The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1868-07-31
our NATIONAL FINANCES.


The Democratic journals and stump ora
tors all over tho country are making asser.
lions OF the most unfounded aud shameful
character, In respect to the condition of our
finances, and are harping loud and long upon
what they allege to be Republican extrsva-
gance. They accuse the Republican party OF
wasting the peoples money, and adding to the
national debit whereas, the contrary OF all
this is true.
Mr.. Horatio Seymour, in his Cooper Institute
speech, madethe following wanton and wholly
sratuitous assertion. This purely false state.
ment was met by Hon. James @. Blaine, and
refuted completely, but the Democratic sheets
like the World keep up the fire just as though
Mr.. Seymour's assumptions had not been met
aud nailed to the counter as base coin, a,d just
as though his misststement had not been by
facts and figures, which are incontrovertibie,
disproVed. This is Mr.. Seymour's assertion:
"Since the war closed In 1896, the govern.
ment has spent for Its expenses, In addition to
Its payment on principal and interest ofpublio
debt, more than one thousand million dollars
VI this sum there has been nearly eight hun.
dred millions spent on the army and navy,
onst iGr of ,Sys s Ts' es
spent In time Of peace"
Now mark how plain a statement shall put
this man down who now assumes to stand at
the head Of great party as its candidate for
the Presidency:
On the arst day OF August, 1865, the national
debt, less cash In the Treasury, was, In round
numbers. t2,75T 100000. Now our debt does not
vary much from q, 5lT, OOO, 900; thus 1t will be
seen that the debt has been reduced $40 200, 900
In three years. In the light of facts like these,
what becomes Of Mr.. Seymour's declaration
which we have copied abovel
Mr.. Seymour asserts, as will be seen, that
sSoo,ooo,0OO have been spent on the army and
navy. Mr.. Blaine in his speech shows, by
official records, that the actual expenses of
the army and navy have, for the last three
years, been but sl75, 900 900, and that, upon a
gold basis, the army costs far less under Re.
publican rule than It cost per regiment under
Mr.. Buchanan's Administration. It is true
thatsomething like the sum mentioned by Mr..
Seymour has been paid out during the last
three years, but all this expenditure was In
CURED during the war, and was, therefore, a
part Of the war debt, all of which Mr.. Seymour
knew very well. What then shall we think
or say of man who, for the basest OF partisan
purposes, hides the real truth, and consents
to the preparation OF a mean and contempti-
BILE falsehood. One Democratic journal has
asserted that the Republicans have, during
this time Of peace, expended over 81 800 900 900
raised in the way Of revenue, and nearly
5000 100000 raised in the way Of loans.
Now, everybody who has any knowledge on
the subject, who has given any attention to
the official reports OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury, knows that not one dollar has been
raised by way Of loans for the expenses OF the
Government In peace times. II any man will
turn his attention to Mr.. Wells report he will
find that this gentleman shows that for the
fiscal year just closed the revenues of the
Government yielded over and above the ex-
Dpnditurea the aum of TAO TTT
The lies which the Democratic party Is cir.
culating upon this subject of the national
finances, and their Misrepresentation in re-
spect to the expenditures Of the Republican
party In carrying on the Government are
monstrous, and show how unprincipled and
reckless are the managers Of that corrupt con-
Germ, which is striving to get the relns OF Gov.
ernment into Its own hands.
We cannot do better in this connection than
copy the following from the New York Tri-
buns. That papers says:
Three years ago, we had not nearly finished
nTnes Who had put Down he on reSeoD Tss
proceeding required immense sums. Mr.. Blaine
recently ascertained from the Treasury De-
partment that, within the six months that I'M
mediately followed Gen. Lees surrender (uot
four Of which had passed on the ID of August,
1869 sir hundred and iIrenfy.fre millions Of dol
lars were disbursed in paying Off the army and
navy, including their muster-out bounties. 1t
was this that absorbed most of the seven
thirty loan, whereof $3.50, O0O, OOO was rapidly
taken for the purpose.
But not merely have large sums been re-
quired since August 2, 1855, to pay or our vol
unteers. State after State has presented claims
against the Union for the expense OF raising
and eguipping troops for the war, and millions
on millions have been allowed them. All these
have Bwelled the expenditures while hardly
one State claim remains unad justed and un-
paid.
Mr.. Blaine states the appropriations for the
M M fRN alIal &
public debit for the ensuing fiscal year IA fol-
lows!