverishment, to the end
that the Chicago Platform might be main
tainod. We are speaking by Mr.. WEEDS
testimony. And in that time these stick
lers for the Chicago Platform have given
us a public debt that will be "a curse
from generation to generations" and that
will cause the burthens of our people to be
double that of the tax-ridden Englishman.
If in four years they have put upon this
country and its people so terrible calami-
ty, can you measure the extent of the ca
lamity they will yet heap upon the country
and the people If they shall be perpetuated
in power? Is there not in this condition of
affairs that which calls most imperatively
for change in the ruling party? The
"wild," visionary" and "impracticable"
ideas of General Cox, and his school of pol
iticians, are such as to unquestionably sad
die yet a heavierdebt upon the shoulders of
the people. Their greatest good-the well
fare of their children who are to act in life
after them-urge that all such politicians
as General Cox should be defeated; for, If
not defeated, the abuses that have hitherto
prevailed to the great injury of the people
will be continued. ...s