Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1868-09-17
SPEECH OF HON. SIMEON NASH,
Delivered before the Grant Club
Of Gallipolis, Friday evening,
Sept. 4, 1868.
lPUBLIsHED BY REouEsr,l

!
Vermont are golden with the prophe
tic light of thirty thousand major
ity for Grant. This light is the fore
runner of glorious birth, the sun
shine of the first Tuesday of Novem
Der, when free people, thoughtful
OF its rights, its peace, its prosperity
and its honor, will elect U. S. Grant
as President, and S. Colfax as Vice
President of the United States
Then shall Andrew johnson fall, like
Lucifer, from his high place, into the
depths of infamy and dishonor, and
the rebels and copperheads and the
whiskey ring call on the rocks and
the mountains to fall on them and
hide them from the coming wrath of
an intelligent, free and honest peo-
pie.
But mean time, the friends of the
country must not be idle; they must
work on persistently and Industrious
ly in exposing and defeating the
fslsehoods, and craft, and deception
of the rebel and copperhead leaders
No Misrepresentation, no falsehood
will-remain unsald, which these lead
ers imagine will mislead the ignorant
and encourage the dishonest into the
support of desperate cause. You
cannot read one of the speeches of
these men, which is not a tissue of
falsehood and Misrepresentation
These are the weapons of their war.
fare, and none others.
One of their lying charges is, that
the Republican party has added some
5000, 100000 to the national debt
since the close of the war. 1t is said
figures cannot lie; the addition and
subtraction of figures will not; but
when they are set down to represent
facts, their truthfulness depends
upon the honesty of him, who as
sumes the facts. How then, is this
charge made out? These falsifers
by figures, do it in this wise. They
say the debt, as reported by the
Treasury on the surrender of Lee
and johnson, was set down at ST.
400, 100000; now, the Secretary re-
ports it at $4,000, 100000; here then
say these liars by figures, is an in
crease of S600,e00,000 since the
close of the war. Now what is the
real fact? This S6o0,000,000 repre-
sents that part Of the national in
debtedness then existing, which had
not then been audited and paid at the
Treasury. 1t was made up of what
was due the army and the navy.
what it cost to pay off and disband
that magnificent army, and the sums
due for bounties, pensions, &c
This whole sum represents a floating
debt existing when the war suddenly
closed, and which had not been set
tied and paid 1t has since been ad-
iusted and paid, and so reported by
the Treasury. 1t will thus be seen
that figures are made to tell lie
Of immense magnitude. Figures,
ike all other instruments, can be
made to tell the truth, when used |
by honest men for an honest pur-
pose, but like all other agencies
ian be made to work out any false
result which knavery seeks to put
iorth.
Another falseheod repeated by ev,
cry copperh cad speaker, is that the
public debt is being increased at this
present time, and has not been di-
ninished. This is equally untrue
Nrl Wells Treasury Report shows
payment on account OF the principal
If the public debt of over $3.50, ,000,-
100.
But Mr.. Pendleton has made
,reat discovery; he claims a patent
or it; and yet this wonderful dis
overy did not secure him what the
INVENTION was got up for, the cop.
erhead nomination for President
20 hear Mr.. Pendleton talk of his
invention, it would seem as though
e had found out wonderful means
# paying debts without really paying
lem. If man is in debt, he can
My pay that debt by collecting in
is money and with that paying it
If. Mr.. Pendleton insinuates, more
han hints that, his discovery, will
nable debts to be paid without
money or taxation. Heretofore, it
as been supposed that, if a nation
7as in debt, it could only pay that
ebt by raising money by taxation
f some sort or other, and with this
money so raised paying off its debt
Ir. Pendleton, however, chuckling 4
ver his wonderful invention, hints {
0 the dear people that he can pay .
If the debt without the unpleasant
urden of taxation; he whispers, just {
ay Il in green6achs. And what are
.reenbacks? They are promises on |
he part Of the Government to pay
o much money on demand. How, {
hen, are these demand promises to I
e paid2 can they be paid otherwise
han by taxatienp But, says Mr..
we will cheat these bond
olders out of their interest in
old. Is this so? A note payable
n demand bears interest at 6 per
ent. from the time of demand for I
ayment has been made and refused. /
he holder of greenbacks has then {
uly to present them for payment, I
nd if not paid on demand, then t
hese greenbacks will draw interest t
rom that date. This is the law ap- I
licable to all banks and individuals,
rho fail to pay their demand paper j
n presentation. And shall not what .
law for banks and individuals, be +
,w for the Government Mr.. Pen {
leton's invention then, is a false pre- {
nee; 1t does not provide for paying Y
ne debt without taxation, nor does G
escape paying interest on SO much s
f the debt as the Government can I
OF pay down. If a man is in debt, I
e must pay his debt and interest, l
r repudiate the same by bankruptcy; e
or can Government do otherwise; 9