Buchanan County bulletin and guardian., 1868-01-31

themselves in the year 1900 our valuation
| can not be less than four hundred and fifty
billions. Mines are opening, farms multi
| plying and property increasing upon the in
vestment faster than in any other nation
on the globe.
| In the very face Of this unquessioned abil
ity, We are met by the fact that no civilized
nation pays - high premiums upon its loan,
~ ours.
Whore are va 10 look for the grounds oi
this humiliation In part perhaps, to the
sophistr;es which have been promulgated fol
sumption Of specie payments.
DiselAiming to represent the opinions oi
others, l would urge the authoritative an'
| nouncemens Of some definite time whom such
resuuption shall take place. Let the time
be fixed with the idea that the earliest posi-
| BILE moment will best secure . healthful con-
dition Of our finances. / am forced to the
conclusion that such policy would tend to
realize in our circulation the perfect carrsn>
cy, in which uvses could BE- exchanged for
coin and would command equal respect in
the markets.
Meanwhile the public service should be
| distinguished for the most rigid economy.
The increase Of money has deluded us with
! the creation Of apparent wealth, and in the
train Of this delusion have followed extravs>
gance and lavish expenditure. Let us then
refrain from every Outlay which actual wealth
alone could Justify. Economy will promote
the public credit, better than the ripest theo<
~. Rstrenchment is the evidence Of en-
honest purpose to meet our obligations.
Faith in the intention of the Government
to preserve both the form and spirit of its
contracts inviolsts is the only foundation for
our financial prosperity. Beware Of the
earliest steps tending to weaken or impair
il.
The downfall Of the rebellion did not ter
inmate the danger arising from the action Of
the Southern people.
When the appeal 70 aEms was ended, the
task Of ststesmanship began, and an expe-
rience Of t~o years has demonstrated that ii
is work quite a. full of difficulty - that
which We crowned with success upon the
field. Let us not forget that We have mere
ly ascended TO another scene in the struggle.
1t has passed from the battle field to the fo>
rum, but it is the same combat, waged for
the same purpose, and animated BY the same
ambition. The spirit Of the rebellion is still
alive and strong strong in the influence Of
its controlling minds ]; strong in the devotion
and numbers Of its followers strong in the
social distinctions which gave it birth. The
hope that forbearanes and healthful refee-
ton would soon baptize its votaries into 10y
atty and love fer the national flag has been
disappointed.
In the light of this fact our government
has devised plan Of reconstruction, essab>
fishing . temporary military government in
the South to remain until its people shall ask
for admission to the councils Of th. nation
upon the basis Of equal rights and political
equality.
In this policy l heartily concur. Power
uudoubtsd and plenty in our hands to pre-
scribe the terms of restoration. When it is
urged then, that the application Of military
Law to the refractory people of the South is
despotic, it is forgotten that an appeal TO
arms involves . compliance with its bloody
decision. They who. with long years Of in>
srigue, boAstfully and arrogantly challenged
the naiisn to the sanguinary field, empower
ed us to work our will upon them, ressrsin-
ed only by our duties as stssesnen and
christian men. To deny this principle, se.
we're though il be, would be to deny the cor
rsctress both Of history and reason. TO d.
clare that it, adoption in the present instance
is impolite and unnecessary would b 70 Get
the seal Of untru.h upon every report that
reaches us from that misguided people, and
brand with falsehood the usserancss Of tried
lovers Of our Republic. No Government
can secure respect at home or abroad, which
does not protect its citizens.
The magnanimisy Of the American Re-
p,bI;A sV A~al;psy nth tras ann ;o ~. rul iaf.
I'd in history. Its spirit Vas declared in the
none charity for ALL" Indemnity for the
past has been forgotten in the task Of erecs>
ing guarantees for the failure. Content with
establishing barriers against probable dsn>
ger busted With the work Of eompacting and
selidifying the principles revealed by the war,
the sword Of the law has been withheld from
its deserving sacrifices, and tie sacred altar
Of Justice will probably not be stained with
the blood Of single victim. To what ex>
tent this may have bsen questionable lenisn-
cy. will not presume 70 say. How far the
legal and tradisionarY punishment for treas
son should have been extended, patriotic
men may we'll have differed in determining.
That some re.ribution should have been vis.
tied upon the wicked chiefs, . punishment
sufficient to have made treason odious,
and to have stood ~ . warning monument
Of the danger OF like unhAllowed ambition, !
have no hesitation to declare.
Depreciating the arrogance Of victory we
have accepted our responsibilities With no
desire to be yindictive or exacting. The
consciousness that the Southern States were
part Of our own territory, and their inhab
itants part Of our people, whose well being
must contribute to the future glory Of our
country. has been the light in which the
work OF reconstruction has thus far pro.
sressed. At the same time, We have felt
bound to insist that those States should con.
cede whatever guarantees are essential to
the future safety Of the Union. We cannot
permit the truths established BY the var to
relapse Into state Of doubt, nor the fruits
Of victory TO be swallowed up in . magma
nimiiy which neglec,s its own salvation.
We can afford to b. generous, but 10 mast
not be unjust.
In restoring the Sou.hera people to their
rights within the Union, let no discrimina>
ton be made towards the black man. Fir
deity TO the Government should b. . pass>
port 10 the high privilege Of suffrage. The
pablo welfare must not be imperiled BY en-
trusting it, control to hands Of doubtful 10y
slty, much lees to hands whose open hostili>
y has Only bsen avoided BY their weakness.
II any voice comes from the tomb Of the
past six years, il proclaims Beware Of
placing doubtful guardians over the ralladi>
um Of your liberties. Secure the safety Of
the government beyond . doubt. Let oil
loyal men share in the heritage which has
been purchased With loyal blood. Tie ca
price Of men fresh from their carnival Of
treason must not be allowed to deprive u Of
the cooperation Of four millions Of people
whose votes and acis would interpose the
IN st formidable obstacle to the designs Of
seditious men. To refuse 70 stay up the
hands Of the Union men Of the South, Who
resisted secession in it, inception, and main
tanned their opposition to it through all the
trying exsrsnitiss Of var, by making the sl
liance Of the black man available, would be
IS unsrasetul 70 them - perilous to our
selves.
The theory Of our government Awards 10
the individual the largess measure Of polite
cal trust consistent with the public safety.
1t declarss that Governments Instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from
the consent Of the governed" Consistency,
therefore, requires that emancipation should
be followed BY suffrage, for equality is .
cardinal principle of the Aueriaan 0onsti>