The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-08-27
For the Democrat.
"a CLERICAL MISTAKE"

last week had reference to m incidental
statement made by me in n missionary dis
course last Sabbath evening. it was as fol-
lows: The cost of the foreign missionary
work is often complained of-the WASTE of
money thus used. But the sum of thirty
two (32) cents from each one cf the present
population ofthe United States would give
larger aggregate amount than the whole ex
penditure Of the American Board with
which we are in connectionl during the tif
ty-six years of its existence. The debt incur
red by the government during the four years
of the recent conflict, would support the OPP
erations of the Board at about The present
scale 100000 annually for six thousand
wears. The interest on the debt at six per
cent. FOR SINGLE YEAR, would support the
operations of the Board, at the same rate,
for THREE HUNDRED AND SIXTY WARS. Or the
interest of the debt at six per cent. for sin
gle year, put mt interest ut the same rate,
would yield an annual income of $40, SOC, 900.
And yet the people of the United States have
not only PAID THE INTEREST upon the debt as
it accrued. but HAVE ACTUALLY REDUCED THE
PRINCIPAL"
This is the only passage in the discourse Of
last Sabbath evening that could have afford
ed the pretext for your remarks. The eager
ear of your reporter caught up the last SEN
tencc Of the passage quoted as an item suit
able to be worked up by you. But the
statement there contained, and as l made it
at the time mentioned presume that nei.
Their he nor you will attemptto deny.
The publication of this remark in the con-
nection and in the language as delivered and
rs above given, will be sufficient answer to
your question, what object can 4 minister
have in view when he stands before an au-
diencc that should be intelligent, and says
that the principal of the national debt is be-
ing steadily reduced?' To this end | re-
specially request its publication IN your col
umDS. j. Il. CHAPLIN.
We publish the above by request of the
writer. We have no desire to draw the
clergy into newspaper controversy, or to
make any remark concerning them which
will necessitate reply; but when they
talk about the national debt, and do not
talk correctly, we deem it our privilege
our duty,-to do what We can to counter
act the evil effects of gross misstatements,
and more especially when they cone from
a source which has ever received credence
By men of every shade of belief. We did
not hear the discourse wherein our clerical
friend left hi. bible behind him, and en-
tered the domain of politics, which is just
now the scene of heated discussions on
the subject of the national debt, but learn
from parties who did hear the discourse,
that their impressions, from hearing his
remarks, were the same as those given in
our article last week. But the difference
between the debt being gradually redu-
ced," and the version given by Mr.. Cha
pin above, is so slight, that we will give
him the benefit of his disclaimer, and will
show that his statement, as it now stands,
is as far from the truth as the remarks we
attributed to him last week
Mr.. Chaplin says that his statement is
as follows: 4" And yet the people of the
United States have not only paid the in
terest upon this debt as it accrued but have
actually reduced the principal" In an
other part of his article, he says: "Bu'
the statement there contained the state.
nent quoted above1 and as L made it al
The time mentioned, | pr, sumo that mel
Their he our reporter nor you will at
tempt to deny" And here Mr.. Chaplin is
again mistaken, as we shall not only make
the attempt to deny his presumption, but
will show figures sustaining such de-
NAL.
There is but one view of the subject
which can possibly sustain the position ia
ken by Mr.. Chaplin; and that, even, is not
admissible 10 fair line of augmentation
That is, that the national debt was less al
some particular time, than it was at some
other time previous to that. We believe
that during the fall months. and possibly
one or two other months Of last year, the
principal of the public debt was reduced
but the increase in the principal Of the
debt since that reduction has more
than counterbalanccd what was gained. TT
show what reduction has been made in thu
national debt, we append thu following
statements made by the secretary of TIT
treasury on the 3lst of July, 1868, and OIL
the 3lst of March, 1865:
July e. 1868, 81 81 81 $50
July 81, 1865, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 2366, 9o',0t1
Increase. .................. 10y 1J6,5f9,lO3
Mr.. Chapin's statement is that we =" hav
not only paid the interest on this debt a
it accrued, but have actually reduced tn
principal" Mr.. Mccullough says tn
debt has increased, from March 81, 1865
to July 81, 186S-three years and fou
months One hundred and .ftty-six mil
hons, fire hundred and seventy nine hous
and fow hundred and three dollars an,
Mnty-thrcc cents, These arc the tw
statements-Chapin's and McCulloughs-
choose yo between them:
We submit to the candid reader if GU
, remarks last week were inoprortune o