The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1868-09-12

tnat There was no 6uf1clent reason why
few confederate cruisers should have driven
all this great commerce from the sea and
that proper energy at Washington would
have averted the result. But If we could
overlook all this, why is it that after more
than three years of peace, our commerce is
still declining, and our ancient rival, En-
gland has taken from us the carrying trade
Of the worll2 Why is it thata few years Of
Radical rule have done for England what
she never could do for herself? The mer-
chants and the people of America have not
changed. Their enterprise is not cold, nor
has their right hand lost its cunning. The
fault is with the ruling powers at Washing
ton, and them we hold responsible. BY
their blind tariffs, restrictive laws and
financial policy they have aggravated the in
jury begun by the Alabamas and Shenando-
abs of the war. They have been too busy
in their schemes of negro ascendancy and
military rule at the SOuth-too busy vast
or, to do anything to revive and build up
our commerce.. Where we had more than
5 $500, 900 tons of shipping in 1861 we have
barely 100000 tons now. Registered for
eign comnerce) tonnage, which had risen
to nearly three millions, (2,642, 000) in 1851,
was in 1867, (last official return, but ], $685.
900. It is probably still less to-day. Mean
time, England had a total tonnage in 1866,
of nearly IL millions and more than half
of the carrying trade OF the world. But
the Navy is still on war footing and by
their own showing has cost since the end
of the war down to June 80, 1868, over 1873
millions, or over 40 millions a year.
REFORM IMPOSSIBLE TO THE REPUBLICANS.
The Republican party is fully pledged in
the Chicago platform to the Reconstruction
policy of Congress. 1t is probably the on
ly pledge in that platform Of many pledges
to which We may DO sure our opponents
will adhere.
The continuance of that policy renders
impossible any financial reform, any re-
trenchment, any relief from the burdens of
taxation. Ten American states cannot be
kept under negro rule and denied the right
of self-gOvernment without large standing
armies. The negro militia, whom it is pro-
posed to arm en- masse in defiance of the
most ordinary dictates OF humanity, will be
worthless for any good and will bea further
source of expense. The states born of re-
construction have come into the world ;
they have no independent life; some
of them can scarcely go alone. AL
ready they are stretching out their hands
to Washington for help. Their represen-
tatives recently admitted to Congress con-
fess the inability of their States to sustain
themselves and demand extreme measures
of repression. These will only increase the
disorderwhich has placed those repreFen-
tatives where they are, and which Ii their
sole reliance for maintaining their hO.d
on power.
The latest announcement from that
quarter is that unless Congress shall meet
early in September, the elections in those
tn na ~ lad fnr ia cal
the pretense being that the Democrats will
by violence carry nearly every State.
What all this points to is entirely plain.
1t points to further military rule,-to more
standing armies, liner eased expenditures, -
heavier taxation. The logic of error il in
oXorable. Bad begun always makes
strong itself by ill"
The Radicals, if they would, cannot re-
trace their steps. They must go forward,
oven though that way lies ruin.
The Democratic party, on the other
hand, is bound to every measure which
will relieve the financial troubles of the
country. 1t is against the entire system of
Reconstruction; and is pledged to immedi-
ate reduction OF the army and navy; i'm
mediate abolition of the Freedmen s
Bureau; rigid economy in all branches OF
government lessening taxation and
making good the credit and the currency
of the government.
California, and especially her farmers
and workingmen, have the strongest in
terest in his whole subject of taxation and
expenditure, and i'll ascertainlng how far
the party in power is responsible for the
existing state of things.
LET US HAVE A CHANGE.
"Let us have peace" say the Radicals.
They wish to be "lot alone" But when at
ter nearly four years of their rule every
thing goes wrong, growing worse from day
to day, commerce.; finance; taxation; eXpen-
diture; credit; our foreign exchanges; al
most, they tell us, civil war in one-third
of the Union the people answer to this
appeal of our opponents "let us have {
change" And change the people vii
have both Of men and measures.
SEYMOUR AND GRANT.
We do not deem it necessary to discuss
or compare the personal qualities Of the
candidates Of each party. The question ii
simply as to their comparative fitness and
capacity for the high station for which they
are presented, and to which but one of then
can be chosen. On the one side is dis
tinguished soldier, whose fame, of few
years growth, is the fruit of his successes
in the war. On the other side is a states
man of the highest grade OF experience
character and ability.
Were the war still raging, the argument
in favor of General Grant as a successful
soldier would have certain force.
Happily, the war is closed. What is
needed now is u civilian, not a soldier one
familiar with the needs and works of peace
Seymour.
Perhaps no man in the land to-day equal
him in his proved comprehension Of both tho
great questions of the day,-the politica
difficulty at the South and the financial diff
ticulty Of the Nation.
There may be men who rival him OF
either question-but not one l think who
has shown his fitness to deal with both.
This it was which produced his nomina
ton i'll the Convention amid an enthusiasm
rarely equaled and never exceeded in any
like assemblage, and which caused it to be
received by the people with o wide
hearty and vigorous acceptance, never be-
fore accorded SO promptly to Presidential
nomination in this generation of men. The
delegates within the hall and the people
without, felt that after all they had found in
him the man of men for the crisis and the
contest; ard they felt it with that sponta,
neous intuition passing over the land like
an electric wave, which among a free peo-
pie is an unerring presage OF victory.
One point We would suggest to candid
and thoughtful Republicans, and we know
there are many such who wish only to dc
right, and who would abandon in moment
any course which they could see involved
serious risk to their country.
1t is no new thing in American politics
to present a soldier for the highest civil
office; though of the soldiers who have
been elected two were taken from
civil life, and they : Washington and
Jackson = were of distinguished civil
experience and ability. 1t is new
thing. however, to offer to the people the
successful military chief of great civil
war as a candidate for the Presidency, at the
first election after the close of the war,
while its passions and connections, not vel
subdued, are sought to be rokindled by evil
or misguided men,. and while the
country, exhausted by the strife, longs
only tor peace. We cheerfully acknowledge
General Grants patriotism, the entire
probity ofhis intentions, and his many ex,
cellent personal qualities. a mans good
IN n %br ~,