The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-24
tLetter from speaker Colfax-The

/ letter tf0m speaker SCOs1ax-Tns
Policy Congress- Will Pursue.
The hopeful boosting Of our opponent.
is by no means new. When the Thirty
eighth Congress adjourned its first session
in the summer of 1864, our enemies were
Ieven more sanguine than they now profess
to be. As we babe them goodbye here
| they predicted q most sweeping victory al
the polls; and at the Chicago Convention
this confidence was most arrogantly and
exultingly expressed. Their rejoicing
declarations that Mr.. Lincoln would have
to fee from Washington in the ensuing
March in "Scotch cap" &c., cannot be
forgotten By any Indianian who heard
them. With the increased taxation, com.
PEELED by the protraction Of the war, and
the draft law in operation as a military
| necessity all over the land during the can
vass, the people turned their boastings
into grief, and, in spite of the prejudices
these acts invoked against Us, we won the
most overwhelming victory ever known at
a contested presidential election.
In the summer of 1866, when the Thir.
ty-Dinth Congress adjourned its first SEES
sion, our opponents, encouraged by the
apostacy Of the Administration, which
turned its whole power against the party
that had conferred it, were no less san
guine and boastful than they had been two
years before; but again the people over
whelmed them at the polls, as they will
once more in 1868 if, by our unity and en-
ergy, we prove that we desire and deserve
success.
Congress will again prove itself worthy OF
the confidence loyal and patriotic people
have so long reposed in it. We shall fear
lessly face and settle all the financial
questions growing out of the enormous
cost of the Democratic rebellion. OF
course I do not attempt to predict at this
early period Of the session all the details
Of its legislation but. speaking only as
one member of the House, have no
doubt that Congress will refuse to unwise-
ly burden the people with attempts to pay
off the national debt by excessive taxa
ton; that it will stop the contraction
policy assented to, as it was, on the urgent
appeal of the Secretary of the Urea
sury, but which has so paralyzed business
without reducing the gold premium OF
bringing the country nearer to specie pay
ments it will not consent that so large an
amount of gold shall be uselessly boarded
up in the Treasury vaults, when it might
be applied more prodtably and wisely to
the reduction Of the interest on the ma
tional debt; it will retrench Government
expenditures in every branch of the ser
vice-army, navy, civil, &c.-always ex-
cepting the sacred debt of pensions to our
disabled soldiers and sailors, and the fami-
| - r,l1 1aT nil
the collection Of our revenue by the Of
ficers of this Administration, thus placing
scores Of millions per year in the Treasury
| which are now worse than lost it will re-
duce taxation largely, and relieve our
struggling industries, as well as taxpayers
generally, from every possible burden con-
sistent with the maintenance Of our ma
tional honor and l have the fullest faith
that It will agree upon just and accepta-
BILE financial policy upon all other ques-
tions, that will neither dishonor the Re-
public, impair it's credit, nor wrong credi-
tor or citizen. Besides this, it will embody
and speak the national voice on the fullest
protection and vindication of the rights OF
every American citizen, native-born or
naturalized, at home or abroad.
L
to be the charge of "negro supremacy
They will seek by this to darken counsel
and to invoke and excite prejudice. But
the issue is too plain and palpahle for them
to mystify or misrepresent. They demand
that the men Of the South, who used the
power of their State governments to or
ganize the Confederacy, to involve the
country in long and bloody war, to hurl
the armies of the rebellion against the de-
tenders of the Union, and to carry anguish
and desolation to million hearth stones,
shall be reTnstalled in supreme and undis-
puted power in the governments of these
States; and zoe demand that they shall not
be, but that loyal men shall rule the States
that loyal sacrifices saved. On this issue, to
use the language of our lamented Chief,
{" we invoke the considerate judgment OF
mankind, and the gracious favor of AL
mighty God"
Yours, truly, SCHUYLER CoLFAx.
j. s. Harvey, Esq, Indianapolis, Ind.