The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-03-17
THE BOND @ UEsTION,
Democrauo Presidential Prospects

ditions, and act without prepossessions,
and without giving way to antipathies.-
To begin with: there is to be no question
of what, in can't phrase, have been called
I"War Democrats" or "Peace Democrats, y
Of advocates" or opponents" of the wal
that disrapted and has not, and can aeuer
restore the Union, as our fathers made it,
1t is the lot of every people--a kind
of fated blunder-to have civil wars. II
it be strong and virtuous people that
has undergone this trial, and if they
have wise counsellors for their leaders,
the first effort; after peace, will be to for
get the brutal quarrel and bloodshed, and
to restore the amity lorcibly interrupted
Good men, and brave men, have, proba.
Ibly, in nearly all such contests, been on
each side. If not, it is best to suppose
such to have been the case. In the re-
conciliation Of parties lately opposed, ii
is not out of place to consider, and to
distinguish personal from party conduct.
That man has honestly and fervently
Iespoused one side or the other, If honestly
and honorably he accepts the result, It is
madness, after the close of an armed con
aict in great civil contention, to make
I it fault against him that he was, during
the fight, on the one side or on the other.
If, on the other hand, a man used the
opportunity Of an unhappy civil war to
jenrich and aggrandize himself, du-
ring the conflict, he violated the. honor
able code Of warfare, as ameliorated by
the usages of Christian nations-it is
good grounds for repudiating such a
wretch, when the war has ended, not for
the party he espoused, but because OF
the disreputa5le manner in which he bore
himseIfin it. 49,
IF this be so in general in regard to
| the men in open conflict with each other
+ tits much more so in regard to men who
never swerving from tideity to the old
Union as formed on, the United States
Constitution, we're, and proclaimed them
selves convinced that war, by some States
on other. was no way to perpetuate the
Union of our fathers. Mr.. Belmont is
OBSERVATIONS in proclaiming that the in
fucnce Of the Rothchilds, in France, and
Frankfort, and Austria, and other parts
of Europe-for that is his infuence-is 5
to be exerted, in or American politics,
against any man who is even charged
with having believed and proclaimed
what has proved to be most palpable fact
that war could never restore the Un-
| ion of our fathers. Our father s, we say,
not Mr. Belmont's fathers. The interest
of the European bankers, who are suck
ing sway our life's blood, is in the steady
payment of gold interest on bends created
by this American war, and which accor-
ding to the letter and spirit Of the act for
issuing those bonds, could now, as to a
heavy part of them, be paid by the issue
of greenback legal ten0er notes. Such
an issue would resuscitate business, in
all its branches. Itwould enable capt.
! talists to pay for labor that is now idle.
1t would enable farmers to improve their
farms and increase their products. Ii
would enable shop-keepers in New York
aud other cities to pay their rents out OF
the proceeds of their sales. Above all
and as the substantial advantage, it would
by lawful payment in greenbacks-
relieve tax payers of part Of the i'm
posts that are grinding them into the
Dust.
But. on the other hand, bankers in
Europe, who hold these bonds, would
be paid back in the kind Of notes they
loaned-greenbacks-and would nc lon.
ger be drawing interest on them at three
and four times the amount of interest
they can get on any loans in Europe
This is serious business for European
bankers-and the Rothschilds are the
principal ones INTERESTED. Therefore We
are not surprised that their New York
agent, Mr.. Belmont, is very much op
posed to the nomination of Mr.. Pendle
ton. What is good for the American
people is bad for Mr.. Belmont's Euro
jpean principals. Nr. Belmont acts sa
gaciously and faithfully for the parties
he represents. The mournful anomaly
lexists that the principal agent of Euro.
pean bondholders is the chairman of the
democratic National Committee of the
United Statesl It is fact to tn,
lexistence Of which too pointed observa
Ition and attention can not, at this juno
ture, be called.
The Rorld-the New York newspaper
lof the name, we mean, but which alwayl
resembles what the Apostle spake Of
Saying: aThe World lies in wickedness,
lis reported to have said, with hypo
critical expressions of regret, that Mr.
Belmont adopts Mr.. Pendleton's inter
Ipretation that the proper way of payins
the ve-twenty bonds was in greenbacks
No doubt-with this qualification, va
guely insiruated by this World tina
lies in wickedness," that Mr.. Belmon
thinks it too soon to talk of redeeminl
the fve-twentiesl Oh, yesl Certainly
That viii Just suit the interests of th'
European bankers that hold these bonds
"Dop't pay them yeti We are iu no hur
lryp But the terrible gold interest OIL
lthem is draining away our substance
: preventing all legitimate home invest
ments of capital. The European bank
lers, by the mouth of their principa
agent, Mr.. Belmont, say: ''Let the bond
: run the full twenty years, and then pa,
them iu.greenbacks!' Meantime, the gol,
Interest at six per cent, will have NOR
THAN paid the sum given for them, and
larger interest. besides, than any loan i
Europe could have brought-even if tn
principal, at the end of the twenty year
were to be repudiated! Then, there j
| the chance that greenbacks, at the en-
; of the twenty years, may be at par, o
lnearlu at mar with rnldl OH rnad hank