Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-06-08

be paid in greenbaeks. Therefore the
third resolution d~enounces all forms of
| repudiation, and declares that the public
Indebtedness must, to preserve the ma
| tional honour, be paid in the utmost good
| faith, not oBly according to the letter
but to the spirit of the laws under which
II was contracted. Stevens declares that,
| according to both the letter and the
spirit of these Laws, the principal OF the
bonds in dispute is payable in currency.
There is no doubt that the lGW is so.
But the Convention did not dare to COM
NIT itself either way, and so declares
what no one denies, that reputation
would be disreputable, and that what
the law requires must be paid. General
Grant is entirely satisfied with this. It
il sc clear as mud. In New England il
is TO mean gold in the Northwest,
greenbaeks. Here, the Radicals may
| win votes by advocating one policy /;
there, by being jealous for another. In
politics everything is fair, and it is al
lowable to speak in an unknown tongue
and lie for the good Of the Jacobin
church.
The fourth resolution promises the la
bouring classes that taxation shall, sat a
more convenient season." as Felix, We
think, said to Paul, "bs equalized and
reduced as rapidly as the national faith
will permit" Does this mean that the
bonds are to be taxed? The Convention
did not dare to say so. II sneaksd away
from that issue. Was taxation equalized
when the manufacturers, not many
weeks ago, were relieved Of the burden
of eighty millions of taxes, that the
load upon the other classes of the COM
muuity might be the heavier to the same
amount? Is the COtton-tax equal taxa
ton? Is the Stamp-tax equal taxation ?
When will taxation be reduced, while the
national debt to increase? How
can it be reduced, while the expendi-
lures of the Government continue TO be-
come more and more extravsgant and
LEE COlulJt aAo v fOA0S-O0oI 1AN IpSS
and contracts more profitable?
The Republican party has been in
power during four years OF war and three
years of peace. What abuse, by which
the Treasury is plundered, have they
corrected? In what branch of the pub
lie service have they made reforms?
What salaries, except those Of the poor
and defenceless, have they reduced?
What burthen, imposed on the people at
large, have they lifted from their shout
ders? What measure of retrenchment
do they even now propose? Not one.
On the contrary, their extravaganza and
the corruption Of every branch of the
Government increase continually, and
the nation travels the road to bankruptcy
with continually accelerated velocity.
BY levying unconstitutional and Oppres-
sive taxes, which eat into the capital of
the country, the Government is barely
enabled to pay Its expenses, without ma
terially increasing, and without any
prOsI ect of diminishing the public debt
and it squsnders money like q spend
thrift, where it ought TO economist like
a miser. The Radical party's professions
Of q purpose Of retrenching expenditures
and reducing taxation, are of the same
kind as a rake's promises to reform and
il will never really repent until it is on
its death-bed or the gsllOws.
Even the New York Times, an indie.
nendent Republican Journal, says of the
miserable piece of patchwork:
In certain other respects the platform
soundsironically. Declarations in favor
of a rapid reduction of taxation and the
economy in the administration
of the Government are unassaiIsbIe as
ABSTRACT propositions. Every man moi
fed at the public expense viii hold up
both hands for them. Bot q Republican
Convention in 1858 ought to have been
able to present something more effective
that promises. The party has been in
power long enough to have gathered a
rich store of performances. 1t should
have been able to go before the country
with 8 record of services rendered in re-
gard both to T~etrenchment and taxation.
The public purse has been for years alto--
together in its hands. II has had e.
cIuStue management Of the ~dpproprid-
tons and exclusive POJ0er OUer the forms
and amount Of tdrdtjOR. How happens
it, then, that in a platform intended to
set forth its claims in continued conf
dence IL has nothing better TO offer than
T~eSOiUes IN favor of forms which it has oh
stindtey and cup0by neglected! Why
is 10 that no serious attempt has been
made 10 enforce eUcn moderate economy,
and that, in consequence, the abolition Of
tdIeS must be foLOWed by their rejmpOsj
ton, or By a ldrgesGddaiOn to the debt ?
These are lOeok spots IN the p0rty's re-
cord. They are a condemnation of its
recent Congressional career, and a sorry
complication of its fidelity and a
pacityt 4 fiscal and financial affairs.
We postpone to another day the con-
sidcration of the residue Of the Platform.