Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-19
DAILY DEMOCRAT.
Confined from Tho second page.

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foreign countries TO be paid, except by the
results of productive indn.,ries o! the ia.
ton converted in foreign markets! For IL
it is true that the individual distribution Of
weath among the cit;z ms, communities and
States does neither increase or diminish the
wealth of the nation-although in the relax
ton which wealth sustsins rs an implement
for industry, this distribution is far from
being a dormant fsctcr. then it is also true
that the borrowing from Peter 10 pay Pau,
will net decrease your Indebtedness. In
order to do this, the nation must convert
the surplus products Of its Industry. and
just o. much labor as is saved in producing
aud placing that produc. into the market,
80 much national wealth 10 gained, and how.
ever the loss Of labor in this respect may bs
compensated for US between communities Of
the same nation there is NJ compensation
for sny such loss 10 the nation itself.
But, Mr.. President, th:se 10 another point
Of view from which tine proposition that II 10
NO coacesn Of the Genera. Government, that
the loss Of Iowa and Wisconsin is the gain
Of Illinois and New York. may be regarded,
and that is the political significance OF local
Isalousies In Government like ours.
A ieW ye1uS aBO Shis QucoNosi SVoiu Wy
be answered by nnalogies drawn from the
historical past, ard would TO God that such
was the case to-day but alas, an indebt-
cdness Of three thousand million OF dollars
upon the debit side Of the National Ledsei'
charged to ,cal pecullaritics, AID Jealouse'
originated and ioslercd by divers climatic
influences and isolation-what an item
Five hundred thousand warm throbbing
hearts, the brayest and best in the land,
now cold in death, charged to the same
account. Five hundred thousand mothers
mourning for their first born-iive hundred
Thousand fathers calling in vain the sons of
their pride-fve hundred thousand young
maidens and wives weeping for their lovers
and husbands, ard they come not to comfort
| them.
The mir is full Of farcwclls to the dying
and mourning for tn, dead. Columbia's
heart, for her brave heroes crying, will not
10 comiorted. No, Mr.. President, we need
no longer search the archives Of Rome and
Greece Every State and county, every
| city and town, village, hamlet and home OF
our own broad land 70 echoes the answer
| TO this question, destruction of life, liberty
aud property. And 10 this, too, a matter Of
indifferencey Ii the social and material
unity of the nation no concern Of the Gen
eral Government lspolitical union, based
upon power alone, exclusively its concern ?
| Then consider the nature Of that power.
What was the initial motive that set the
Northwestern avalanche Of power in motion
five short years agor Was it not the free
navigation Of the Mississippi? What car
ricd that avalanche forward in its resistess
course Was it not, without the figure Of
speech, the current Of that mighty stream !
What pierced the gloom that shrouded the
nation as pally Was it not the free navi-
,tion Of the river restoscdy
Thus, whether We con slider the question
a. one Of material prosperity, or social ami.
ty. or political unity and power, the answer
is the same-thc work belongs to the Gen :
eral G vsrnment.
In conclusion then, We are warranted 20
say that this work should be done, first, 5c>
cause cheap transit facilitates 4 judic'ous
application Of labor. Second, because il
renders the exchange and conversion OF tina,
labor profitable Third, these advanta ages
result in the case under consideration, from
An investment purely self-sustaining and
not speculative in it's character; and finally,
it should be done by the National Govern
ment because the loss sustained 10 National
and because the advantages gained are Ma
tional, whether viewed economically, socially
or politically.