Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1868-01-09

,
, vent Senator from getting enough
paper on which to write his letters,
but we do want retrenchment in the
larger items Of urpublic expenses ;
and the time has come when that
kind of retrenchment can be com
menced without injury to the affairs
of the Government
We have now an army of fifty
THOUSAND men; and we have a navy
that is much larger than is necessa-
ry for the country at the present
time; and | think the time is ut
hand when both can be diminished,
and thereby lessen our expenses
millions Of dollars. Very many of
our larger vessels now in commits
sion can be recalled, and laid up at
the navy yards, and ] trust before
long the army can be reduced to at
least one half its present numbers.
The purchase Of Alaska from the
Russian Government can be justified
on consideration Of high political
Importance, and on considerations
/ Of great commercial Importance for
the future. 1t is necessary that we
should have such position for the
benefit of the commerce OF the
Western portion Of the nation; but
I cannot see the necessity of spend
ing seven and one half millions Of.
dollars in gold for the purchase of
the Island of st. Thomas, which
may be truly said to be the very
birth place Of the yellow fever, and
a locality so often made desolate by
hurricanes and earthquakes.
1t is important that we should
fund our national debt, and put the
bonds into such shape, ifpossible,
that they may pay a lower rate Of
interest. | do not know that this
can be done at present, but at the
same time no one can doubt for a
moment that such policy is desir
able.
The question has been agitated
already in a number Of States to
have the right of taxing the bonds,
and whether it can be done or not,
it is not right that the Government
should directly enforce a system Of
taxation which deprives the people
Of several States Of money that
would be far better appropriated in
paying the debts Of those States.
The Democratic party--and in
speaking Of it | may as well state
what constitutes the strength Of
this party, for it is composed Of the
Democratic party Of the North, the
rebels Of the South, and a few con
verts from the Republican party
since the close Of the war 1t has
its financial scheme. to relieve the
country Of it's debt which is in fact
the result Of the party action which
brought on the war and made the
debt; and, though it processes to
have the great remedy for our ma
tionNl financial troubles, | cannot
myself think so, unless the remedy
is based upon the hypothesis that
the chair Of the dog is good for the
bite" But we think that Congress
will settle upon somepolicy that will
be satisfactory to the whole nation
and so far as any attempt on the
part Of the Democratic party to
benefit the financial condition of the
country is concerned, that they may
just as well make up their minds
that the whole matter will be adjust
ed without their assistance.
! said in the commencement Of
my remarks that there are two ideas
in the minds of the peo-
pie.
The first of these will, as l have
already said, enter into the issues of
the coming campaign If the idea
prevails that the Government was
right in putting down the rebellionj
if it was right putting forth every
energy that could be suggested for
the accomplishment Of this purpose,
then you, soldiers and sailors, who
bore u part in the struggle for the
preservation of our national exist.
enco, will certainly feel I'll at yon
have not only acted wisely, but that
you have borne an honorable part
in the services rendered your coun-
try in the hour Of its peril.
But, on the other hand, should
the Democratic party succeed, and
| trust in God it may not-that the
people of this great nation will
avert such n calamity by their votes
in that campaign-then will it be to
you disgrace and a dishonor to
have been member of the Union
army, and the places of trust will
revert to the rebels, and thernames
occupy thepositions ofhonor in the
pages Of history.
One question we have yet to meet
in this campaign is, the manner IN
which tie Southern States shall be
fully restored with all Of their polit-
cal rights and privileges as States,
md the manner in which these bl $.
sings may be fully enjoyed by all.
The question is not whether that
power shall be divided between 10y !
nj and disloyal men--whether it !
shall be conferred upon blacks and I
whites, or upon whites alone, four I
zen lfteenths of whom are rebels,
md bore a prominent part in the '
var against the Union; but we in l