Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-10-28
Ioon,lud.a frem ,rsl pass.l

Ifihis lie, was published we should
know IL there had been fair or foul deal
ing in these transactions. Unles. there
Is some change in power the action OF
the debts canno, be laid bare. The honor
and the interests Of the country demand
such an examination as shall dispel the
suspicious which now exist In the public
mind, aud which shall bring guilty men
20 punishment Il wrongs have been done.
(Great cheeringl As the matter now
stands. the utter confusion after Official
statements about the debt which have
been put forth to the public and received
by il for years ms true statements, one
ingenious member OF Congress asserted
that the nublic debt had been lessenei
about 5000 ,000, 600 more than we sup
posed [Lauehter.] Unfortunately this
statement, which otherwise might nave
been so comfortable, did not diminish the
amount of our present Indebtedness, but
II was to show that at one time we
had owed much more than We sup.
posed, and much more than had
been stated, and, therefore. that we
had paid more. This statement was ac-
cepted by the polite al leaders and most Of
The officials of the Republican party, al
though il was at war with the solemn as
surances which he had before given from
time 10 tins about our financial oondi-
ton. What can we think aRd what can
the world think Of system OF accounts
which admits Of such monslrous discrep-
ancies, or what must be thought of the
morality that either now puts forth a
gross misstatement or by its own showing
deceived the people in the past Loud
cheers The truth is, our moneyed Of
fairs are in utter confusion. The Gov
eminent cannot give to the world, it can
not give to the people a statement which
shows how we stand. The officer OF
corporation who should stand before its
stockholders as this party stands to-day
before the people of this country, giving
out such confused and conflicting state
ments, would be diserscsd in the eyes OF
business men. Chsers For this rea.
son we are dishonored in the markets OF
the world. For this reason our credit IS
lower than that of Turk.
/ am advised that leading journal OF
this city proposes to make our currency
as good as gold by contraction OF its
volume. This may be done until 1t has
crushed every debtor and business man
in the land, and when the run is brought
il will be found that you cannot make a
bank note bearing no interest worth more
than the bond which secures more than
ten per cent. interest Applause.J You
cannot lift up our currency to its NOM
inal value uutil our bonds are made par
in the currency of the world. This
will not be done until you have
wise and honest administration
of the Government. The Republican
party have failed to make the world to
believe that it is wise and honest to pay
a large interest. 1t is want OF credit
and trust in the management OF our ma
tional affairs which alone sinks them IN
the market of the. world. With good
credit we could float much larger cur
reney then we now have; we could re-
lieye the business men; lessen the tax,
for we could give interest on accounts
which we know we have to pay; we could
advance prices paid to the laborer of the
farm or the workshop, because all the
transactions of life would be easier.
From his speech at Cleveland we add
also the following extracts:
Why do not the men who have been
in power for the past four years do away
with these national evils which it is their
duty either to modify or cause to be re-
moved2 And yet they come before you
now and ask to be continued in political
power. They ought to challenge the
utmost scrutiny of their administration.
They have spent millions of money, and
how have they spent it2 They have
thrown upon the people the burden of
three thousand millions of dollars, with
it's load of taxation.
They only give it TO us in generslities.
They say so many millions for the army,
so many for the navy, so many for each
of the various departments, but they do
not give US any details to show whether
this vast amount was spent wisely or not
Fellow-citizens it would be good thing
TO nut in President and Vice President
who will look into these things. con-
tend it is for the people of my own State,
and of Ohio, and of the country, and
especially of the laboriDg man, upon
whom the burden rests most heavily, TO |
know what they have done with this
money, no matter what may be his polit-
ical views. [Cheers.
Ny friends, we are engaged IN an cleo
ton which most deeply concerns the
people of this whole nation. Labor is
oppressed with taxation, and business in
all its branches is embarrassed to such a
degree as to excite anxiety for the future.
They say that labor is not taxes, but, my
laboring friend, do you know that, when
you provide for your family, when you
buy food and clothing. aud the neces-
ssries OF life, they cost more than they
used to do2 Do you not know that it 10
tax that causes this ?
There is waste and extravaganza in
every department of the Government,
and you Of foreign birth, when we invited
you 10 become citizens Of our glorious
country, to enjoy its liberties and heaven
bestowed privileges, did we not tell you
there were no tax-gatherers to chase you
down? lCheers But how is iii There
is no reason why everything should not
be as free as ever, but there ia tax gath
erer at every corner aud Government Of
ficers swarm throughout the land.
A short time ago, when was in Wash
ington, granGed my curiosity by look
ing over the Blue Book to see how many
of these officials there are in the country,
and / fud there are more than sixty
thousand Does any One doubt the in
Auence which they exert in controlling
the Government Can any Republican
say that if the army Of officials would
stay at home the people would drive the
Republicans out Of power and put the
Democratic party in 2
Is il not right and prudent, and for the
interests Of all sections Of the country,
that the extreme policy of The Republi-
can party should be modifed1 five
sncceed in this great contest we cannot