The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-10-30
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.
tn truth, while s137 ,000 600 was paid
!ss Interest n in 1866, $i85.00660d was given
pnnhoId armies and military power TO
"a usssfals. to Freedmen's Bureau to feed and
s Ipfhe tie negro, and Other expenses grow
;ag ont Of the policy Of crushing out the
,, lns States. Men of the North, yon
.',Il soon fluid that the fette,s forged fol the
Md N.md &c the South are light Indeed, con-
.araa With the yokes which are placed up
glsf your aecks. The annual increase of tile
w wa IF our government beyohdits expenses
~ 1850 is equal to the interest at six per
~ ant mon a debt of $2,100,OG0,0G0. It is
I Jna 70 the Secretary OIL he Treasury TO say
a .hat any warning he has given against
u aud corruption has been unheeded
hr Congress Are we then lesseuing our
uusstional obligations? Again, while the
TPsnublican journals use the reports Of the
Sscretory Of the Treasury to encourage
their followers with hope Of relief, they do
ut noiat out to them the startling fact,
.hot if the volume of bonded debt is d.
m;nished, the interest to lie paid upon
tbat debt is growing greater. The policy
Of our rulers is to turn non-intcrest paying
ohligations into a tax-exacting form, so
that the Treasury reports show that the
AVIATION demanded to pay the national in
terest is growing greater each day. 1t
NAV be asked ii we can cure the evils un-
igrwlch orr country labors; if we can
Iift off the heavy burden of taxation which
crashes our industry; if we can build up
the credit of our nation-wipe off the dis
Grace which soils our credit, and remove
fhe danger which threatens the safety of
the republic? live. did not believe that
I'VE could do all this, would not stand
here to impeach the wisdom of those in
mower. do not call in question the mo-
lives of the mass of the Republican par
ty. but | aver, and time has proved
that its organization cannot discharge the
horde OF officers which eat up the sub
stance Of our country. And / will show
why. without claiming for ourselves supe-
rior virtue ofpatriotism, the instincts and
polcy of the Republican party lead us to
bankruptcy, and float bad men to the sur
face of public aff,lirs, and corrupt officials
in the discharge OF their duties; and why,
ubofI the other hand, our policy, although
our ranks are filed as theirs are, by good
and bad men, leads to opposite results s.
Those who now hold the power have not
only howed up 20 the line of Reputation,
but they have the public creditor wrong in
other respects; they have turned away the
public mind from all scrutiny into our fl
naneial condition; they have not tried to
give value to the public credit; they have,
ii that boastful spirit which made the late
civil war so wasteful of blood and treas
ure,, by understanding the difficulties and
dangers of the public position, tried TO
deaden the public sense with regard to i'm
pending danger. If we could put the val
lie of orr bonds upon level with those of
Great Britain, we could add more THAI
81 900, 100000 to the value of the securities
held by our citizens. This simple act would
give q vast amount of wealth to the holder
Greater security to the laboring men and
women who have put their earnings into
the savings banks which are secured uy
these stocks, and would place the paper
money Of the country upon basis above
distrust. This one act, like a magic wand
would change the aspect OF our affairs, and
wonll give lis vast wealth and resources
yet it would not cost the taxpayer one
cent II would, in fact, lessen his burden
The, measure which would do this would
lift off from the labor Of the country the
burdens which now crush down SO many
Industrial pursuits. The policy which
must give character to our bonds must, in
the nature of things, giveperpetuity to oui
country aud profits to labor. These must
rise and fall together. lido not own gov:
eminent bond; ! have deplored the waste
and corruption which, piled up the nation
al debt; have protested against the Grim
inalfolly which exempted them from tax
alton; but these were acts of the American
people, through their lawful representa-
tiyes, and have been sanctioned by them
in their subsequent elections, and they
should pay the penalty. Iwould keep the
public faith. While we condemn the ell,
rors of the past, let lis, with zeal, seek tG
make the future prosperous by patient
patriotic efforts to bring back again ON
government 10 its former wisdom, honesty
'and simplicity. Why should not our
credit be made as good as that of Britain's?
We owe less onr means are greater
Why is not our credit better than THAT OF
the Turk whose wealth and power do not
compare with oursP Simply because these
powers are seeking to uphold the integri
fy of their domain, the peace and well-be.
Ing Of their people, and to keep down the
cost of their government. In no other
government in the world than ours are
military officers welding despotic powers
told that they will be deposed when peace
aud order exist within their domains. In
no other country than onrs are agents, like
those of Che Freedmens Bureau, bribed by
the love Of power and by the love of gam
TO keep up discord and instigate sectional
late. If the expense of orr government
had been put down at an expense
twice as great as that spend by the
last Democratic administration, and the
balance of orr income had been used to
pay the public debt, our bonds would have
been worth as much as those of Britain, or
nearly twice their present. value. 1t is not
the bondholder it is the Office holder who
most taxes our people and wrings from
labor the fruits of its toll These are the
rampiaes that suck the blood of the people
It is not the task-master, but the govern
ment agents and officials who force the
mechanic to heightened hours of toll; fol-
pc must support these aswell as his fami,
ly-before he can take rest for his wearied
lmbs 1.-THE money collected by govern
ment, after letting the Republicans spend
twice as much as was ever used by a Dem
ocratle administration, was paid to lessen
our debt, not only would we give, wealth
to the bondholder and relief to the tax.
payers, but we should lessen the cost of all
that our country buys. 1t would 90 into
market with a better credit. We could
then commend the specie of the world; we
could gain itin exchange for our securities
az The government of Europe do. Now
.hey are peddled out all over Europe iat
haif price in exchange for dry goods and
groceries,. They are taken cautiously and
slowly, although the European buyer gets
an interest ofabout eight per cent, in coin
waiie the rate of interest paid for money
i, 10 London to-day is barely two per cent
uoes not every man see and know that
ms monstsous disgrace would not stain
Nae honor of our country if there was q
WISE honest and patriotic administration
y lts affairs? Do not the reports Of the
secretary of the Treasury show that We
seald swiftly wipe out our debt if our In
sn'Qeswas not peryerted to Baitisan pIlrpo