The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-03-07

1
1864, $i9S, 900 in legal tender notes, which can
to-day convert into S140,4S0 in gold or if pre-
fer to hold the legal tenders / can them in
all the business relations of life In addition to
the $140.4S0 in gold, which could be obtained
for my 100000 loaned, l have received the inte-
rest semi-annually, in gold, and have been ex-
| empted from all taxes upon my bonds.
Now the question is asked me- am willing to
receive the $l9S,OOO in legal tender notet? an
swer, am. Is there any reason why Tshould
be paid S19S,000 in gold What tax payer is
willing to be taxed to pay me this sum in gold
But it may be asked, why pay me anything at
! this timer Why change my relation to the gov
eminent as one of its bondholders Ii my inter-
est only were to be consulted, no payment would
be necessary, for l must be very unreasonable
not to be satisfied with the semi-annual interest
in gold on my $4,000, and the entire exemp-
ton OF that sum from taxation, with the assu-
rance that this condition of things is to continue
for twenty years, at least and my bends to be all
the time equivalent 10 gold, But there other
interests in the nation to be watched over and
protected, and the tax payers, who have the debt
to pay, propose to consult their interests and pay
it now as they have the right to do; and hence
! they say to me- you can accept payment or not
We do not propose TO pay your interest any long
er nor do we propose to pay you S19S,OOO in
gold.
! lpropose to accept the greenbacks.
| The secretary OF the treasury asks 'How
would the government of the United State :
stand before the world--how woHld it stand in
she estimation of its own people-if it should de-
cline to pay, according to agreement. the money
it borrowed, when its very existence was in peril
and without which it could not have prosecuted
the war, on the ground that the lenders took adj.
vantage OF its necessities snd purchased its secur-
tiles at less than their value?"
1t will not be denied that during all the war
there was n combination of monevod ,pan,o,,
ey lenders-persistent in their effort, TO denre-
ciate the government securities Tor the purpose
OF purchasing at less than their vaue. and vet
our government, uL like any other ON earth. in a
time OF war; permitted these combinations 10 OK
list and It's SECURITIES TO be deureciated and dare
not exercise the high provocative of a Govern.
ment to take the g0opty Of these loval citizcps
when it was daily. bv force, taking the l;re, of
thousands In nothing did the Ionc,ln admin.
i.tration exhibit its weakness more than in this.
Now these loval gold exHctino money lenders
propose to take the property left bv those whose
lives were sacrificed for their country.
To the lender of money TO the Government
when It's existence was in peril. no one has ever
proposed to do less than 10 return to him the
'.noacy borrowed" and its interest. according IN
agreement To him who toni. 07r0nt,oe of Tire
necessities Of his q0ger0U,eat ami q,,,cLusDd he s
ciYfties NJ iess Tim their gale We nranoeo n do
THING aCpOrTlipcs RI tl,n law
Now as every man wants his inves.,,o,ts +o
be sure, ,lndistarbed and PAVING. wonld il NO,
be wisdom in the holder 81 :,-20's ,notrred and
MATURING 70 accent paynpnt while no ca, ,roI,o
money by go doing as 7 have denopstr,+o1 -
stead of endeavorincy to force tha naorlo +n oc-
quiesce in an unjust and ILLEGAL Il enand
HAVING answered tbo cues.;on oslo1 I, +,o
Journal. from fine rosit;nn of q Trr'ab91,dar
which it had assigned to me- 7 win add - tow
words more:
The class Of money lenders 70 which tba ss,ro.
tarv of the treasury refers. who take advapta,r.
of the necessities Of their government a,d .l
chase its securities az less than +beir yalne. are
of all others, the most clu,norous for cold and
the loudest ir their rrotestation of Ioyaltv and
of their sacrifices for the government Coverr-
ment is supported by faxes The blood and tho
money of the pcople sustain IT, Paw those mon
in gold. as they demand. and where is their
sacrifice for their government Who sold GOV.
eminent securities at les, than their yalue and
WHY were they so sold nd hoons+ lov,l
money lenders and tax paye,.s demand tho s,cr;.
fc: !: Was it not rather that class of mo, Who
created Government. necnssit;s., To- ,t, ,,,r,,-sa
of dishonesty SUPPLYING .an1 rat;Tr al rania"o
of them" WHO ornosed n inst aystan, of 70 xo,;n,,
because it wonld have bruobt to tbe knowlaa,,e
OF the peonle the extent of their robher;os. MI
who, BY all the appliances OF money TO corrunt
legislation. secured the fundino "a non-int.,est
payni, LEGAL tenders info a ,,ovornnert .ao,,r;,-
which, eyemnted the holder from tsyatio, uh;cb
security, when offered in the market. thew i'm.
mediatelv sought to depreciate. until in pose,s-
sion. s.at less Than its yolue" ana now seek 70
appreciate by forced construction of the law and
by the CONSTRUCTION of an unipxt and nreom,l
system of taxation.
The cboroes Of had faitb AGAINST .bo odvooo+es
ne tho o,rl,I r.d.n,,t;o IS H. .1 - 49,