The Portland daily press., 1868-12-10


ganized condition under the various laws which
have been passed upon the subject of Recon-
ssructon
1t may be safely assumed as an axiom in the
government OF States that the greatest wrongs
inflicted upou.a people are caused by unjust and
arbitrary legislation, or by the irresponsible
DEGREES OF despotic rulers, and that the timely
revocation of an injurious and oppressive me as
ure is the greatest good that can be conferred
upon a nation. The legislator or ruler who
has the wisdom and magnanimity to retrace
his steps when convinced OF error will sooner
or later be rewarded with the respect and graf
itude of an intelligent and patriotic people.
Our own history, although embracing period
less than century, affords abundant prOofthat
most, If not all, OF our domestic troubles are
directly traceable to violations of the organic
law and excessive legislation.
ALLEGED FAILURE OF REcoNsrRUcTIoN.
The mos striking illustrations of this fact
are furnished by the enactments of the past
three years upon the question of reconstruc-
ton. After a fair trial they have substantially
failed and proved perncious IN their results,
and there seems TO be no good reason why they
should longer remain upon the statute book
States to which the constitution guarante ss a
republican form of government have been re-
duced to military dependencies, in each of
which the people have been made subject TO
the arbitrary will of the commanding general.
Although the constitution requires that
each State shall be represented in Congress,
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas are yet ex-
cluded from the two Houses, and contrary 10
the express provisions of that instrument were
denied participation in the recent election
for President and Vice President of the Uni
ted States
The attempt to place the white population
under the domination of persons of color in
the South has impaired, if not destroyed, the
kindly relations that had previously existed
between them, and mutual distrust has engen-
dered a feeling of animosity which, leading in
some instances to collision and bloodshed, has
prevented that cooperatioA between the two
races so essential to the success OF industrial
enterprises in the Southern States.
Nor have the inhabitants of those States
alone suffered from the disturbed condition of
affairs growing out of the Congressional en-
actments The entire Union has been agitat-
ed by grave apprehensious of trouble which
might again involve the peace of the nation.
Its interests have been injuriOusly affected by
the disarrangement of business and labor and
the consequent want of prosperity through
out the country. The Federal Constitution,
| the magma chdrted of American charters, under
whose wise and salutary provisions we have
successfully conducted all our domestic and
| foreign affairs, sustained ourselves in peace
| and in war aud become great nation among
| the powers of the earth, must assuredly be
now adequate to the settlement of questions
growing out of the civil war waged alone for
| its vindcation. This great fact is made most
manifest by the condition of the country when
| congress aSSemDieu III Tic uOutu U
December, 1865 Civil strife had ceased;
| the spirit of rebellion had spent its
entire force in the Southern States;
| the people had warmed into national lite, and
| throughout the whole country a healthy reac-
ton in public sentiment had taken place by
the application of the simple yet effective pro-
visions of the constitution. The Executive
Department., with the voluntary aid of the
States, had brought the work of restoration as
near completion as was within the scope of its
authority, and the work was encouraged by
| the prospect of an early and satisfactory ad-
justment OF all its difficulties. Congress, how
| ever, interviewed and, refusing to perfect the
| work So nearly cousummated, declined to adj
nit members from the unrepresented States,
| adopted measures which arrested the pro-
| gress of restoration, frustrated all that had
| been successfully accomplished, and, alter
three years of agitation and strife, had left the
/ country farther from the attainment OF union
| and fraternal feeling than at the reception OF
| the Congressional plan of Reconstruction. II
needs no argument to show that Legisla
| which has produced such baeful consequences
should be abrogated or else made to conform
| to the genuine principles OF Republican gov
| ernment.
OTHER UNCONSTITUTIONAL" LAWS.
| Under the influence of party passion and
| sectional prejudice, other acts have been
passed not warranted by the Constitution
| Congress has already been made familiar with
| my views respecting the tenure of office bill.
| Experience has proved that its repeal is de-
| manded by the best interests of the country,
and that while it remains in force the Presi-
| dent cannot enjoin that rigid accountability of
public officers essential to an honest and eff
| hcient execution of the laws. Its revocation
| will enable the Executive Department to exer-
| else the power of appointment and removal in
| accordance with the original design OF the
| Federal Constitution.
The act of March I'd, 1867, making appropri-
ations for the support of the army for the year
Inv. {N.n has
contains provisions which interfere with the
| Presidents constitutional functions as Com
| mander-n- Chief of the army and deny to
States in the Union the right to protect them
selves by means of their own militia These
| provisions should be at once annulled; for
while the first might in times Of great emer'
gency seriously embarrass the execution of eff
forts to employ and direct the common
strength of the luton for its protection and
preservation, the second is contrary to the ex-
press declaration of the constitution that "a
well regulated militia, being necessary to the
securing of a free State, the right of the peo'
| pie to keep and bear arms shall not be infring
ed" 1t is believed that the repeal of sucl
laws would not be accepted by the American
people as at least partial return to tue fun
damental principles of the government an in
dicaton that hereafter the constitution is t.
be made the nations safe and unerring guide
They can be productive of no permanent ben
eft to the country, and should not be permit
ticient wisdom which has characterized oui
recent legislation.
THE NATIONAL FINANCES.
The condition of our finances demands the
early and earnest consideration OF Congress-
Compared with the growth of our population
the public expenditures have reached az
amount unprecedent in history. The popula
ton of the United States in 1890 was nearly
four millions of people; increasing each de
cade about 33 per cent it reached in 1860 thirty
one millions, an increase of seven hundred pei
cent on the population in 1890 In 1869 it il
estimated that it will reach thirty-eight mil
lion, or an increase of 1858 per cent in 70 years
The annual expenditures of the federal gov
ernment in 1891 we're $4,200,O00; in 1920
SIS, 200 OO0; in 1850, S41 100000; in 1860 S63.
100000; in 1865, nearly S13,000,000, and in 1865
it is estimated by the Secretary of the Treasury
in his last annual report, that they Will be
72000,000. BY comparing the public dis
bursements of 1869 as estimated with those o
| 1871, it will be seen that the increase of expen
ditures since the beginning OF the government
| has been S,618 per centum, while the increase
of the population for the same period was S6s
| per centum. Again, the expenses OF the gov
e.nment in 1860, the year of peace immediate
ly preceding the war, were only $63,OOOOOO
while in 1869, the year of peace three year
after the war, it is estimated they will be 1872,
O00,OO0 an increase of 489 per centum, Will
the increase of population was only Il pc
| ceDtum for the same period
These statistics further show that in 1871 th'
annual national expenses, compared with tn
| nopulatiop were little more than one dolla
| oe1 capita and in 1860 but two dollars per capt
ia, while in 1869 they will reach the extrava
CANT sum of nine dollars and seventy-eigh
cents per capita 1t will be observed that al
these statements refer to and exhibit the dis
bursements of peace periods
It may, therefore, be of interest to compare
| the expenditure of the three war periods s-tht
war with Great Britain, the Mexican war ant
war of the rebellion. In 1914 the annual ex
penses incident to the war of 1872 reached
| their highest amount, about $31 100000, while
our population slightly exceeded 100000
showing an expenditure of only three dollars
and eighty cents per capita In lS47 the ex
pendtures growing out of the war with Mexi
CO reached S55000,000, and the population
about q, 100000, giving only two dollars ant
sixty cents per capita for the war expenses o
that year In 1865 the expenditures called fo
by the rebellion reached the vast amount o
$1,000, 100000, which, compared with popu
ation of 34,000,000, gives thirty eight dollars
and twenty cents per capita.
From the 4th day of March, 1889 to the 18th o
| June, 1861, the entire expenditures OF the gov
ernment were seventeen hundred millions o
dollars During that period we were engagei
in wars with Great Britain and Mexico, ant
were involved in hostlities with powerful In
| dian tribes. Louisiana was purchased from
France at a cost of $15,O00,000, Florida wa:
ceded to the United States by Spain fer nvt
million, California was acquired from ~ NJ,
for fifteen million, and the Territory yt =. s,,m
Mexico was obtained from Texas 'or sr ar. of tha
,I;in, vi VII and from the first OF
IL nS -, .ia' ~ tbe 30th of June, 1865, the
nuhlic axnanditureS reacneu 'ne cmoi OI nc %
uon. puome tbirty-three hundred millions Ihree
SieSaVe y. lace have intervened, apd during
oh n