Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-09-02

people, caused by paper money and the
lifting off the burden of a great war,
and appropriated money for objects
tnst might well have been postponed.
can also say that this error, as error
thought it, has been nobly repaired
by the same men in the present Con-
gress. by adopting measures that will
secure very large reduction in public
expenditures. The numerous schemes
for extra pay, both for the army and
the civil employees, have been resisted
under a pressure you can scarcely con-
ceiye of. This is a saving of many mill
lions. The FTeedmen's Bureau, whose
benefcent influence in organizing
schools and labor in the South, is worth
several times what it cost, will expire
on the first of January next, and its
duties will be discharged by the loyal
State governments in the South. Claims
for property destroyed in the war have
been settled as far as they ought to be.
There have been large reductions in the
appropriations for every branch OF the
public service In the civil list-embra-
cling the expenditures for the exeeu-
tive, legislative and judiciary-foreign
intercourse. the territories, collection
of the revenue, District of Columbia,
public lands, mints, lighthouses, coast
survey, postoffces and q multitude OF
other objects. the reduction has been
from $50, 900, 900 to $50, ,000, 900. A new
policy has been adopted with the Indi-
ans. Once the owners of this vast con
tinent, they are now hemmed in at the
base of the Rocky Mountains, and by
the remorseless progress of our civili-
zation are compelled to rob and kill OF
starve. Pressed on all sides, and the
subject of numberlesss wrongs, they
appeal to our sympathy, but, savages
still, they retaliate upon the innocent,
upon women and children, and have
left Us no policy but to cheat them and
to kill them. We are now to gather
them up on reservations under the care
of the army, and to lead them, if posi-
BILE, into the habits of civilization
The Navy Department, which. under
Secretary Wells, has been the fountain
of extravaganza, is greatly limited and
all the military appropriations of the
War Department haYe been reduced tC
SS3, 100000. Thus, under the vigorous
action of Congress. the aggregate ap
preparations for expenses have been
reduced from Sl46, 100000 to S9l ,000,.
600, and with all the tardiness of the
executive authorities to reduce expen.
ses the actual cost of the Government
this year will not exceed Sl00, ,000, ,000
exclusive of bounties, pensions, and
the public debt.
Now, fellow-citizens, when this is
accomplished it Is all you ought to ask
You have already heard enough of the
machinery of our Government to know
! that it extends over a-multitude of OBJ
jects; over a vast area, with arms reach
ing across the Atlantic and the Pacific,
way off to the icy regions of Alaska,
and the torTid regions of Panama,
where our citizens own the transit
across the isthmus. Our flag floats on
every sea; our interests extend 10 every
cline; our name and power are res
pected where, by reason of our free in
stitutions, we are not loved. Our Gov
ernment is built up, maintained, de-
Tended and conducted by ourselves,
each equal in political right and civil
liberty. We have an interest in our
national Government, a stake in it, a
pride in it. Its glory is our life; its in
stitutions our inheritance. We can
afford, thank God, that it be conduct
ed with the dignity of a great nation,
and can freely give from our means
enough to support its official life. In
the management of a government,
economy Is vlrtue-meanness is a
vice. True statesmanship gives enough
for national honor and national safety,
nothing for waste or extravagance. If
we consider the increase of our popu-
lation, the extension of our territory,
the depreciation of our currency, and
the increased cost of living, l affirm
that our expenses now are less than
under Buchanan's administration,
while our strength, position and stand
ing as a nation have advanced infinite
ly above what the wisest among our
statesmen of twenty years ago hoped
for.
Economy in public expenditure de-
pends partly upon the character Of the
Representative, but chiefly upon where
be lives, not at all upon his politics.
Public money is expended mainly in
cities, where the revenue is collected
and supplies purchased, or in the new
States and Territories. Their Repre-
sentatives you may generally count for
the largest appropriations. Represen-
tatives from the interior, where no pub
lie money is expended, are usually
careful in appropriations; but a court
house or custom house, or a river or
harbor improvement in which their
people are interested, is apt to change
their votes, and politics don't have
much to do with it.
There is one other object of public |
expenditure which, for years, must be |
the chief burden upon our national
finances, and that is the public debit
Now, in dealing with this subject there
is one inf1exible rule to be observed, |
and that is to pay this debt, principal
and interest, precisely as we agreed |
to pay it. This not only national |
honor, but the public interest demands. |
There is another rule, well stated in |
the Chicago platform, which Is but an 1
of the other rule, and |
that is we must pay it according to the
letter and spirit of the laws authorizing
it. Now, according to these no CON /
portion OF this debt is due
and payable for several years; but
large masses of it may now be, at the 4
option of the United States, redeemed
Or paid, and some $1,000, ,00O, 900 may
be thus paid within FIVE years. Now,
as this was an option which the credi
tor agreed might be had by the United
States it is perfectly right and
proper that the United States should
wall itself of this privilege as soon
ls it is its interest to do so. But
lere the difficulty arises-may the
United States pay this debt. in lawful
money, such as the law compels all
)ther creditors to take, or must it be in
gold or silver coin2 Now, this depends
ipon the contract between the parties.
When nation deals with a party, and
tipulates to pay money, the presump
ion is that the money to be paid is
hat kind of money recognized among
lations, unless some other money is
hpulated for in the contract. Now,
Fhen we come to look at the Law, which
) the essential part of the contract, we
md provision that kind of money
lehned in that set and called lawful
money. shall be lawful tender in pay
1ent of all debts, public and private,
xcept the interest of the public debt.
Ihich must be paid in coin. Now, l
ave reasoned about this matter very
ften, IN public and private discussion.
have made and answered collateral !
rguments in speeches and reports: