The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-03-19


Democratic ranks as to the policy and
the need Of honesty and economy, but
there is some difference of opinion as
to the construction ofthe contract with
the creditor. Some hold that it is
right, and that it is due to the tax
payers that we should save what we
can by paying the principal Of the
debt in currency, but they underrate
the force Of their own arguments. 1t
is a mistake to suppose that the inter.
ests Of the bondholder and the tar-pay-
ers are antagonistic. The fact is over
looked that in order to mako any sa-
wing by giving the bondholder q be-
based or worthless paper, we must
bring upon ourselves disaster and dis.
honor ,chich ,cin cost hundred fold
schat zoe can sdpe. It means that we
are to give to the laborer for his toll
base currency. 1t means that the
honor Of our country shall be stained.
1t means that our business shall be
kept in uncertainty and confusion
It means that the laboring men shall
suffer by the increased cost of the
comforts of life. It means that the
taxpayer shall be .burdened by a
government proved to DO corrupt and
imbecile by this very depreciation Of
its money. We cannot afford to Spec
ulate upon the nations honor at go
fearful a cost. We know that when
dishonest merchant or . corrupt
government wishes to make large
profits in specializing in their own pa
per, they must dishonor themselves
40 much as they can. l thank God
that the faith which we all hold. as
one man, seeks tolevelup, not to level
down. It. means that sterling coin
shall ring again on the counters ofthe
tradesman, and glitter in the palm of
the laborer, and gladden. the heart of
the wounded soldier. Our friends
forget the force Of their own argu-
ment. When they show how the
debt will be paid and taxation light
ened, by economy and honesty, they
also show how our paper money will
be made good as gold. The down.
ward course ofmen in power admits
of trafficking in the honor ofthe coun-
try. They can sink it to that point
that tho payment Of the debt will be
an easy matter, but ,ciN be at the cost
of the honor, the peace and ,oelfare of
our land. While, theresore, we may
differ as to the construction of the
contract with the public creditor, we
must not confound the position of
those who think it right to pay in pa.
per, bu. who battle to make that pa.
per as good as gold, with the position
Of those Uho mean not only to pay in
paper, but ,oho are also destroying the
value of that paper. That is repudia-
ton. We are not trying to give pa
per to the bondholders, but gold and
silver to the people. There is moth
ing to fear from those who think by
the contract you should take the pa
per, if they take o course which will
make that paper good as gold. There
is everything to fear from those who
are driving on to bankruptcy, and it
matters not what their professions
may be.
81 deem it my duty to speak frank
ly on this subject Of the debt. We
owe it to our friends in other States
to let them know our position, SO that
we may not fall into the fatal error Of
making sectional questions part of
our national platform. They would
with justice reproach US if we suffer-
ed them to hinder us in our battle in
this great State, which must be won
or the country is lost"