Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1868-04-02
DsmocrasSc PrlncIpiss-A Dia-
~ lowue.


a foreigner, anxious 10 study the pres.
| snt condition of American politics, rs
Gently inquired OF prominent Democrat
what are the present principles o. the
Democratic party. The following dialogue
ensued:
Democrat Why. sir, the Democratic
party has always been frank in the state
| ment of its principles. You have only TO
rad the platform adopted at its last Ma
| tional Convention, and you will find them
set forth in full
Foreigner. have read Il, and find the
| only distinctive point in it to be that " af-
ter four years Of failure to restore the Union
by war, there ougt. to be an immediate
Cessation of hosiilities" / suppose the
| triumph of the Government over The re
belliOn in the fifth year OF the war must
have Obliged the Democratic party to adj
| init that they were mistaken.
Dem. Mistakeni Sir, the Democratic
party was never mistaken. But on re-
| Election perceive that the present princi-
ples of the party are not stated in its plat
form. The first is that this IL a white
no constitutional right to vote, especially
in reconstructing the Southern States, and
no human power can give them the right.
For. You have heard If Noah Webster,
have you not?
Dem. Heard of him, yes; and he was
not only the best photographer of the Eng
lish language, but he was straight out,
| old-fashIoned Connecticut Democrat.
For. Well, be defines Democrat to be
zone who favOrs the extension of the right
of suffrage to al, classes of men" How Is
1t that man can be Democrat solely be-
cause he opposes that doctrine?
Dem. Politics have changed since Web
ster's time. He did not regard negroes as
men.
For. Indeed. He defines negro to be
Zone belonging to the black race of men,"
Dem. Well, Webster is a mere peda-
gogue. Our statesmen have thought diff.
ferently.
For. Who are your statesmen'
Dem. Andrew jackson and
For. But Jackson led the free negroes
to the polls, and voted with them side By
side.
Dem. Oh yes, we would be perfectly
willing to lead Them to the polls, but the
mischief is, they won't be led. They
march to the polls in platoons and vote
against us. But this is not our principal
point now that the negro suffrage has pre-
vailed all over the South we have finan-
cial policies. The National bonds should
be taxed, and what is left of their value
after paying the tex should be paid in
greenbacks.
For. What is greenbsck?
Dem II is the promise of the United
States to pay certain sum of money with
out interest.
For. And are the greenbacks ever to be
paid?
Dem. No. they are to circulate as cur.
rency.
For. How long will shey circulate as
currency after it is announced that they
are never to be paid? And how much
will they be worth per dollars
Dem That's none of my business. The
Black Republicans issued them, and they
must take care OF them.
For. But Democrats hold them and will
suffer by their reputation.
Dem. Well. we'll consent to lose what
we have in greenbacks in order to break
down the aristocratic bondholders.
For. And who are they1
Dem. The rich men, the Astors, Stew
arts, &c.
For. But am told these men hold no
bonds, and that nearly all your bonds are
owned directly or indirectly by poor men.
Dem. 1t must be mighty ind -sct, then.
IN sure uOn own any.
For. Let US see. Hayeyou any money in
bank!
Dm. A little; and my wife has de
po,it in the Savings Bank, which she has
saved from her cheese aud butter.
For. You are both b1ndholders, then.
Are your lives or property insured?
DIM. We have policy on our house.
For. What, are you such aristocratic
boncholderss
Dam. How is thatf
For. Nearly all the National bonds
owned IN this country are held by the Ma
tional Banks, Savings Banks, l. fe, Fire
and Marine Insurance and Trust Compa-
MES. These companies in turn are merely
agents for those who insure and deposit,
aud do business with them. In New York
State the Savings Banks alone hold
| $49. 100000 in boLds. Those of Massa-
chusetts $25 000.000; those of Rhode
Island s ,O00, 600, and, including the other
thirty.four States, it is safe to say that
their Savings Banks alone hold $780,
000, 900, and that these represent the saw
ings OF three millions of poor people
The number of depositors in New York
and Massachusetts together amount
TO S04, sol persons, all OF whom are poor,
and their humble savings would be swept
away by repudiating the National debt,
one seventh of which is due to them.
Dem. Is that so?
For. Moreover, the Life and Fire Insu-
rance Companies of New York City alone
hold $66 900 600 in National bonds. How
many should you estimate were held by
the insurance companies Of the entire
ceuntry.
Dem. Perhaps ssoo,ooo.Coo more.
don't know.
For Nor /; but suppose it to be as you
say. Now you know that the National
Banks own $40, 000, 900 in the bonds, and
that the class who own and do business
with these banks are not all millionaires
They are wellto-dO business men, and no
more. About $500 100000 of our bonds
are held as investments IN Germany, main
ly by persons OF moderate means who had
faith in the stability of our Republican in
situations. Besides there are, all over the
county, trust estates, and money of per-
sons OF moderate means, which have been
invested directly in the bonds The
amount of these can hardly be less than
500, 000, 900. Here then we have q
grand total of $17400O0.OO0 of
the interest bearing portion Of the
National debt which amounts to
about $4,000 OO0. 600, belonging to the
people who cannc. be called capitalists,
leaving, say, $3.50, 000, 900 for the sristo-
cratic bondholders.
Dem, Some of your figures rest upon
superstition, but, as it is impossible to ar
rive at the exact figures, we can only ar
rive ut them by estimates from the facts
actually known. Your statement is new
to me, and must think of it.
For. Arethere any other principles of the
Democratic party ON which you can give
me any information? ...
Dem. None at present.-C1icago Tri.
6une
Why Men Like 10 Drfnlk.