The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-11-23
snONGREL ExTRAvAGANCE.

Inc salem 1EecOFQ OF the iSIn l1SV.,
referring to our article of last week
entitled MongreI E.rtravagance,"
says:
''The Democrat, with appearance Of seriousness,
claims that the Republican party has in the last
six years spent $ll.500, 600 900, while the whole
assessed value of the nation only about Sl6,-
0000, 600 in 1850. II is safe 10 claim that the
cash value of all property IS to-day over $50 oo0,
00oo0o and during aterrible war. which We confess
the Democracy did not enjoy, which lasted four
years. the Government drew tho national re-
sources not over II per cent. per aunum, and also
contr acted debt that represents at this time not
one-tenth of the value OF the nations capital
This sum was more than the Democracy thought
the Union was worth. and Of course they grumhle
to pay it. We haven't the slightest idea that the
DeMoer0t intended TO give fair statement, for he
IS not lacking in common sense 10 that extent. Il
is useless, too for with the legitimate right to talk
about the niger and an audience ready to appre-
eiate every feature, why waste time and outrage
truth by such IN array of figures The silliness
Of the thing is aggravated by the fact that the
majority of that party don't know the difference
between \ million and a thousand million, and
the difference to the editors of the party is not
Pereep6ble, judging by their editorials.
The above remarks from the Record
suggest several trains ofthought, and
the writer may blame himself if he
gets hit between wind and water.
We stated that, since the Mongrel
party took possession of the Govern
ment on the 4th of March, 1851, be
tween six and seven years ago, the
amount of National Funds that have
passed through the United States
Treasurer's hands is fourteen thousand
and FIVE hundred millions of dollars.
The Record denies this, and intimates
very strongly that We manufactured
it out of whole cloth. We repeat
what we said last week, viz: that our
statement above is based upon the re-
port of a committee appointed by
Secretary McCulloch to examine into
the affairs of the Z. S. Treasury. 1t
is really not our statement but that of
the Committee. If it is incorrect it Is
the fault of that Committeeman ours.
Another statement we made, and
which the wise man of the Record
virtually contradicts, is, that the whole
assessed value of the nation, in 1860,
was but a little over 100000, 900.
This statement is taken from the cen
sus of 1850. If there is anything
wrong about it it is not our fault, but
that of the census.
The Record says that the cash value
of all property in the United States
to-day is over $3O,O0o,O 100000 How
does the editor know this On whose
authority is his statement founded p
We undertake to deny his assertion
and we demand the proof We very
much question if the cash value of all
the property in the United States is as
great to-day as it was in 1860. Then,
as we have already said, it was $780,
OOO,OOO,0OO. But this sum embraces
the South as it was ere the iron hoof
of war had devastated its fair cities
and laid waste its productive fields;
ere it had scared and blasted every
source of wealth and prosperity. In
the North even the war greatly re-
tarded prosperity. We are we'll aware
that it is the fashion of Radical edit
ors to claim that the war caused the
North to be unusually prosperous;
but until it can be proved that the
destruction of property by millions is
real prosperity we shall repose no
great faith in the assertion. The fact
is few shoddy contractors, and east
ern manufacturers, and iron-mongers
ofPennsylvania, and aristocratic bond
holders, and petted and feted bankers
of the Jay Cooke stripe, accumulated
colossal fortunes but only at the ex-
pense of the laboring millions of our
land. The war-like all civil wars
was an unmitigated curse to the coun-
try so far as material prosperity is
concerned.
The Record seems to think we ought
to talk more about the niger, and
less about facts and figures. We have
no doubt that it would be more con-
genial to his views of strategy and
future success were we to devote more
time to the discussion of nigger ques-
tions. We admit the questions of
niger suffrage and nigger equality
socially, politically, legalIy--are very
grave and momentous. We admit
that the question whether free white
American citizens should raise between
twenty and thirty millions of dollars.
annually to be squandered upon
worthless, greasy niggers and sundry
satraps and their satellites, is one
worthy of the most serious consideras
tion. But the question of taxation
the question whether the people shall
raise between FIVE and six hundred
millions annually by taxation-the
greater portion of which is worse
than squandered-are inconceivably
above and beyond all other questions