The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-16
The Greenback Question In the Presidcntia
Campaign.

Camp0l8us
What is understood by the greenback ques-
tion-that is, the question of paying that
portion of the national debt known as five
twenties in greenbacks-is assuming consider
able importance in the Presidential campaign.
Mr.. vallandigham, in recent speech at Fort
Wayne, strikes boldly right into the subject,
and makes it the keynote of the contest in the
West. He does not trouble himself about
negro suffrage, the reserved rights of the
States according to the old democratic plat
form, or reconstruction, but confines himself to
advocating the payment of the debt in legal
tenders, to denouncing the grasping bond
holders and the republican party, which pre-
tends to favor the bondholders, and to the
cognate questions of taxation and economy
Other democratic orators take the same ground,
if they do not conGne themselves 80 closely to
this subject. Then there are the Labor Unions,
an organization numbering at least half
million members in good standing, which make
this fundamental article of their platform,
and which exercised considerable influence in
the construction of the democratic platform of
the July National Convention in this city. In
fact, in every direction, particularly through
out the West the democrats are bringing this
question prominently before the public.
A great many republicans, too, are for pay
ing the fve-twenties in greenbacks according
to the letter and spirit of the law, though the
party as whole has not ventured to make this
a part of its creed. 1t was shirked in the Chi
cago platform, though the republican majority
in Congress did not hesitate to pass a bill to
reduce the rate of interest on the debt one
third, which practically amounts to about the
same thing as paying the debt in greenbacks.
The two most prominent radical leaders in
Congress, the late Thaddeus Stevens and Ben
Butler, have been most earnest in advocating
the payment in legal tenders. Many other
radical members entertain the same view and,
indeed, there are few Western members of that
party who do not. Governor Morton, of In
diana, goes with the democrats on this ques-
ton, and, as Mr.. Vallandigham remarks, ''the
Indiana Republican Convention also went over
to the side of greenbacks, like sheep crossing
fence, but were obliged to be led back by
the halter by the Chicago Convention" 1t is
evidently popular idea, and the democrats
have got the whiphand of the republicans on
the ISSUE
Still, neither party is entirely united on the
question. The republicans, however, are most
divided The division in both parties is chiefly
sectional, the West going for paying the five
txuA In aoIra nj h. nck1, avI
East, where the bonds are mostly held and
where capital is concentrated, go for paying
in gold and for forcing specie payments in
order to accomplish that. II said that
the democratic nominee, Governor Seymour,
was against the greenback men of the West
and in favor of the bondholders; but Mr..
Vallandigham declares that Mr. Seymour has
made a direct contradiction of that statement
and has emphatically accepted the democratic
platform as the Western men understand it,
Yet we see the assumed organ of the demo-
Gratis in this city is under the control of Bel
mont and other bondhOlders and capitalists,
both foreign and native 1t pretends to speak
for the democratic party, when the mass of
that party throughout the country hold views
on financial questions directly opposed to this
organ and the small clique of bondholders that
control it, With all its assumption it dare not
touch this important question of paying the
debt in greenbacks, though on that question
the democratic masses are profoundly moved
and are going to make it the most prominent
one of the campaign. Looking at the contest
now commencing in all these points of view,
and at the rival interests involved, we may
expect some curious developments among the
factions. But in the fight we have no doubt
the greenback men will win, and, If Seymour
should be elected, will have the control Of the
administration. The so-called democratic
organs and leaders here-the aristocratic
bondholders-had better look out in time and
trim their sails accordingly, or they will be
distanced in the race and left out in the cold.
The Negro shooting at Washington.
The scene Mt Waahin0ton tho dav hofora