The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-12

| number OF meetings to consider what
disposition should be made of the
scrip, and in view of the fact that it
could not be sold without sacrifice
of nearly two-thirds of its par value,
which would realize a sum so small
as 10 be inadequate to the accomplish
ment of the grand purpose which
Congress had in view in making the
donation, unanimously resolved to
withhold it from the market entirely,
and submit the whole subject for the
action of the Legislature. They have
made a report embodying the facts,
and containing certain recommends
tons, which herewith lay before
you, and commend to your special
consideration.
THE THIRTEENTH ARTICLE.
By the decision of the Supreme
Court at its late session, the XIIIth
Article of the Constitution of the
State. which prohibits negroes and
mulattoes from coming into the State,
and from making contracts and ac-
quiring title to property, was declared
null and void as Being an infringe
ment of the Constitution of the
United States. In this decision it
was held that negroes born in the
United States are citizens of the
| United States, and of the State in
which they live, and that the XIIIth
Article of our Constitution was
therefore In violation of that provis-
ion of the Constitution of the United
States which declares that "the citi-
zens of each State are entitled to the
privileges and immunities of the citil
zens of the several States. The law
made in execution of the XIIIth Ar
ticle is of course nullity, but res
pectfully recommend that as an act of
public decency it be formally repealed
and wiped out. .5sprae ia>t9H3 E aAe
NATIONAL DEBT AND THE CURRENCY.
1t would be very fattering to our
national pride, and would excite the
astonishment and admiration of Eu-
rope, if we were to pay off our national
debt within fifteen or eighteen years;
but there are some things more i'm
portant to us than fattering our vanity
or astonishing the people of the Old
| World.
While / am not in favor of perpet-
uating the national debt, and do not
regard it as blessing, / am opposed
to pressing our people to its sudden
payment, just to show what we can do.
If this generation, after having put
down the rebellion, shall accomplish
| the work of restoration, it will have
done we'll, and may very properly
leave at least part of the national
debt to be paid by the next. Hid
AS the misconduct Of the people of
| the South caused this debt to be con-
tracted, / am decidedly in favor of
requiring them and their children to
pay their proportion of it, which in
their present destitute and impoyer-
ished condition they can not do. At
this time they have very little proper
ty besides lands, and scarce anything
to pay taxes on, or pay taxes
with, and such their situation must
be for years; and until .ressora-
ton has been completed, and emigra-o
/ ton, capital, industry, commerce and
agriculture shall have brought to
them wealth and prosperity. What.
ever part of this debt is paid in the
next FIVE or eight years, must, from
| the condition of things, be collected
from the people of the North, and
must to that extent relieve the people
of the South from burden, which
ought in justice to fall chiefly upon
them. d4 W rrE
I am therefore in favor of reducing
taxation to a standard which will be
sufficient to defray the ordinary ex-
penses of the Government, and main
tain perfectly the credit of the Nation
by paying punctually the interest on
the debt, leaving the payment
of the principal to times of more gem
eral prosperity, when our commerce
upon the seas shall have resumed its
sway, and largely increased popula-
ton has greatly developed the agricul-
tural and mineral resources of the
country, aud produced an aggregate of
wealth compared with which the ma
tional debt will be but trifing per
cent. f3 '8 ltti
While it is desirable to return to
specie payments, at as early period
as is consistent with maintaining the
business prosperity of the country, it
is not result so important that we
should hazard general disaster and
bankruptcy. - .6t nig.8fr sll
At this time the financial condition
of the country is depressed, trade is
languishing, and widespread fear of
panic and disaster prevails among
the people. The continued re
duction of the currency, fol-
lowed by corresponding re-
duction in all values, to that extent
diminishes the capacity of the people
to pay their indebtedness contracted
at a time when the currency was
much more inflated than at present
and gold at much higher premium.