The Opelousas courier., 1868-09-19
Mr.. Pendleton's Speech at Hart
ford, Conn. .-.

Some days ago we published copious
Tracts from the able speech of Hon.
caa n Pendleton at Hartford, Conn.
To>day we present still another extract,
.-I;oh we feel satisfied, our readers will
sad 49, unite interesting in view of the
nn nnaa+ financial question at issue.-N. o.
Is.v that the true policy of the United
e.ates is to pay the bondholder what we
..o'snm;sed. This is the only way to re-
E tE;nre the laborer of his burdens; this is
the M only only way to relieve the burdens
of Wv the country to make it easier for the
.aonle TO pay their taxes; to make it
ppas;er for them to gain a living. Do this
nd ond prosperity will again return, your
fields will again be fertile, your industry
will flourish. The Republican party is
onposed to this whole system. They are
IN favor of not paying off, but of funding
the bonds. According to their plan the
funded debt would have forty years to
run at four and a-half per cent interest
Nnayable both principal and interest in
coId: and the bonds shall not be subject
to taxation, neither by the State nor by
tho Federal Government. Well, gentle
men. / object with gold standing at 14O,
nerhaps l45. If you convert those bonds
into gold bonds now, you will add $780,
0OO.0OO to the amount OF the debt; you
make it impossible to pay the debt in
five wears. If it amounts to So, 500, 600
600 and you pay per cent only, it will
amount to 100000, 900 year in gold for
interest. If you pay this sum for forty
years. YOU will, at the end of forty years,
have paid $4,000, ,O00, 900 and at the end
will still have the debt of SO, 500, ,000,O0O
besides. Forty years! Why, how many
of YOU will live that timel How many,
even of your children, will be alive at
the end of forty years! Year by year
you will have to go on paying this enor-
nous amount. Year by year it will come
out of the blood and bones and toiland
sweat of your children. Do you know
what national debt means? 1t means
that the rich shall be richer, and the poor
poorer. 1t means that capital shall be
exempted from taxation, and the laborer
bear all the burden. It means for those
who labor for their daily bread, scant
clothing; bgown bread and no meat. 1t
means that capital shall pamper idleness
in luxury; bat that squalor shall preside
over the cabins of the poor; and that
his daily struggles for daily bread shall
make his life constant death. see be-
fore me tonight many a young man, and
can see in his beaming eye and intelli-
gent face the hope that lies at the bottom
of his heart. He is willing to labor on
for few years, and to hope that he will
be able then to trade on the capita
which his industry and frugality have
saved. He has his day dream and his
night dream. He sees snug home
lighted up with the smile of love, oand
noisy with the prattle of infant tongues
made sacred by the presence of al wife
and mother-surrounded within and
without by those rays of CONFINEMENT
which plenty and prosperity shed
Young men, are you willing to give uI
those cherished hopes of the future, ant
to consent for all your lives that taxation
shall, take from you all except what il
necessary for your food andl clothing
[Voices-sNo, no, never" No, gentle
men, do not yield to this syren voice
that which persuades you to extend th'
debt and reduce the interest. Pay thu
debt and save the interest. That will
answer your purpose. That viii insur'
you future. Immense applause.l !