The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-03

How Shall the National Debt be
Paid s-


The following article from standard
radical eastern journal, shows conclusively
the Interpretation put upon the national
democratic aud radical platforms by the
eastern portion of the radical party. We
lrepublish it entire in order that our friends
of the opposition, who labor under the de-
lusion that their platform talks "green
backs, may know how such heretical in
dividuals are regarded by the far down"
casters
One of the most important issues which
depends upon the presidential contest is
the payne Mt of the United States bonds.
1t is we'll that every man should fully
understand the difference between paying
our debt, principal or interest in coin and
"lawful money" The Chicago platform
says: The national honor requires the
payment of the Ational Indebtedness in
the utmost good faith to all creditors at
home and abroad, not only according to
the letter, but the spirit of the laws under
which it was contracted" The democrat
ic platform on the other hand states that
"wherc the obligations of the government
do not expressly state on their face, or the
law under which they were issued does not
provide that that they shall be paid in
coin, they ought in right and justice to be
paid in the lawful money of the United
States"
When the laws were enacted by congress
authorizing the different bonds that we're
issued, it was the intention Of that body
that they should be paid in gold. In all
the debates upon the different bills, the
idea of paying. them in gold never was
mentioned The government had always
payed off its debts and discharged all its
obligations in gold-not its representative
in worthless paper. This was SO well un-
derstood that it was not considered neces-
sary to mention explicitly that the pay.
ments should be mady in gold, for no one
dreamed that they would be paid in any
thing else. The country was treatened
with ruin, and could only save itself by
raising money to carry on the war; and
that the large amount needed might be
raised speedily, every inducemcnt possible
was offered the capitalist to take up the
government paper. Men were appealed
to by every entreaty to do what they
> could in this way to help their country.
, We were not sure of our success in the
field, and if the rebel cause should triumph
> the country could not pay its indebtedness.
1t was in the dark and uncertain hours of
the struggle that the money was called for,
And the call was most generously answer
: ed. The people all over the land subscrib-
ed to the national loan. Wherever dol
: lar was to be spared it was invested in
! seven.thirties and fve-twenties Not the
rich and opulent only, were the purchas-
|, ers Of these securities, but the middle and
poorer classes, who were moved more by
their patriotism and love of the old flag
than any desire for gain and remuneration.
Their response to the demand of the
country saved it from dissolution and de-
= struetion. Our agents were dispatched
abroad, and foreign capitalists were in
duced by the high premiums offered to in
! vest in the American loan, but they did
!. it with the understanding that they should
) have their money back, with its interest,
in gold, and if that had not been the un-
derstanding, we venture to say, hardly a
/ dollar could have been obtained abroad.
= Our national faith has been pIighted in
this matter and there is only one course
to pursue! Every dollar must be paid
in gold. The policy of the democrats of
8 paying off the debt in greenbacks is not
only repudiation, bat robbery. Every per-
son who holds bond of the government
G will be robbed of what rightly belongs to
& him, and every man who advocates this
repudiation doctrine is as much a thief as
e though he put his hand in his neigh bor' 5
o pocket and took away his purse. The
e honor of the country and the honor of us
Il all demand that we shall vote down this
foul scheme which would be as disastrous
: to the nation as would have been the tri-
umph of jeff Davis and his conspirators.
l. = Greenfield .Nass.) Gozette and Courier
q The Hon. Sat- Clark. of Wisconsin
s has been visiting Council Bluffs, aud has