The Portland daily press., 1868-10-27

While everything that has happened since
the nomination of Grant at Chicago has been
rs favorable to the Republican cause as The
most enthusiastic and hopeful Radical could
expect, it has long Been feit that one thing
was wanting. Seymour has taken the stump;
Blair breathes out threatenings and slaughter
from one end of the country to the other; the
South endorses his revolutionary AMI incen-
diary utterances; Brick" Pomeroy sends his
paper into every school district; there is
change of Democratic candidates for Presi-
dent and Vice President even after the GER
tainty OF their defeat is acknowledged by the
leading Copperhead journals of the country;
Republican victories are announced as often as
an election takes place anywhere from the
Atlantic to the Pacific. Yet we have sadly
missed the active cooperation of the President
which was of such immense service in 1866
That want is now supplied, and the cup of
Republican joy is full and running over.
The letter of Mr.. johnson to Gen. Ewing
which we have gladly laid before our readers
is of immense Importance to the good cause
both from its truths and its falsehoods.
Take, for instance, the simple acknowledge
menr that at the close of the Mexican war in
1849 the debt of the United States was $64 ,OOO-
900 and that at the outbreak of the Rebellion
In 1861 that debt had not been reduced dollar
In twelve years of profound peace under a
Democratic administration a war debt of COM
paratively trivial amount was not only not
dimished but was Increasing. But even Mr.
johnson does not state the case strongly
enough. In 1857 when Buchanan went into
the White House the debt had been reduced
to $o9O00,O00. so that under his administration.
when there was nothing requiring extraordi-
nary expenditure, the debt increased ONE
HUNDRED PER CENT!
Contrast this exhibition of Democratic eff
cheney in financial matters, as explained by
Mr.. johnson, with Republican management
under infinitely more difficult circumstances,
as described by the same eminent authority
According to Mr.. johnson the debt growing
out of the Democratic Rebellion, when in Feb.
ruary 1866 all its expenses were at length liqui-
dated, amounted to $2800, 600 ,O0O 1t appears
from the last monthly report of Secretary Nc
Culoch that the debt less cash in the Trea-
sury amounts to So, 534, 643, Sucarly forty mil
lions of which are in Pacific Railroad bonds
which will ne-er occasion the government the
outlay of a fraction of mill.
Here then is the situation according to An
drew johnson: A Democratic administration
of four years increases the debt ONE HUNDRED
PER CENT: a Republican administration in
three years pays off $500 OOn,OOOi
But here again Mr.. johnson does not state
the case strong enough. On the 1st of August,
1865, the public debt was nomnally $2757 $780,
OIL, but actually it was much larger. There
were debts which humanity and honor alike
have imposed upon the country and which
Congress has recognized and paid. We were
liable for pensions, for bounties, for arrears of
pay, for claims Of States, for the property of
loyal men DESTROYED and for additional prize
money. The amount of these liabilities that
have been recognized and paid, with the back
pay of the army and navy not in Guided in the
debt statement, makes tho whole deDt $685.
733,329. OF this over 805 million dollars, or
MORE THAN ONE FOURTH has been paid in
less time than it took a Democratic admins
tration to double the debt
Mr.. johnson helps the good cause as much
by his reckless falsehoods as Mr.. Seymour
himself He says that it is estimated that the
expenses of the current fiscal year will be
1872 100000. E. b. Washburne, chairman of
the House Committee on Appropriations says
$303000,000 and David A. Wells, Special Com
missioner of the Internal Revenue, says only
S290,000,O00 Certainly the information of the
latter gentlemen ought to be as accurate as
as Mr.. Johpson's, since he has nothing to do
with the appropriation Of public money.
Again Mr.. johnson says that it costs $780,
100000 a year to support the army. The wild
ness of the assertion will be appreciated when
10 4f.oA IT. r
the army has already been made, and that it
amounts TO ouly 1913 900 900!
tits devouty to be wished that no attention
Mr.. johnson may be obliged to pay TO his legit
innate business may prevent his writing n let
ter to Mr.. Seymour and Gen. Ewing every day
for the rest of the campaign.