The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-12

tnnce of fifty or sixty millions a year,
whatever Northern Taxpayers may
think of it.
Finally, wo arrive Mt the national
debt. That the Southern people should
DO loRth to pay tho cost of the whipping
they have received is natural enough.
They cannot reasonably DO expected to
do so willingly. Such is human ma
| ture, and such Is certainly Southern hu-
man nature. Let that Southern human
nnture DO restored to power and in1lu-
encc i'll the National Government, and
what reasonable man will doubt that
every possible impcdiment will be
thrown in the way of all legislation
necessary 10 provide for the satisfaction
of tho Just claims of our national crodi-
tors, unless we consent to assume the
rebel debt also? i do not pretend to say
that the masses of the South would be
in favor of paying the rebel dobt. What
they would 10 most i'll favor of would
DO just to pny no debt ut all. But the
creditors of tho late Confederate Gov
ernment would indeed be very much
in favor OfgiVing some value to their
Confederate bonds, and being the most
Influential men of the South, they will
not find it difficult TO persuade the
Southern masses that if any debt is to
be paid at nll the Confederate debt is
entitled TO payment us we'll AS any 9TH
er, II not oven more. Who doubts that
the people lately in rebellion will be
very well convinced of this? Then oD-
erntiOns will commence for the as
sumption of tho rebel debt. The
Southern members of Congress will
be AN almost solid unit for it. 1t
will be necessary TO buy up Northern
CrS enough to mako II majority. Do
you think this iInpOSsibleH The Con-
tGdernte debt is estimated at about four
thousand millions of dollars. Suppose
the Confederate creditors combine and
set one hundred, or two hundred. or
five hundred millions of their Confed-
crate bonds apart as general corrup-
ton fund; suppose an agent of tho Con-
iederate bondholders approaches Il
Northern doughtuCe in this wise: "Sir,
offer you one million of dollars in
Confederate bonds ut one cent on the
dollar, the payment to be made by YOU
ten days after tho assumption OF the
Confederate debt by the United States.
Now, sir, offer you this as n fair Ibusi-
ness transaction, and not MS n bribe. "
Suppose this offer be made, is it not
probable that good many of those who
are willingto sell their souls for post
office will take it and vote for the as
sumption of the Confederate debt2 TO
refuse anything to II Southern man is
already tnsk of tremendous difficulty
to Northern doughfncc; but 10 refuse
that something with million attached
to it, would not that appear TO most of
our johnson men an unjuStitinble act
of Vindictiveness, calculated to ALLEVIATE
the hardly-recOnstructed feelings OF our
erring, but now SO sweetly repentant,
brethren?
1t is true thatn Northern representa-
tive, after having voted for such IL
measure, would never again be able to
front his constituents; but what OfthRt ?
With II million or so i'll his pocket, n
Northern doughfnce who never could
stand up against the frown of his
Southern masters will be quite indie.
pendent in the face Ofth contempt of
his COuntryInen. He is used to it any
how, and the money will swceten the
sensation. Here is IL premonitOry SYM
tom of what is to come; no sooner Ind
tho news OF the Philadelphia johnson
Convention reached the Stock Exchange
of London than there was an immedi-
ate rise OF Confederate bonds. Who is
stupid enough not TO understand this ?
And what would be the conSeQuenceIof
assumption? Every augmentation OF
our National debt will proportionatcly
diminish the value of our securities.
The assumption of the rebel debt will
he equivalent to the reputation of at
least half of our National obligations:
our National creditors will be robbed
of their just dues; our National faith
will be broken; and the Republic will
stand ruined in her credit, and covered
with eternal disgrace.
General SChurZ concluded ns follows:
We have passed through gloomy days
of lntc-days of greviOus disappoint-
ment, of deep humiliation, of sorrowful
| anxiety. But when the other night I
stood upon the balcony of the Union
Lengue House and saw the countless
multitude surging below, multitude
grenter in number than the hosts which
marched with Sherman to the sea, or
the army of the Potomac when il swept
over the rnmparts of Richmond, and
that multitude, as once our bnttnliOnS
were summoned to the battlefield bV
the pnternal voice of Abraham Lincoln,
now following the solemn call of the
same voice issuing from the grave; and
when saw from that ocean of human
faces radiating forth the electric light
| of intelligence and love of liberty; and
when thought that the volcanic bursts
of enthusiasm there were but one
throb of the patriotic emotions
which are to-day again swelling
then my soul feltItself lifled out of the
gloom of dark apprehensions, and l
ceased to fear for the future OF the Re
public. Then it became certain again.
TO my mind, that the great people of thG
New World, who fought n four years.
battle OF conscience, have not forgotten
their exalted mission on earth, and that
the very gates of hell cannot shake
their mighty determination TO wield
with II firm hand the national power
until Justice is done to all, aud until,
with safety to all, the Republic can be
set atloat upon the broadest channel OF
| self government.
We have heard already the triumph
ant morning gun of Vermont booming
with Increased volume; fnr-off San
Francisco has merrily responded; old
Maine, in tho North, stands ready to
send us cheering echo, and all over
the land our hosts are mastering with
the inspiring confidence that to march
on is 10 conquer.
Our time has come. Forward into
line, Republicans! This is to be the
final battle of the war. Let it be the
greatest victory of right and justice.