The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-08-28


George w. Morgan, Democratic candl-
date for Congress in the GAINESVILLE and
Newark District, delivered an address
from which we make the following ex-
| tracts:
CONDITION OF OUR COUNTRY.
Aud row, my friends, in order that we
may wisely know what is best to be done,
let us for moment consider the actual
condition of our country.
On the incoming of Mr., LincOln's adj
ministration the United States were free
from debt, while to day we owe nearly
seven thousand millions dollars Then,
in time of peace, the annual expendi
lures Of the Federal Government were
about seventy, while now, also in time
of peace at home and with all the world,
they are more than five hundred millions
dollars a year. Then the Federal Gov
eminent was supported by tariff on
importations; there was no excise, no
income, no odious stamp tax While,
saws Senator Sherman, in his able speech,
delivered in the Senate on the 22d of
Nav last: I'VE are now collecting a
revenue greater than any modern ma
ton. A recent official statement made
to us by the revenue commissioner shows
that, during the current year, the result
of our taxes is over five hundred millions
dollars, sum greater than France or
Great Britain ever collected in any one
year"
Here we have the authority of this
distinguished Senator for saying that we
are taxed mere heavily than are the peo-
ple of England, or France, or Russia, or
| Austria, or any other modern nation.
But our people are patient, patriotic
and enduring, and if their taxes are but
honestly applied to reducing the debt
they Will not complain. But what will
YOU say, my count rymen, when tell you
| that uore than two hundred and fifty
millions have been squandered by this
late prohigate Congress, instead OF hav-
| ing been honestly applied toward the
payment of the principal OF the debt.
| Some one says: But the debt is not
due" | thank the gentleman for the
interruption. BY turning to page two
| Of Senator Shermau's speech, which
here invite you to examine, IT will be
| found that there was then due on The
public debt, SIZE, 00l 600 Why was not
this debt paid, and the nations faith pre-
served? Let Mr. Sumner, let Mr.. Stevens
reply. ask the Hon. Columbus Delano
to explain Applause
OUR GRINDING TAXATION
Aud in what is all this TO end Our
present financial system has bee Dor
rowed from Great Britain, amt what
4 II , T.,
Britain there is only one land ON n'r l."
every one thousand inhabitants, Hh.lr
there is one paupeT to every fifteen 1t
will he charged that | have stated tu"sc
facts Oh u former occasion. II I, true,
and shall continue to repeat them, Til
they become indellibly stamped "u the
memories of the people, What would
YOU think, citizens, Of proposition 70
divide all your farms, your cities toNnS
aud villages from tho lake to the river,
among twenty-five hundred person : Z
Aud what would you say of mcn u'c to
convey from You, without recon rinse,
| though tho process of taxation. aud
pr,Njaa. expenditure, every ou>o,
uyrlr fam ryyry lNJ YOUR county II
| thIII, n.,>.u- The .I.o 'i,i- his
| been done 10 Great B'lt"Ir. @.J Nha'
Xas thee ior" uy similar me COS, may bc
done hero IsthcIc 10 daugcl! Let is not
deceive ourselves, for til, DANCE J. upon
rs / required two centuries 20 create
tie urbt of Great Britain, while ours is
the product of five brief years. tAp.
pl,us,.l When bat moment ago,
! said that il was stated b. high authority
| that our debt was seven thousand million
! d ,lals, You seemed surprised. But lest
some oue should think, or say, tina, Nor
! van exaggerated the magnitude Cf the
! debt, Iwill It al from the speech uC SEN
| atur Sherman, Chairman of the Commit.
tee OH Finance, and from the speech of
| Mr.. Delauo, Chairman of the Hou,r Com.
mittee on Claims. Mr.. Sherman vs.:
1t Therefore is very certain tat in
| tho mos favorable aspect of affair, the
uublc debt of the UnIted States might
now be tlj.iy cstimat ed at three thou
sand million dollars. That l. the amount
stated by the Secretary Of the Treasury
and think tAe amount Is not over
stated
This debt. of which Senator Sherman,
as chairman of the Finance Committee,
speaks, isexcluSive of the floating debt.
| Ali u dSSti ttili 'tN 6RiiiN"I' VI th"t
debt let us turn 10 page 2lS9 of the
Congressional Globe for 1866, and you
will there find that Mr. DelauO, chair
mau ut the Committee on Claims, de-
clares as follows:
Our nation now gIoanS with the
weight Of public debt and taxation, and
our credit mist be maintained. know
that there are floating claims not less n
amount than four thousand million dol
| lars refer only ~ the claim,
OF 10y al citizens"
Then the asceItapoI debt is. g, 0O9,0.0 OCT
And the floating dett 's...-..-.... b0On,UrO,OUC
Making grand tOta, Off, s., 00o,sO0 C(
HOW TO MEASURE THE DEBT
Seven thousand millions of debi But
what does that amount mean? Some
things cannot be done, You caLDot
count the leaves Of the forest, nor the
stars In the heavens, nor the grains O
sand upon the sea-shore. And when the
question Is asked, what do YOU mean by
seven Thousand million dollars, for q
moment one feels bewilde1ed, and tbs
mind is at loss 10 find some standard O,
measure which Can be applied TO The
debt, so as to cause its magnitude MOI