Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-07-20
WAC ARE THE qAIoors g-Tbis is quss-
If RadicaIism Continues Congress
Must Pay the Debts of the Sece-

IF RadicaIism Continues Congress
Must Pay the Debts of the Sece-
! ding States. 3
Upon President JoHNsoN's theory that
in declaring the Southern State Govern
ments Illegal we assume the indebtedness
of those States as it existed before the re-
bellion, we shall have added to our public
debt about one hundred million dollars
And to this the salaries of civil officers OF
those States to be placed by our Govern
ment where the district commanders shall
remove all who can not take the test oath,
about ten million dollars, and the cost
already, and estimated expenses as appro-
priated this week in Congress, and we have
the sum total of about one hundred and ten
million dollars, as the cost of reconstruc-
tion. ...-,
There can be no doubt but in equity, the
Government of the United States would be
responsible for the debts of the Southern
States contracted before the war, in case
these States were really blotted from the
Union, and the creditors would press their
claims with earnestness and with force.
AS States, Louisiana, Florida, Mississip-
pi, North and South Carolina, Texas, Ala
bama, Arkansas, Georgia and Virginia con-
tracted debts to our own citizens and to
foreigners. The Congress of the United
States wipes them out of the Union as
States, and usurps the power of the peo-
pie residing therein. This act prevents
them from paying their debts, and why
should not the United States shoulder their
liabilities
Years ago, when the State of Pennsyl-
yania refused to pay her State debt, or the
interest thereon, due to cTrrZeus OF Eng
land, the English Ministry was impor-
tuned by the unfortunate creditors to COM
pei payment. The Government at WASH
ington, when this demand was pressed up
on the attention of the Administration, met
it by the declaration that the United States
had nothing to do with the matter, for it
was a mere State affair. The English Gov
ernment submitted to this argument with
an i'll grace.
In like manner, citizens of England and
France importuned their Governments to
make the Republic of Mexico pay its just
debts due them. Mexico had no such ex-
cuse as the United States had in the case
of Pennsylvania, and the result was that a
combined English and French fleet COM
menced the war which placed MACMILLAN
on the throne of Mexico, and ended with
his death. This war against Mexico estab-
lished the fact that a Government was
bound to enforce the just claims of its citi-
zen on foreign power.
The large amount of Indebtedness owing
by the States, now held by the Radical
Congress as conquered provinces, due citi.
zens of France, England, Germany and
other European powers, if Congress pre-
vents its payment, by keeping these States,
without constitutional warrant, out of the
Union, will form stronger case for Euro
pean interference than that of England
and France against Mexico. And hence
it is that President JOHNSON limited to
Congress that if that half made up body
did not cease its unconstitutional crusade
against certain States of the South, that
their indebtedness, incurred before the
war commenced, would have to be shoul.
dered by the United States, and paid by
the taxes of the people.