Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-06-26
How My Gold JinsIe.-Again.

Correspondence of the Ohio Statesman.l
Well, Mr.. Editor, the gold iingler, the
farmer and we met at the house of mu-
tual FRIEND some days after our last inter-
view. and resumed our former conversation
on the sad financial condition of the coun-
try, and the certain danger that now
threatens us of soon being brought under
the bondage of a bond aristocracy, as abso- |
lutely CALLING to all hard working farmers, |
mechanics, laborers and real estate holders, |
of all classes, as is that from which the
many poor and oppressed escape from Eu-
rope to this supposed land of liberty and
rest. The meeting was at the residence of
the bondholder. He treated US with the
utmost kindness, and frankly confessed that
it was too true that the comparatively few
creditors OF the Government were aiming
to fix burden ON the backs of the toiling
multitude in this country, which neither
they nor their children would be able to
bear. He said that ten years ago he did not
really understand what q Government
Bond was; that the $4,000 in gold he had
chanced to have at the beginning of the
war, he had procured by the sale of some
wild lands in the West, and as the profits
of two or three years hard labor as dro-
yer. His sole aim then was to make an
honest living for himself and family, and
he desired to do SO still. He had just
enough of Bonds, he said, to let him see
how this matter worked. His sympathies
were with the laboring masses, and his
financial speculations were more accidental
than designed.
He opened his desk and showed us his
Bonds. They were finely executed affairs
The farmer had never seen any before. 1t
was explained to him by their owner how
the attachment at the bottom of the Bond
was called coupon-that is, it was an in
terest certificate on all transferable Bonds,
and that there were as many of these on
each as there are payments of interest to
be made on the certificate to which 1t is
attached. Thus, on the 520's there were
originally forty OF them, since the interest
on this class of Bonds is to be paid in gold
every six months. These are all dated In
order, and are to be cut off as they fall due
and sent to Washington or New York to be
cashed in gold; and" continued he, I" the
gold 1 jingled at you the other day was the
return had just received for one of these
two thousand dollar semi-annual coupons.
This is French word, and means cut off or
clipped a,cay. Hence, this is what 1 meant
when L spoke then of clipping my Gov
ernment.sheep,' and the ready gold price
1 got for the WOOL"
The farmer regarded these evidences of
our National Indebtedness with close at
tention for some time, listening, too, to
what the other said. Then remarked,
"when child L used to hear my mother
sing this cradle ditty:
Bah. says the black sheep
Yes. says the white sheep
One for the master, and one for the dame.
And one for little Willie that down tho lane.'
So it seems there is bag full OF gold
here for our. masters, the Bondholder and
Bankers, and their queenly danes, but none
for the poor laborer who tolls in the rain!"
All smiled at this flash of wit on the part
of the farmer. but noticed that his laugh
was more sardonic than real.
He continued: : 81 have heard much about
loyalty supporting the Government
putting down the rebellion,' &C., &C., and 1
did what could to sustain the right 1
sent one son to the war, as you both know.
He served faithfully his three and one half
years. At the very time that gold was
worth 25O per cent, my boy was paid in
Greenbacks, at the rate of SIS per month,
which was in fact only Sc in coin. He
managed to save nearly $400 of his hard
earnings. Two hundred dollars of
this he brought home with him
in bond; but as he soon married on his
return, he was not able to keep his money
in this form, for he had to purchase small
farm tor home, aud as l promised to as
sist him, he went about $4,000 in debt, and
is now toiling night and day, and both he
and his young wife are making the great
est personal sacrifices in domestic economy
to free their little home from all pecuniary
liabilities. And now, it does seem hard
to help meet the enormous profits that
daily accrue to those, who by good luck
and ingenious speculation, are 90 fortunate
as to hold these securities. Talk as you
please, it is unjust, oppressive and cannot
and should not be borne. One man has
just as good right to help bear the bur-
dens of Government as another, and no one
should receive any more favors or exemp-
tions in law than another. And why my
John and ten thousa nd like him should
be taxed as they are, and have TO labor
as they do to supply the purse of aris-
tocracy with Gold, is only matter that
should be carefully considered before we
vote any public man into power"
81 am very glad to hear you talk so," re-
piled the other. ''and it was that might
get you to think of and examine this very
matter, that shook my gold at you the
other day as you sat testing in the shade in
your corn field. My self-interest, as the
holder of few Bonds, would have said,
keep still,' but my conscience and every
righteous principle OF soul says this is not
right. And, now, all ask is that Govern
ment redeem these liabilities in the same
kind of money it received for them; that
is, in Greenbacks. For if it does, it will
act perfectly just towards all, redeem its
promises, and not oppress one class to
pamper another.
"There ought to be some way to levy a
tax on all Bonds. A certain amount OF
them ought to be redeemed monthly or
annually, and good Greenback (not Ma
tionaD currency ought to take their place.
Why should one hundred farmers in a
county bear all the taxation, share of
which Justly belongs to fifty others who are
no better than they, the only difference be-
ing the one holds Bonds, the other the
Plow?
'Would it not be good policy to take