Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1868-09-16

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corporated banks to issue paper money; the
currency was largely increased. Prices rose;
and the consequence was that the govern,
ment appropriations became enormous, and
the debt was swollen in magnitude. shall
not discuss the propriety OF that policy,
whether it was wise or not; we are ut pres
ent only concerned with the fact. The
amount of the debt was, in fact, doubled, be-
cause of the policy we adopted in regard to
the currency, causing an increase OF prices.
When peace came, with the currency greatly
expanded, We ought to have applied the
larger part of the revenue upon the debt
and sponged it off rapidly, because, as we
come back toward specie payments, as VIC
contract our currency, as we reduce the
prices of articles in the community, the
burden of this debt becomes the heavier
upon US. When we return to specie pay.
ments, to hard money, to the currency OF
the Constitution, and then come to pay our
debt, in point Of fact we shall pay it twice
over. do not exaggerate in that state
ment With restricted means, at con-
tracted standard, we shall pay debt which
was created in a time of expansion. But
we cannot always keep the currency inflated
and prices up; in the long run they are
ruino,ls and wasting to the community. We
must get back and within reasonable pc
riod Of time, to sound currency, to com
paratively moderate prices. 1t now looks
very much as if we should get to that point
(provided we do accomplish itl, with our
debt undiminished, with the whole mass Of
it upon our hands. We shall have, in other
words, debt of S2, 100000 900 upon us,
-, n t;,,a ~ ion apI n hn
paid in time Of contraction. We desire to
avoid that result; but We cannot avoid it il
we pour out money upon useless army, It
we pay heavily to cultivate the political at
fections of the negro population OF the
South, if we pay shameful sums for Con
grcssional and other official expenses. We
cannot avoid it if We support party in
power which uses the government for its
selfish purposes party which is indiiler-
ent to the expenditures Of the public money,
and which "outside of the Constitution is
constantly engaged in prosecuting its meas
ures for the procurement and retention OF
public power.
FINANCIAL REFORMS.
Now, what can the party who have noni-
mated Seymour and Blair do if they come
into power, with reference to the finances
and the monetary affairs Of the government?
They can reduce our army Of $4,000 men
down to ten or fifteen thousand and the ex-
pensc Of it from 800, 100000 to 20 or %
millions. They can reduce the expenses Of
the navy from 80 millions of dollars to or
10 millions. They can abolish the Freed
mems Bureau, with its prohigate and scan.
dalous expenditures. They can reduce Con
grcssional compensation by $500, 900 and
then leave members Of Congress adequately
compensated at $1,000 year. They can
prevent the Southern Senators and Repre-
scntatves from voting themselves half a
million of dollars for salary for sixteen
months before they were e!cctcd,-a little
point to which will call your attention in
moment They can cut off the contingent
expenditures Of Congress itself and At least
one half of all the officers employed by the
two Houses. Nay, | think in those times
of peace and justice which will be inaugur-
ated, we shall hardly need even Capitol
police. daughter and applause.) Ofcoursc
| can mention only particular reforms most
easily stated and understood, without at
tempting TO present the whole question be-
tween parties as to economy and fidelity in
uiHiiIistltAlpu'
PAY or CARPET.BAGGERs.
I alluded q moment since to the pay of
the Southern members of Congress and
as that illustrates reconstruction by. its fruits,
| will say few words upon it. Two or
three nights before the adjournment, at the
last session, resolution was offered in the
Senate that the members of the Senate
from the reconstructed States who had
been admitted should receive compensation
from the commencement Of the 10th Con-
gress, the 4th Of March, 1867. An amend
ment was offered to make their compensa-
ton begin from the time of their election.
The vote was taken and stood II to 81 upon
this proposition, majority of four against
the amendment, some of the members from
those States themselves voting against it.
At that point Of time question Of order
was raised by me under parliamentary law,
that members who were directly interested
in question could not vote upon it; that
these men who were to receive this compen-
sation under special vote were in the cat
egory of men who had claims upon the gov
ernment and, consequently, being interest
cd, they could not vote. A debate Of two
or three hours took place upon the question
of order, by which time the original propo-
sition, as shall presently explain it, be-
came somewhat alarming to some gentlemen
who were about to come home to northern
| constituencies to give an account Of their
conduct and to meet the discussion Of Con-
gressional proceedngsin home debate and
thereupon it was managed that absent mem.
bers were brought in and by close vote
the amendment was carried and the original
proposition lost for the time; it stands de-
ierrcd until next winter when, if the people
give the party in power q renewed lease OF
power, approve their conduct, declare them
all honorable and fit men to govern this
country, have no doubt this money will
be voted, the emergency Of the election
having been passed. What. does it amount
to? The salary Of member of Congress
amounts to $40O per month, tax off. For
sixteen months, from March 4, 1867, to
July 4, 1868, it would be $6,400 to each
member. The reconstructed States are to
be entitled to 80 members Of the House
and 90 Senators, making 10; so that you
perceive nearly $450.000 Of compensation
was involved, assuming that this mode of
payment would be applied to all the mem.
bers of both Houses from those States -
These men were all elected in the summer
of the present year, about the months OF
June and July. On the 22nd and 25th days
of June laws were passed admitting Arkan-
SAG, North and South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana to repre-.
sentation in Congress. In other words, on
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