Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-08-12
Facts and Eignrss.

people 20 the issues InvC lvcd IN BIS contest, by
presenting an imposing array OF figures TO
show not only the enormous taxation OF the
country, but the extrayagant waste of the
public money by the party in power. Over
Iooki ng. or concealing the fact that when they
had control Of the Government, under the
administration of Buchanan, the Treasury
was robbed until it was empty, and the
public credit was 50 low that their fnanciers
could not borrow money at twelve per cent,
50 that when Mr. Lincoln was inaugurated
he found the Government bankrupt alike in
assets and in credit they point to the
enormous amount of the national debt and
affirm that it has been sweled to its gigantic
proportions by the wastefulextravagance of
Congress, 1t might be a sufficient answer to
remind them, that whatever the debt may
be. and however buthensome TO the people,
it was brought upon the country by Dem
ocratic rebelion-a rebellion growing out of
Democratic teachings, fostered and encour
aged by Democratic leaders. inaugurated
under Democratic Administra ion, fought
by Democrats in arms aided and assisted by
their compatriots throughout the North,
and carried on with arms, munitions, and
money stolen by Democrats from the Gov
ernment they were attempting to destroy.
In the face Of such a record, complaints Of
the size Of the public debt, and the burthen
of taxation, come with a bad grace from
Democratic politicians.
But their imposing figures and charges
of extravaganza, disappear when brougt to
the test Of investigation, like snow under
the rays of tropical sun. Mr.. Seymour
/ said, in the speech to which we have referred
Since the war closed in 1865 the Govern
ment has spent for expenses, in addition to
/ payment on the principal and interest of the
public debt more than one thousand mil
! lions of dollars, of this sum there has been
nearly eight hundred millions spent on the
army and navy and for military purposes
This is nearly one third of the national debt,
and ,oas spent iR II time Of peace. Now
mark the assertion. Let it not je misunder-
stood-a third of the national debt has ac-
; 4,l . h. a. g IL
and the country is paying for it's army aud
navy nearly S27O, 900, 900 per anum in a
time of peace This is what Mr. Seymour
| would convey-he means this or he means
nothing and he must have known when
must know when they repeat it, that it was
utterly false
Let us look at it for moment. When the
war ended there were |. .OO5, ,5I6 men in the
Union armies, and nearly FIVE hundred vessels
in the navy, fully manned, blockading three
| thousand miles of coast. Preparations we're
Immediately made TO muster this vast force
out Of service Money had to be raised. not
only for the back pay due the soldiers and
sailors, but Tor the closing bounty, and f,r
the vast amount OF prize money due in the
navy. 1t was raised mot by Seymour and
his party, for he boasts that he owned no
Government bonds by the loyal people, and
within one hundred aud seventy four days
after Grant dictated the terms of surrender
to the hosts of the rebellion, the Treasury
paid out $685., 900, 900, or more than three
fourths of the whole sum stated by Mr..
Seymour as the army and navy expense,
for the last three years Now this sum, the
necessary expense Of mastering out thevast
forces of the Union, deducted from Mr..
Seymours total of $500, 900, 900, leaves sI75,-
O00,0 600, as the current and actual expenses
eff the whole army and navy for the last
three years, or SIS, 600, 900 of dollars per
annum, instead of $4,000, 600, as he
asserted. And included in this sum are the
"'""''So bdiu uIueT tue AcC OF - July 1900
to all soldiers, and the heirs of soldiers, who
served two and three years, and the pen
sions paid to disabled soldiers, and to widows
and orphans. If an ordinary man, and not
statesman had made such an assertion
he would have been branded as li-dem-
agogue.
When We compare these figures with the
expenses ofthe army and navy under the Ad.
ministration OF Mr.. Buchanan, when there
had been and was no war, we viii be
prepared to appreciate the Democratic
promises of economy. In 1858 the expenses
of the navy were Sl4 O00, 900, and of the
army $50, 900, 600, or for both $40. 200. 900
in gold The army consisted of $4,000.
men, and the whole force employed in the
navy was 1000. During the last three years
the army has necessarily been kept up to
about 80, 600 men, so that under Demo
cratic Administration it cost nearly as much
in, -, o.,.,,- = nnc