Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-04-24
Miseella ne II :;
The Honest Mans Tract.
Nc. 3.

The times have been hard in this locali-
tv, we have shown, because, for various
reasons we have had to purchase oar food,
our clothing, the implements we work
viii, as we'll as all tie household furniture
of our dwellings,, while We have been cnt
off in our productions to pay for all these,
in other words, we have purchased more
'llan we have means to pay for, just now.
Besides all this we all expected when the
war was over that ''hard times" would
stare us in the face,-that there would be
a falling in prices, auI depression of
wages. This has not been the case to any
considerable extent. Yet there must be
at some time, gradual, or a rapid re-
turn to the old order of things. But why
did the nation have to go to war! This
would be complete answer: To prevent
the government becoming the Rich Mars
G0rernmcnt y The war was commenced
and carried on in the in crest of the Poor
Men of the nation. The rich aristocratic
slave owners of the South made the war.
No sane man will deny this. Even the
Vice President of the late Southern Con-
federacy says the South had no GOOD
cause to make war upon the Union.
But it is no use to argue point that can
not be denied, therefore, we say that the
strongest point that could be made By any
possibility to prove that Government is
conducted in the interest of all the peo
pie. and especially of the Poor Men, is that
it is willing to go to war to prevent its fall.
ing into the hands of 'class few" The
Government under which we live did this
when the rebels fired on Fort Sumpter.
Then men and money We're both wanted,
The Democratic Administration of James
buchanan bequeathed to Mr.. Lincoln n
to the Republican Party, state of war,
an empty Treasury, unsound crelit. and
a dispersed Army and Navy. No man
would lend the Government funds without
exorb;ant interest, and there were no funds
to meet its pressing wants. The army was
scattered all over the Union, and the navy
all over the world. No steps had been ta-
ken to protect the public property in the
Southern States, though some of the States
had taken Themselves out of the Union.
his Democratic administration never lift
ed finger at this crisis. to preserve the
Union, and to continue it as it had been.
the Poor Mans Government, but three
members of the Cabinet were in the inter.
est of the rebellion, MIR. Cobb, Mr.. Floyd,
and Mr.. Thompson.
When Mr.. Lincoln came into Office, as
has been said, men and money were want
ed, and they must be had. Tho men vol
and they must bo paid, therefore
the government had to enter the market
and borrow money. Every man, woman
and child were invited to loan it money.
No restrictions were made. only it could
not be in less sums than $50. Every vii
age newspapers in the land, almost, aa-
Gertised for the loan, and the people in
almost every town in the country at some
time purchased Government bonds. 1t
was not the rich, or the well to do only,
but many man, and woman too, in a spir
it OF pure patriotism, bought all he or she
had the means to buy. have NJ sons to
20 into the army. aud am too old to 60
myself, but | will lend the Government
my means, said many loyal man. But
The simon pure Democrat, the kind that
advise his cons to go to the Provinces, to
get rid of draft. said the Government
bonds were worthless, and discouraged all
from investing in them.
Since writing the above, We have come
across the following which illustrates what
we have said, that most men at the time of
the warinvested their money in bonds in a
spirit Of patriotism'