Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1868-10-31
MOTLEY ON GRANT.

The subject was the "Four Great Questions
before the People in the present Campaign"
We have room only for the following ex.
tract of this very able production
There have been important elections in
this country during the brief three quarters
of a century which comprehends the whole
of our national lfe-that turbulent, full.
throbbing, exultant national life, the like of
! which the world never knew before, and
which has something appalling in its very
strength.
Party spirit is always rife, and in such
vivid, excitable, disputations communities
as ours are, and trust always will be, it is
the very soul of freedom. To those who
reflect upon the means and ends Of popular
government, nothing seems more stupid
than in grand generslitie. to deprecate party
spirit. Why, government by parties and
through party machinery is the only posi-
bic method by which free republic can ac
complish the purpose of its existence.
Popular representation, the election of men
to speak each for a hundred Thousand or
more of their fellow citizens at some common
central point familiar as we are with it, so
much so that it seems like one of the ele.
mental laws-was entirely unknown to the
republics. great and small, of antiquity or of
the middle ages. That which makes the
democratic republic possible and perfectly
convenient on the vast scale of this country
was never imagined before. The democratic
force in older republics evaporated uselessly
or exploded balefully, because no engine
had been invented by which man becomes
master of the superhuman strength of men
of the aggregated thought and will Of great
mu,titudes
And free government may cease to lie
free, even although all the forms and appli.
f ances for energetic action are present, if the
party spirit, tie potent expansive vapor
which moves all things, is absent or insuf-
fcicnt. The modern Kingdom of Italy has
| the freest constitutional form compatible
= with limited monarchy, liberal and ex
S panded representative system, but with the
n bulk of the people there is II deficiency OF
= the warm popular element, the party spirit,
the political steam. | have heard of repre-
: sentative districts where there were fifteen
hundred voters. and where not i've thought
c of going to the polls during what should
8 have been an exciting political canvass
How much do we owe2 $4,000 ,OO0, 900.
. How many of us are there Isuppuse some
: thing less than 40.000,000. We owe on an
y average perhaps S63 head at this moment
| When the debt is due, say twelve or fifteen
z years hence, there will Se at least GO, 900 000
y of us-say about $40 apiece to pay suppos
. ing the debt not to have disappeared alto.
U gether by that time, which it may easily be
l made to do. Nine dollars year a head
. and we are paying that now, would ex
l. tinguish the whole debt interest and princi
&c pal, before fifteen years are gone. If the
foul word reputation had never been breath
= ed, our difficulties would be over already ,and
10 the capitalists of the word would be GLAD
y to take our securities at as low a rate as TIE
c most favored nations enjoy.
N This is the richest country in the world
D, The accumulated capital of the British en-
q pire may be one third larger, although it i.
lie probably that the results of the United
le States census of 1870 will make surprising
50 revelations but the annual product OF tht
u United States is now inr greater than that o
q the British empire. while the untouched re
ID sources of this nation are OF almost iabulou:
extent.
he 1t will I've much within limits to assume
h yearly product, at this moment; of 1900,
es 100000, gold. But that which makes on
c. financial strength not only encouraging, bu
astounding, is the tremendous ratio at which
d. our wealth and population increase
l. Arithmetic, statistics become psetical wheT
II they deal with the American future. Th
u head swims wheE the possibilities of thi
a fortunate land are contemplated. If dwel
h. for moment upon the enormous power an'
rs wealth of this country, it is not for tn
III ignob!e purpose of pandrring to individual
nt or national Glortication, hut III order tha
we all may take shame if we admit for al
instant our inability 20 pay our honest debts
On the most moderate calculation, on
population doubles every twenty-five
ct years. Our wealth doubles at least ever
ry ten years. In the decade Immediately pre-
es ceding the civil war the ascertaiEed valu
of private property in TIE country increased
le more than l26 per cent: doubling, there
n fore, in less than eight years. Alta modcrat
estimate, the population, fourteen year
he hence, will be GO, ,000, ,0G0, and the valuatO
as of property, after making allowance for tn
er cost and consequences of the war thr0ughou
the whole country, will he $50 900, 400 ,00I
he The debt, even if not reduced dollar befor
s, that time, will then amount to about tou
per cent. of the accumulated capital of tn
er, nation. What individual in this countr
IA. wishes to day to repudia'e his personal debt
maturing twelve and fifteen years hence, b
o. cause they are likely to amount to a twent,
gn fifth part of his assets?
Why, the State of Massachusetts create
M in the year 1866, the FIRST year after the wa
Arl five hundred and seventeen millions of do
he lars, according to the interesting and adm
rable address of his ESeelenCy Goyernr
IN Bullock. During the preceding ten yea
in the increase of production was seventy'tw
per cent, although the yearly inerense
he population was but three per cent, nnt
Die below the national average. Were the who
country as industrious, the annual produ
he would at this moment he $l6,000,0 600, 90
ne instead of $4,000, 100000, according 10 Il
moderate basis which We have taken.
or After an elaborate sketch of Grants mil
he tary career, Mr.. Motley concludes as follow
There are very few persons in this Unio
to suppose, who have not read General Grant
nts letter, in which he charges his father to d
as stroy or at least to show to no one and
ck do not envey the man who is not touched |
to its simple grandeur:
of "Were it not for the natural desire
his proving myself equal TO anything expecte
he of me, would gladly accept " less res pons
ner be position. / will 10 my pa
lie towards putting down the rebellion in Il
nd shortest possible time, without expecting
ley desiring any other recognition than a qui
The approval of my course"
OF As long as the Republic breeds such Gil
xa- zens her destiny is safe. Such soldiers a
to not dangerous. Certainly, he did bis pa
It's towards putting down the rebellion, hut Il