The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-02-01
Letter from Speaker COlfax.


oR--THE POLICY CONGRESS WILL PURSUE.
The following letter from Speaker Colfax
to j. S. Harvey, Esq, of indianapolis, is
published in the indianapolis Journai:
Although | do not believe in declining
nominations before they are rendered, and
have not announced myself as candi,
date for any Office whatever, yet frank re-
ply is due to your inquiry relative to the
Gubernatorial nomination, and the more SO
because the Republican County Conventions
are now being held. When my name was
first suggested for it happened to be in
Evansville; and, in response to an inquiry
on the subject by Colonel Foster, of the
Evansville Journal, | replied, as he after.
wards published. that was not, and could
not be candidate for Governor. My tel.
low members have honored me with an elec.
ton as their Speaker the term Of which Of
fee does not expire until March a, 1869
and, since that election. declined remu.
nerative business offer, because principle
and duty required me to serve out the full
term OF the Office whose obligations and re-
sponsbilities had accepted 1t would be,
therefore, both unjust and impossible to
change the determination thus publicly an.
nounccd.
The hopeful Boosting of our opponents is
| by no means new. When the Thirty.eighth
Congress adjourned its first session. in the
summer of 1864, our enemies were even
more sangnine than they now profess to be-
AS we babe them goodbye here, they pre-.
dictcd most searching victory at the polls
and at the Chicago Convention this conf.
dencc was most arrogantly and exultngly
expressed, Their rejoicing declarations that
Mr. Lincoln would have to fec from Wash.
ington i'll the ensuing March, in Scotch
cap" Nc, cannot he forgotten by any Indi.
anIdn who heard them. With the increased
taxation, compelled by the protraction OF
the war, and the draft law in operation as Il
military necessity, all over the land during
the canvass, the people turned their boast.
ings into grief, and in spite of the prcjudices
these acts invoked us we won the most over.
whelmine victory ever known at a contested
Presidential election.
In the summer OF 1865, when the Thirty.
ninth Congress adjourned It's first session.
our opponents, encouraged by the apostacy
OF the Administration, which turned its
whole power against the party that has con.
tewcd 1t, were no less sanguinc and boastrul
than they had been two years before; but
again the people overwhelmed them at the
polls, as they will once more in 1868, if BY
our unity and energy We prove that we de.
sire and deserve success.
Congress will again prove itself worthy Of
the confidence a loyal and patriotic people
have reposed in it. We shall lcarcssly face
and settle all the financial questions growing
out OF the enormous cost of the Democratic
rebellion. OF course do not predict, at
this early period Of the session. all the dc.
tails of its legislation; but, speaking only as
one member Of the House, have no doubt
that Congress will refuse to unwisely burden
the people with attempts to pay of the ma
| tional debt by excessive taxation; that ii
VIII stop the contraction policy, assented TO-,
as 1t was, on the urgent appeal Of the Secre,
taly Of the Treasury, but which has SO para.
| lyzed business, without reducing the gold
premium or bringing the country nearer to
| specie payments it will not consent that so
| large an amount of gold shall be uscessly
boarded up in the Treasury vaults. when it
might be applied more proftably and wisely
| to the reduction of the interest on the ma.
tional debt it will retrcnch Government
expenditures in every branch of the service
army, naval, civil, &c.-always excepting
| the sacred debt of pensions to our disabled
| soldiers and sailors, and the families of our
fallen defenders; it will compel the collec,
| ton of our revenue by the officers of this
Administration, thus placing scores Of mil.
! lions per year in the Treasury, which are
now worse than lost it will reduce taxation
largely, and relieve our struggling indus
tries, as well as tax payers generally, from
every possible burden consistent with the
| maintenance Of our national honor; and
| have the fullest faith that it will agree upon
| just and acceptable financial policy upon
| all other questions, that will neither dishonor
the Republic, impair its credit, nor wrong
| creditor or citizen. Besides this, it will EN-.
body and speak the national voice on the
| fullest protection and vindcation of the
rights of every American citizen, native,
born or naturalized at home or abroad.
| The staple argument Of our opponents is
to be the charge of NEGRO supremacy. -
They will seek by this to darken counsel
and to invoke and excite prejudice. But
the issue is too plain aud palpable for them
to mystify or misrepresent. They demand
| that the men of the South, who used the
power Of their State Governments to organ,
ize the Confederacy, to involve the country
in long and bloody war, to hurl the armies
of the rebellion against the defenders Of the
Union, and to carry anguish and desola,ion
to million hearth stones, shall be rein.
stalled in supreme and undisputed power in
the governments OF these States, aud ice
demand that they shall not be, but that loyal
men shall rule the States that loyal sacrifices