Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-09-25
DEiOCRATIC PRINcIPLEs-A DIA-
LOGUE.

lAlocRAT Why, sir, the Democrat.
parf has always been frank in the statement
ofisprinciples. You have only to read Tho
platform adopted at its last Natio6al Con.
venlon, and you will find them set forth in
fall
tlREIdNER. 4 have read it, and find the
onidistinctive point 10 tito be sthat, after
foujyears Of failure to restore the Union By
warIthere ought to be an immediate cessa-
tionpf hostilities. = suppose the triumph
OF te Government over the rebellion in the
hfthyear of the war must have obliged the
Democratic party to admit that they were
mistken.
DEa. Mistaken Sir, the Democratic
party was never mistaken. But on refec.
ton, | perceive that tie present principles
OF the party are not stated in its platform.
The first is that this is a white man country,
and that black men have no constitutional
right to vote, especially in reconstructing the
Southern States, and no human power can
give themahe right.
For. You have heard of Noah Webster,
have you not2
DEM Heard Of him-yes; and he was
not only the best photographer of the Eng
lish language, but he was a straight-out old
fashioned Connecticut Democrat.
For. We'll, he defines Democrat to be
zone who favors the extension of the right of
suffrage to all classes of men. How is it that
a man can be Democrat solely because he
opposes that doctrine r.
DEM.-Politics have changed since Web
ster's time He did not regard negroes as
men.
FoR.-Indeed He defines negro to be
'one belonging to the black race of men.
DEM.-Well, Webster is a mere peda-
gogue Our statesmen have thought differ
emily.
FoR-WhO are your statesmen?
Dem. Andrew Jackson and -
FoR-But jackson led the free negroes
to the polls, and voted with them side by
side.
DEN. oh, yes, we would be parfectly
willing to LEAD them to the polls, but the
mischief is they won't be led. They march
to the polls in piatoons to vote against Us.
But this is not our principal point now that
negro suffrage has prevailed all over the
South; we have financial policies. The
national bonds should be taxed, and what is
left Of their value after paying the tax
should be paid in greenbacks.
FoR.-What is a greenback?
DEM-It is the promise Of the United
States to pay certain sum Of money with
out interest.
FoR,-And are the greenbacks ever to be
paid
DEal No. they are to circulate as onr-
rency.
FoR. How long will they circulate as
currency after it is announced that they are
never to be paid And how much will
they be worth per dollar
Dem That none Of my business. The
Black Republicans issued them, aud they
must take care of them.
FoR.-But Democrats hold them, and viii
suffer by their reputation.
DEM.-Well, We ii consent to lose what we
have in greenbacks in order to break down
the aristocratic bondholders.
FOR. R.-Who are they?
Dem The rich men, the Astors, the
Stewarts, &c
FoR-But am told these men hold no
bonds, and that nearly all your bonds are
owned, directly or indirectly, by poor men.
DEM-It must be mighty indirect, then:
[ N sure l don't own any.
FoR-Let us see. Have you any money
IN bank2
DEM-A little; and my wife has deposit
n the savings bank, which she has saved
from her cheese and butter.
FoR.-You are both bondholders, then.
Are your lives or property insured?
DEM.-We have a policy our house.
FoR.-What, are you such ristocratic
Dondholders?
DEM-How is that
FoR.-NearIy all the national bonds
owned in this country are held by the ma
.ional banks, savings banks, life, fire, and
maxine insurance and trust companies.
These companies in turn are merely agents
for those who insure and deposit, and do
business with them. In New York State
The savings banks alone hold $49,000,00
n bonds. These of Massachusetts,, $685.
)O0, 600; those of Rhode Island, $I3, 600, 600;
and, including the other thirty four States,
t is safe to say that their savings banks
llone hold $500, 000,000 and that these
,epresents the savings 70 three millions Of
poor people The number of depositors in
New York aud Massachusetts,, together,
lmountto S04, sol persons, all of whom are
poor and their humble savings would be
,wept away by repudiating the national debt,
one seventh of which is due to them.
DENIS that SO?
Moreover, the life and insurance
,0Ul paHleS OF new 1Ufh dlouC HOi0 @ooi
400, 900 in national bonds, How many
should you estimate were held by the insur-
nee companies Of the entire country
Dem. Perhaps $3OO,o0o,OoO more. l
Ion't know.
FoR. Nor |; but suppose it to be as you
ay. Now you know that the national banks
'wn s34o, 600, 900 in the bonds, and that the
lass who own and do business with these
,anks are not all millionaires. They are
veil to do business men, and no more.
About $500, ,OO0, 600 of cur bonds arc held
IS investments in Germany, mainly by
persons of moderate means who had faith
n the stability of our Republican institu-
ions. Besides there are, all over the
country, trust estates, and money of per
ons of moderate means, which have been
nyested directly in the bonds. The amount
f these can hardly be less that $500, ,0o0,-