Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-09-11
COUNTY TICKET.
WHO MADE DUR TAXES AND WHO
PAY THEM.

WHO MADE DUR TAXES AND WHO
PAY THEM.
Every copperhead paper, stump-speaker
aud bar-roon politician is blatanrly crying
taxes! taxes! taxesll 1t may not be
improbable to inquire how and by whom
came these taxes. For eight years previous
to 1860, Democratic President, Demo-
cratic Administration, and Democratic
Congress ruled the country. What was the
legacy left by this Democratic government
when it retired in March 1861? A robbed
and bankrupted Treasury divided coun-
try with the South in open rebellion, and all
the Democratic leaders declaring there was
no power in the government to protect or
save itself, and that we must inevitably sub
NIT to secession and national dissolution.
In the last days of Buchanan administra-
ton, with the Southern States seeded and
bloody war already begun, we were as ma
ton, without an army, without navy,
without arms, and with our national credit
so low that We could not borrow a dollar of
money. The Republican party took charge
of the government at moment when every
Democratic orator in the land was proclaim
ing that our government was dissolved, our
liberty gone, and cur free institutions for
ever destroyed To replenish bankrupt
treasury, to manufacture arms, to recruit,
clOthe, and equip an army, to put down the
most gigantic rebellion ever undertaken in
the history Of the world, and to preserve
the government, the Constitution and the
liberties bequeathed Us by our revolutionary
fathers, was the task laid before the incom-
ing Republican administration. Such was
the condition of the country at the close of
eight years of Democratic rule in time of
profound peace. Every man who took
leading part in beginning the rebellion was
Democrat. Every State government in
the South was a Democratic one. Every
man in the North who aided and abetted
the rebellion by word Or deed was Demo
crat. The whole strength of the Democrat
ic party was opposed to the prosecution of
the war and the putting down of the rebel
lion. This opposition prolonged the war at
least two years Thus we see the Demo
cratic party began the war, and by its en-
couragement Of the rebels prolonged it to a
period far beyond what it would otherwise
have reached. Thus the Democratic party
Is to-day directly responsible for every dol
lar Of debt incurred, for every life sacrificed,
and for every soldiers widow and orphan in
the land. A Democratic rebellion loaded
our country with IRE thousand nsilIi0ns of
dollars of debt, sacrificed fire hundred thou
sand valuable lives and beaueathed to the
country million OF widows and orphans to
be pensioners on nations bounty. Every
dollar of tax levied on the property and in
dustry OF our people to pay the interest and
principal of this debt and to support these
widows and orphans is a direct Democratic
tar, and without the Democratic party it
would never have existed. As well might
the midnight assassin cry out against his
intended victim, because he had the courage
to defend his life, as the Democratic party
cry out against the Republican party for
having defended the nations life.
On the other hand, what has the Repub-
hcan party done? 1t has preserved the ma
honal life and liberty. 1t has restored the
country to peace. 1t has preserved the
national credit 1t has, within three years
Oh 'ne close of the war, paid ttccnty.tfue ham
area na'd''oas Of dollars of the debt iDeurred
in putting down the rebellion. It has A.
ready removed one half Of the taxes that
were at one time necessary to preserve the
credit OF the nation. 1t has pledged itself
% pay every dollar of the national debt ac-
0Of0ing to the letter and spirit of the con
uact' IL has also pledged itself to stiIl fur
'her reduce taxation, as rapidly as The nos.
economical administration of the vovcrn
ment and the preservation of the national
credit win permit To this end it has re-
duced the army and navy as rapidly as the
safety of the nation would permit. It has
abolished every unnecessary expenditure
whatever, and is in every honest and hon.
Orable way labcring to tighten the nations
burthens. With this end in view it has