The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-07-11
3jnIitiral.
eou. seymour's Speech.

Speech u~4afNiSN ~ NO'' -
York, at the Cooper Institute, June 25th.
Not to deprive our readers wholly ofthe pleas
ure OF pursuing 50 able production, we give
below. as Ill our space win permit, few of
its closing paragraphs:
In answer to complaints of heavy taxation the
republicans ssy it cannot be helped with our
heavy debt and thus throw the whole odium on
the debt Why do they not tell the truth, and
saw one-third of our taxation is made by our debtI
Then they will be asked what makes this two
thirds? This question they do not want to have
asked, and they do not want to answer. When
they do answer, the eyes of all classes will be
opened. They will be forced to say that last year
they spent, according to reports of the committee
of ways and means $379, rs, O66 49, and this is
the third year OF peace. Well, say our we'll
meaning republican friends, we suppose the ill.,
terest of the debt took most of it. Oh, no, that
took $l49, 4lS,3S3 81, not quite as much was
spentlby the war and navy departments, which
was Sli9.472 ,165 81, and, besides this, we spent
sS0292, 5iS IA for other things. Why, that is
100000, 900 more than the democrats spent for
army and navy, and I'll expences of the govern
ment put together! But why do you spend $685.
613,6.2 SO on the navy, when it formerly cost
$2,OO0000 annually? Has American shipping
grown so much that we have to keep up vast ma
vies to protect it Oh, no, our tariffs have swept
away American ships from the ocean; we have
lost the carryingtr the British have got that.
Then why don't you give the builders Of mer-
chant ships the money spent on the navy, by way
of draw back on duties2 Would that start
work at our ship-yards Oh, yes, half the cost
would do it. Then, why is it not done? We
did not think of it. really we have been so busy
with the impeachment and negro questions. that
we forgot our sailors and mechanics. But we
see that the war department this year spent
S12S, 1853, AGO. when the year before it spent only
about sos 100000. The longer we have peace,
the more the army costs. How is this? Well,
it costs q great deal to keep soldiers and freed
mans bureau agents, and to feed and clothe ne.
groes ut the south. But why do yOn do it Let
IT, negroes support themselves as we do! You
make the laborers of the north work to feed and
clothe these idle Africans. True, but by so do
ing, we get their votes, and they will send our
travelling agents to congress; We shall get 20 sem
ators in this way while majority Of the people
of the United States living in nine states, have
only is. The people may vote as they please,
they cannot get the senate, nor repeal the laws
we got through for our advantage; we have man.
aged it so that one quarter of the people have
more power in the senate than the three quarters.
We now own the negroes of the south. Did we
not buy them by your blood and money?
We now see where the money goes we now
SEQ why the credit of our country is 80 tainted
we now see why the value of our paper money is
sinking. II was only at 81 per cent. discount in
1866, il is at discount of about 90 per cent;
we now see why our laborers and pensioners aIe
cheated by false dollars. If the mechanic cares
to know Why he works so many hours, let him
study the reports OF the secretary of the treasury
1t is clear why business is hindered. and bust.
ness men porplexea. We know now why the
public creditor is hartassed by our dishonored
dir and 4hn 20 10 hnpta1 1nu,, b,, 81
tax-gatherer. The negro military policy OF
the republican party is at the bottom OF all these
troubles.
We now get at the real issue between parties
The republicans, by their nominations and reso-
buttons, are pledged to keep up the negro and
military policy, with all its cost and taxations.
THESE will be yreater hereafter. The govern
ment OF the south is to 60 into the hands of the
negroes. We have said that they are unfit to be
voters at the north. The republicans say they
shall be governors at the south. We are clearly
opposed 10 this policy. We have seen how much
il costs the taxpayer, the bonaholder, and the
laborer III tho past three years 1t will be as
hurtful in the future. We have also seen how
our policy of using the money to pay our debts
would have helped the taxpayer, the bondhold.
,er, and the laborer in the past. 1t will do rs
much III the future. The whole question is
brought down to this clear point. Shall we use
our money to pay our debts, relieve the tax-pay-
er, make money good in the hand of the Ia
aborer or pensioner, and help the bondholder or
shall we use it to keep up military despotsm,
feed the idle negroes break down the judiciary,
shaCElo the executive, and destroy all constitll-
tional rights Cries OF "No no!"] have said
nothing in behalf Of, against, the views of any
one who il spoken Of as candidate for the pres
idency the democratic side. l have only said
what each one agrees to and is in favor OF. No
man has been named who is not in favor of re.
dncng expenses and then making our paper as
good as gold. No man has been named who is
not in favor of cutting down military expenses.
No man has been named who is not in favor of
using the money drawn from the Taxpayers to
pay the public debt. No man has been named
who is not in favor OF general amnesty to the
people OF the south. no man has been named
who is not an upholder of constitutional rights
No man has been named 10y the democratic
party whose election would not help the tax
payer, tho pensoneri tho laborer, and the bond
holder On The other hand, the candidates of
The republican party are pledged to their past
policy, which has sunk the value of our curren.
cy more than eight per cent. in the past two
years. The discount Hpon our paper money was
Il per cent in April, 1866; it is now about 20
per cent. 1t will continue to go down under the
same policy. AS it sinks, il will increase taxes,
1T Will curse all labor and business it will endan.
ger s,il more the public credit; for, the greater
the premium ON gold, the harder it becomes to
pay specie TO the bondholder, and his claims be-
como moro odious What claim have the repub.
iicans on our soldiers? They take away from
him one-quarter Of his pension, by paying him
III false money, which is worth less than rs cents
on the dollar a wise and honest administration
would have made it worth its face in gold. What
right have they TO call upon the mechanic and
laborer' They have heightened out the hours
OF theirtol to feed swarms of ofiice.holders at