Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-16
JOHHs0n's Reputation Scheme.

The last message of the President out
JohnsOns johnson. No one had any rigLt
TO expect that either patriotism or decc.lcy 81
common sense would find a place in any Off
cial communication from this accidental pres
ident, but even Johnson had not given the
public any hint in advance that tie intended
q studied assault on The national credit. We
knew that he had eu,IctyJred fur wears, with
a mulish ObetinaEcy. 10 make the government
repudiate all its obligations and promises and
pledges to the cgiored people emancipated
during the war bat he had never suggested
q Reputation of the public debt He long
ago went back =" on himself as the mo
ses Of black men. but in all the dreary
wa-te-Of bis treacheries lie had been tolera-
bly, sound On the problems of finance. Steeped
IN iniamy a. he was. he yet seemed to have
some right IDEAS of commercial honesty. II.
this last message. however. he completes the
circle of crimes around which he has teen
swinging. and leaves nothing unsaid whici
can plesse the enemies of freedom. honesty
and national honor. He has now proved
himself to be everything that a president
ought not 70 be. and nothing which q pref
dent ought To ne tie has added to his treu-
son to liberty. the basest treachery 10 the
national honor. There should be a whip o.
scorpions in every honest voters hands I
lash the scounjrcl naked through the world
Here is what the message ha. to offer OF
the Subject Of paying the national debt:
Our national credit should be sacredly
observed but III making provision for oul
creditors we should not forget what i:
due T. the masses Of the people. Il may b,
assumed that The holders Of our securltIe-
have already received upon their bonds {
larg r amount than their original investment
measured by a gold andard. Upon TIN
statement OF facts it would seem but jus
and equitable that the SIX per cent interes
now paid by the government should be AZ
piled 70 the reduction Of TIE principal IL
temi-arnual instruments, which in siAteeI
years and eight months would liquIdate IT.
entire national debt Six per cent in gol'
would at present rates be equal to nine pc
cent in currency. and equivalent TO the pay
ment or the debt one and a half times, in
fraction less than seventeen years. This, IL
connection with all the other advantage. de
rived firm their Investment, would afford Il
the pubic creditors Il fair and liberal com
pensation Tor the use of their capital, anC
with this they should he satisfied The les
sons of the past admonish the lender that i
is not well to be over-anxious in ~exactinl
from the borrower rigid compliance with tht
letter of the bond"
In other words, Mr.. johnson recommend:
that the government pay interest on the deb
for sixteen years and eight months. and then
stop paying interest and r~epudiate the prin
cfDoI Tho man rChn rafG N ~ on a f,rral
note il quite a respectable scoundrel in com
parison with him who deliberately repudiate
an obligation voluntarily entered into, 70
the one, while falsely pretending that a forge
note Is genuine, only imposes upon you
knowledge of the signature. while the Other
basely betrays your confidence in his owr
honor The man who could with malic
a%forethought, as President of the Unite'
States. write the above rascally recommends
ton. if he cannot be sent to a panitentiary
deserves 10 be set in the pillory, aud mad
the object of universal scorn and contempt.
1t is of no use to argue with a repudiatOr
No %repudiator can be an honest man, and a
arguments arc addressed to the reason, the,
do not affect him. TIE trouble with the dis
honest man is that he has neither conscienc,
nor sense of honor, and argument. are waste,
upon such persons IF any man agree witt
the logic of this message, his word of prom
Use is good for nothing, and if he forbears tt
pick your pocket it is because of his fear Q
the law and not from any disinclination to 70
you. The man who refuses to pay the dol
lars he Ow ; is no better than the thief whC
steals tie dollars he has not got-and tn
nation chat does mt pay its debts is no bette
than a nation Of freebooters and pirates,
is the good fortune of this country that Will
the JOhnsOns are public nuisances, and {
stencil in the nostrils Of honest men of al
parties, they are yet in a minority as small
as that Of those mcphitic animals whose of
fensive oiors are MT likely to be soon tn
prevailing or fashionable perfume.