The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-10-24

springing from their preludices. Have
these obvious truths been regarded by the
men in power2 Has not reconstruction
failed because they disregarded them
The first step towards restoring order and
producing harmony between the races was,
in all ways TO minister to the prosperity OF
that section, which prosperity would be
shared alike by the white man aud the ne
gro, The industry Of the south should be
made profitable. Unless the employer
made profit on his cotton, be could not
pay the laborors. Failing to DO this, disas'
ter brought not only poverty bat confusion
and discomfort.
THE TAN IRON COTTON.
True statesmansbip, then, would have
stretched out helping hand but what
was the first act Of the men Of power2 II
was 20 put mOnstrous export tax OF six
cents a pound apou the cotton raised by the
labor of the negro upon the plantation OF
the white. Struggling with the evils Of pow
erty, with the difficulties oftheir new posi-.
tions aud relationships, the first feeble ef
forts Of their people TO gain the means of
livelihood were blasted by an unwise, sci
fish, and yindctive act. / say uuwise be
cause il had much to do with the failure Of
the republicans to restore order in the south.
The negro, c1Asperated by the failure Of his
ruined employer became hostile to him.
The employer losing the little credit be had
before in the north, renewed his efforts un.
der still greater difficulties than before. !
say it was a selfish act, because il was done
in the interest of the eastern manufacturers
already wealthy from the fruits Of the war
and protected by enormous tariffs. Ims
tax Of six cents pound upon all cotton ex.
ported was simply imposed that he might
buy it for price six cents less than it was
was worth in the markets Of the world.
say it was yindctiye act for if you will
read the debates in congress when this tax
was levied 70 cover the selfish m
.erests that prompted it, you will find that
il was urged upon members from the ives
tern states, who voted against the interests
IF their constituents, upon the ground that
{ was TO be imposed upon the south as
penalty. And thus we find that the white
md black man of the south were alike
stripped of the market value Of their staple
product, under circumstances OF such great
iiHiculty that they we're hindered, and not
lelped, on the road to prosperity by the
nen in power. Applause.
JTHER RADICAL oUTRAGEs UPON THE SOUTH
/ might 90 on and show how in addition
% this wrong, they were trampled upon BY
military despotisms; how they were placed
under the unrestrained power Of vagrant
men, who gained wealth and official posi-.
tons by ministering TO the passions Of the
public, and keeping alive disorder. These
men, who now, IN the senate Of the United
States, without constituents, vote down the
senators Of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio
Indiana, and Illinois, gained their power
over the south and over us because theJ
to passion in the north and stir
red up disorder in the south. No fair
minded, thoughtful republican will calmly 81
down and look over this action, and not fee
that the policy of his party has been unwis
and hurtfnl
DEBTOR AND CREDITOR STATES.
During the progress Of the war, anothe
national difficulty grew up, that excite
alarm in the minds Of thoughtful men.
was lDNHIy ~ thl AbNh l'4l'A up lt9 ElNb
volume, that the government bonds were Ia
ken in the northern Atlantic states, and GU
Union was thus resolved into debtor an
creditor states. This is perilous relation
ship. 1t could not we'll be avoided but tn
evil might have been mtigated, if there ha
been a wise and economical administration
which would have kept down the volume o
iudebtednpss
NATIONAL BANKS.
But the men in power saw fit to dt
another thing. They drove out Of existence
by heavy taxation, the currency of all statC
banks They thus grasped the EXCLUSIVE
power Of issuing paper money. They CAV
to the holder Of government bonds the PRIV
lcre Of issuing bank-bills under what
known as notwithstanding system. hi
was Il privilege of enormous value. / Will ne
stop now to discuss the wisdom of that syt
TEN. AS governor Of this state, | vetoed
law authorizing our banks to organize NJ
der that systsm, because saw, rs far bac
as 1868, that 1t impcrDei the future harmon
| Of our union.
The point to which wish to call your a
tentou ID the unwise and unjust manner j
which this great privilege WAS distributed -
Wise men would look to see how it could b
given out so as to minister to the genera
prosperity Of our country. But, regardless
| Of all this, this great monopoly was given t
the first corners. They were mainly fror
| the old and rich states, which had bee
enabled to take up the government bonds.--
| Thus not only our debt but our currency
was sectioualized. While the state Of Mass
achusctts, with about 100 600 inhabitants i
it, has about 81, 100000 of this currency
the state Of Illinois, with about twice, tina
population, has less than $4,000, 900. Ii
the state of Rhode Island, they have abou
$40 to each inhabitant; while in Illinois
Michigan, Wisconsin, and other western
| states, they have only about IS, If so muCl
| currency IS good for Massachusetts, why
it not good thing out west? Cheers,
But the injustice of this distribution wa
least of the evils which grew out of this lacI
of foresight and craftsmanship. 1t is n
answer to sav,in justification Of this Unequal
ity, that the west had as good a chance L
get this privilege first as the other states
II was not matter 10 leave to chance
ht NN0Ntlh STATES were NOV JuciA III u con
dIuon to secure this currency, for the yer
reason that they most needed it. If the rul
| OF proportion was to be disregarded, i
should have been done in favor of the yer,
states that now have the smallest share. i
was the duty Of wise craftsmanship to Sc
that the currency was given where it woul,
be Of the greatest service to the public. |
may be asked, if the west was not able t
take bonds, how would they avail themselye
Of this privilege? If this action had beef
reversed and $4,000, 600 had been given t,
the state of Illinois and 100000 had beer
given to the state of Massachusetts, which
would be much more fair than the preseu
distribution,-the people of Illinois could no
have established these banks but the CAPT
tai Of New England and New York woull
gladly have established banks in these states
for the sake of advantages gained. Now
this would not only have Laaa mora foir I'm