Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-04-03
Democratic APrIncIpIes-A Dfas
lOgue.

Gently inquired Of a prominent Democrat
what are the present principles Of the
Democratic party. The following dialogue
ensued: - a g ~
Democrat Why, sir, the Democratic
party has always been frank in the state
ment of its principles. You have only to
read the platform adopted at its last Ma
tional Convention, and you will find them
set forth in fill. ~ Y-MTm d ~
Foreigner.s I9haye read it, and find the
only distinctive point in it to be that "af-
ter four years Of failure to restore the Union
by war, there ought to be an immediate
cessation of hostilities." l suppose the
triumph of the Government over the re-
belii0n in the fifth year of the war must
have obliged the Democratic party to adj
NIT that they were mistaken.
Dem. Mistaken! Sir, the Democratic
party was never mistaken. But on re-
Election perceive that the present princi-
Piles of the party are not stated in its plat
form. The first is that this is a white
mans country, and that black men have
no constitutional right to vote, especially
in reconstructing the Southern States, and
no human power can give them the right.
For. You have heard of Moab Webster,
have you not?
Dem. Heard of him, yes; and he was
not only the best photographer of the Eng
lish language, but he was straight out,
old-fashloned Connecticut Democrat.
For. Well, be defines Democrat to be
zone who favors the extension of the right
of suffrage to all classes of men," How is
it that man can be Democrat solely be-.
cause he opposes that doctrine? 'E3 ~
Dena Politics have changed since Web
ster's time. He did not regard negroes as
men. 4 n.y. 20
For. Indeed. He defines a negro to be
cone belonging to the black race Of men. "
Dem. Well, Webster is a mere peda-
gogue. Our statesmen have thought diff
terently. q --ses -
For. Who are your statesmen? s
Dem. Andrew Jackson and
For. But jackson led the free negroes
to the polls, and voted with them side by
side.
Dem. Oh yes, we would be perfectly
willing to lead them to the polls, but the
mischief is, they won't be led. They
march to the polls in platoons and vote
against as. But this is not our principal
point now that the negro suffrage has pre-
vailed all over the South we have fnan.
cial policies. The National bonds should
be taxed, and what is left of theirAvalue
after paying the tax should be paid in
greenbacks. az. rn<-, 10y <KgFv8apve~
For. What is greenback
z Dem. 1t is the promise of the United
States to pay certain sum of money with
out interest.
For And are the greenbacks ever to be
paid M r eiri a 9GIia
Dem. No. they are to circulate as cur
rency. t;t;5-4 ,l.s IN 28g.3g|
For. How long will they circulate as
are never to be paid? And how much
willsthey be worth per dollar? d5o YnG
Dean That's none of my business. q The
Black Republicans. issued them, and they
must take care of them
For. But Democrats hold them and will
suffer by their reputation. i1r q
Dem. Well, We'll consent to lose what
we have in greenbacks in order to break
down the aristocratic bondholders.
For. And who are they? ~ 7'H'af "
Dem. The rich men, the Astors, Stew
arts, &c.
For. But am told these men hold no
bonds, and that nearly all your bonds are
owned directly Or indirectly by poor men.
Dem. 1t must be mighty indirect, then.
I'm sure don't own any.
For. Let us see. Haveyou any money in
bank? ~ a'e~-
Dm. A little; and my wife has de.
post in the Savings Bank, which she has
saved from her cheese and butter.
For You are both bondholders, then.
Are your lives or property insured? @
Dem. We have policy on our house.
For. What, are you such aristocratic
bondholders? -, -
Dena How is that s
For. Nearly all the National bonds
owned in this country are held by the Ma
tional Banks, Savings Banks, Life, Fire
and Marine Insurance and Trust Compa-
MES. These companies in turn are merely
agents for those who insure and deposit,
and do business with them. In New York
State the Savings Banks alone hold
$40, 0O0, 600 in bonds Those of Massa-
chusetts $25, 100000; those of Rhode
Island $4,000, 900, and, including theother
thirty-four States, it is safe to say that
their Savings Banks alone hold $780,
0OO,0 600, and that these represent the saw
ings of three millions Of poor people.
The number of depositors in New York
and Massachusetts together amount
to 804 sol persons, all of whom are poor,
and their humble savings would be swept
away by repudiating the National debt,
one seventh of which is due to them. al
Dem. Is that so?
For. Moreover, the Life and Fire Insu.
rance Companies of New York City alone
hold $50, 100000 in National bonds, How
many should you estimate were held by
the insurance companies Of the. entire
country. N ~ ~ "A
Dem. Perhaps $3oO,OoO,Ooo more.
don't know.
For. Nor i but suppose it to be as you
say. Now you know that the National
Banks own $340, 5000 in the bonds, and
that the class who own and do business
with these, banks are not all ~millionaires.
They are well.to.do business men, and no
more. About $500,000,000 of our bonds
are held as investments in Germany, main
ly by persons of moderate means who had
faith in the stability of our Republican in
situations. Besides there are, all over the
country, trust estates, and money of per-
sons of moderate means, which have been
invested directly in the bonds : The
amount of these can hardly be less than
$200000,000 Here then we have a
grand total of 0$1s740,000,0 900 n Of,
the interest bearing portion Of the
National debt, which amounts to
about $4,000, 100000, belonging to the
people who cannot be called capitalists,
leaving, say, $3.50, 100000 for the aristo-
cratic bondholders @ NV V
DEM Some of your figures rest upon
supposition, but, as it is impossible to ar
rive at the exact figures, we can only ar.
rive at them by estimates from the facts