The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-09-11

more than two hundred and fifty mil
lions has been paid out of the fifteen
hundred or sixteen hundred millions
collected. Mr.. Pendleton's estimate
is that it is only one hundred and thir-
ty-four millions. The larger sum Is OBJ
viously inaccurate in ono respect, be-
cause 1t includes cash on hand on the
first of July, which Congress has ap-
propriated away. There is no use In
talking about that money; it has been
voted to reconstruction and to other
projects ofthc Congressional majority.
At all events, not to pause to dispute
about the amount, the sum paid upon
the principal of the public debt has been
relatively quite small. Out of these fif-
teen hundred millions, 1t Is my opinion
and express il for what 1t Is worth
that we ought to have paid six or
seven hundred millions upon the pub
lie debt instead of one hundred and
thirty.four millions.
Why has not this application of the
taxes Of the people been made by their
government? That is the question to
be put to the Radicals in this canvass,
and To bc put to their candidate also !;
that is, If you can put question to
him with any expectation of a
reply. Great laughter. We
can explain to ourselves, perhaps,
the reasons, or some of them, why this
money has not been applied to the pub
lie debt. We have an army of fifty-six
thousand men that costs pretty well
towards one hundred millions of dollars
a year; fifty-six thousand men are mar
shaled under the flag of the United States
three years after peace was secured, at
which time most of them should have
been disbanded, and returned to
the pursuits of private life. Nearly
one hundred millions of dollars a
year are poured out and wasted
in time of peace upon an I'M
necessary army! / made a motion up
on one occasion when an army bill was
before the Senate last winter, that this
tirstclass military force should be re-
duced to a second class One-should be
cut down from fifty.six thousand to
thirty thousand men. The proposition
was duly debated, and upon taking the
yeas and nays | obtained only three
Republican votes out of some 43 or a,
for it; the minority of course voting for
IL. That amendment itself would have
saved fifteen millions of dollars between
the day when | offered 1t and the pres
ent tune, Applause. 1t was rejected.
u
There is what the lawyers call an
ei"rlRosynary institution--perhaps, in
ste,,h ul using the technical term "elee-
mo,ynary,'" | should say a so.called
charitable ilstitutiOn--which has been
operating in the ten States Of the South
we are perfectly well aware of the fact
that 1t has operated because we pay for
it--and because it had surplus energies
not altogether consumed in those States,
1t has been operating to some extent
even in Kentucky and Maryland, which
did not sccedr, and are as much States
in the Union aud always have been
during our troubles, as Pennsylvania
herself. How much this interesting in
PsxnmeFt OF so,eailSd Hr;"r, H;.sr2pH %I S3st; E,s
very logically conclude that nobody can
tell. Laughter. one very groundless
statement will inform you that 1t is only
some half dozen millions another
statement, that it is fifteen or twenty
millions and still another that il costs
ten or twelve millions Il year. A large
part OF the Outiry To that object has been
covered up under vague appropriations
A very large part OF the cost Of that in.
struuent OF Radical government il
covered by army appropriations, which
being hy almost untold millions, car
cover vast sums for this purpose with
out attracting much OF public attention
Besides, by act of 18th July, 1855, Con
gress appropriated expressly to The
| Freedmen's Bureau, SG,oii 100, and by
act OF ID March, 1867, $3,SlS, 300, ant
there have been other appropriations
| But this mattcI has been ably discussct
| by NOurown Representative inCongres'
| Mr.. Boyrr and | need not flirthe
pursue il.
At all events, you have had admin
iStered under the authority Of the gov
crnment uf the United States for year
since the war n costly Institution t.
provide food and clothiug and educa
ton and political instruction to the ne
groes of the South; and you foot tn
bill; it comes out of the price OF the col
fee which your wives purchase of tn
merchants; it comes out OF the cost c
the clothing you put upon your owI
persons. and generally, out OF the re
suits Of industry applied by you in you
several pursuits and avocati0ns in litt
and from the just earnings of capital IL
vested in useful enterprises.
But, gentlemen, | must pause, cal
not 90 over the catalogue of objects W
on which public money has been was
ed. Th. fact is certain, that out OF MOI
than 1900 millions of dollars collecte
in three years, a very small amoun
comparatively, has been applied to II
, public debt, and that debt remains su
stantially undiminished nay, recen
ly there has been an actual increase
. lis amount. have said enough to II
+ dictate the reasons for this astoundii
fact. that such an enormous amount
nh a
period of time, and very little of 1t n
; plied to the main object to which
great part Of it ought to have been d
. voted. The moneys that have been ra
= ed have been squandered upon impr
= per and unworthy objects, upon prot
|, gate expenditure for political purpos
!, and political ends, and the interests
' the people and their just rights ha
been disregarded.
a CHANGE NEEDED.
10 But pass from all these questions
II money which ought to be sufficient
If cast the vote of this state for Seymo
h and Blair and against the candidates
Radical party,if there were nothing. G
involved, Your interests, your wcliul
:. the interests and welfare of your Sta
:. demand II change in the administrati
4
= in its legislation and in the execution
/, its laws. Your interests require &C
=. =, stitutiunal administration OF the Fed
"a "a al government, upon principles of hc
# esty and wisdom, ~ We had 1t IN forlI
II times. Applause.
IA RECONSTRuCrION.
A. But there is another great subject,
10 some men more important and intert
10 ing than even u question of money, q
J., question of pecuniary gain or loss, Il
VI that il the subject of reconstruction
- the South. This word "reconstructio
70 is anew word in popular use. We III
m had number of new words introdul
III into Use in this country within the
u few wears some of them are borrow
IN and some are original In their politi
~ application. Loyalty" was te
IL which we used to think belonged
re courts and to couriierS; to the sui
as tools of dcspotic power in other liant
t,,t nl IN