The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-21

tates will not be certain to favor. Inc wat
f finance is the next war we have TO nght
md eyery blow struck against my enorts 10
,uhold strict construction OF the laws ana
he constitution is, in reality, blow In FAVOR
IF repudiating the national debt. The man
,facturers and men OF capital In the eastern
,tates, and the states along the Atlantic sea,
board mere strip or fringe on the broad
mantle of our country, if you will examine
he map-hese are in favor OF high protec-
i've, and, in fact, prohibitory tariffs and al
20 favor contraction of the currency. But |
against both measures the interests and votes |
IF the great producing and non-manuiaetur-
np states of the west stand irrevocably ar
rayed and a glance at the map, and the
of the last twenty years will
tell eyery one who is open to conviction hcw
that war must end. The history of the world
gives no example of war debt that has ever
been Maid -: but we have an exceptional
country, and present an exceptional case
Our debt might easily be paid, provided the
brakes against excessive expenditures could
be turned on quickly enough--but now Is
the appointed time, and now or never the
work must be commenced. If that debt is
ever to be paid we need economy IN every
branch of the public 1service-the reduction,
not an increase of salaries to congressman
and other officials the systematic reduction
of our national debt and not It's increase py
such monstrous bills as this last demagogue
measure for the pretended equalization OF
bounties. The congress, forsooth, is so pat
riotic, so loyal, that it 'can refuse our gallant
soldiers nothing ; but you must have seen
how promptly it rejected the names OF nearly
every gallant veteran sent in by me for con-
lfirmation to any civil Office majority OF
our extremely loyal senators using their
guillotine without remorse in nearly every
instance. And whittier is all this drifting
To intelligent men there can be but one an
sver: We are drifting towards repudlanon,
and the 'moneyed aristocracy of the national
debt-the very men whose interests are most
ieopardized-are SO blind that they are prac-
tically helping to accelerate, not check our
course in this downward direction. we neeo
the industry and the enormous possible pro-
ducts of the lately revolted states 70 heip us
in bearing our heavy burden. we need con-
fdence and calm-we need internal harmo-
nv; and above all, we need return to the
unauestioned supremacy of the civil laws
and constitutional restraints, if our debt is
not to be repudiated within the next half
score of wears. Financial prosperity was Sc
cured up to within a recent period but al
ready the delicate fabric of public credlt-a
house of cards at best-begins to totter under
the conclusion of the various revolutionary
ideas which have been recently exploited on
the floors of congress. Who now talks OF
the constitution with respect? Who is not
now made laughing-stock in the papers
and speeches of the violent revolutionary
party, if he shall be so hardy as to claim
| that, being again at peace, the sway OF civil
over military law should be Immediately re
sumed, if we desire to maintain our liberties!
The constitution is played out, we hear
on every hand and every effort to advocate
| the Just ascendency of the civil law only tur
| nishes fresh food for ridicule.
No party as vet, and possibly no party fo
some Years, will openly hoist the banner o
| Reputation. But majority of those wht
| shaped the legislation OF this last congress
| must know, unless they deceive themselves
| or are too ignorant to appreciate their OWL
acts, that we are drifting in that direction
| and that it is by their votes we have been
swung out into the downward stream. Doubt
| less some of them would either be, or affect
| to feel, Mortified if to-day branded repudi
ationists, Just as in the infancy of the free
soil agitation, it was considered bitter Sian
der if the 'freesoiler' should be styled al
sabolitionist' There are steps in everything
and the term of reproach to-day will be worn
as a feather in the cap some years from now
unless the true conservative wisdom of the
country can be awakened, and rapidly, from
its asphyxiating dream that our National
debt is a National blessing. And look al
the effect of the reconstruction bill Just pass
ed over my unayailing veto! L mean Its
peculiar effect asia step IN the direction o.
reputation, and not Its general effect as mgr
handed measure Ofcongressional usnrPuoh
striking out of existence so many states, aht
establishing military despotism over NOR
than oue-third of our geographical Union
! This bill suddenly adds four millions of igno
| rant and pennifess negroes to the voting fore
of the country-an accession of just so mucl
strength to the party whose interest it is ant
must increasingly become, to favor repudia
ton as policy. To secure the public cred
itor. our efforts should be-if that were pos
sible-to restrict rather than to extend thu
right of suffrage for money rapidly aggre
| gates in few hands and whenever the mel
who have an interest in seeing that onr ma
tional debt is paid shall have become out Q
all prportion few compared with those VIII
have an interest iu its Reputation the vote
of the many will carry it; and the debt c
three thousand millions will be struck out c
, existence by ballots, just as rapidly and n
{ terly as the similar amount invested IN soutf
ern negroes has been abolished during tn
recent war under showers of bullets. 4
least, this is possible. That we are to have
7 great financial crash this year / hold to b
: invitable-though deprecating it, and havin
used every effort for its avoidance. To sa
e that it can be STAYED off by any legislation,
the violated laws of trade and public econom
t call for it, is to assert that water can be mad
f to run up hill, or shall cease to seek its ow
e level under the compulsion of a congressio
s al enactment. Perhaps for so violent di
!, ease, this violent cure may be the only rer
edy. 1t is like man sustaining his streng
on brandy SO long as he can increase Il
r dose daily, he may get along in high goo
e humor-iust as we have been prospering {
J, an irredeemable paper currency and fire:
:, issues of public securities. But sooner
l. later, the day will come in which brandy I
longer can stimulate nor can irredeeniab
y promises to pay pass current as circulatir
n medium forever. To the man will come
II severe fit of sickness, teaching him that Il
n laws of temperance can only be violated u
r der fearful penalties and to the nation W
is come financial crash, teaching it that pap
f. Is only a representative of value itself; al
b that the only true securities for our publ
IF credit must be looked for in a system of ri
=. idly exacted obedience to all constitution
re restraints, and thorough system of econ
,e my in all branches of the public service
al For the sights and indignities-the unco