New-York tribune., 1868-09-11
DO THEY MEAN TO LIEi

A lie is an assertion made with intent to de-
ceiyc. Do OF do not the opponents OF Grant
and Colfax habitually make such statements
with regard to the National Financesf We
make no charge, but state facts, leaving con-
clusions to be drawn by others
The World editoriay says:
ain 1865 tho public debt s2423437OO2 49, In 1868
II ia 255 an increase of $?l992s2 49, Let us
have peace"
Is that truef
The Secretary of the Treasury officially states
the total apparent Debt on the 1st inst. at
S2. 2.643. .25G 2S5. but adds that the cash IN the
Treasury amounts to S1O76i1 81; which, de-
Quoted from the above, leaves the actual Debt
a2.53J.614.313. Need we argde that the money
ought to be deducted to ascertain the true
amount of the Debit Here, for instance, are
some S25,OOO,OOO of Certificates of Deposit OF
Coin. individuals are allowed to deposit their
cold in the Treasury, drawing no interest
thereon, and take Certificates therefor for con-
yeniepce in business. Is our Debt increased
by the sum of those Certificates, when we
have the gold ready to redeem them on call
Is our Debt increased by the amount of the
Greenbaeks now in the Treasury IL we owe
them. is it not to ourselvesi These questions
admit but of one answer.
Again: We have lent to the Pacific Railroads
bonds amounting to $3j,3l4,OOO. The Railroads
pay the interest thereon as it accrues; they are
to pay the principal when due ; and the Govern
mcnt has n second mortgage on their re-
spectve roads to secure such payment. Even
if they were to fail. those roads will add many
millions not merely to the taxable property
and income Of the People, but to the revenues
of the Government, 10y stimulating settlement,
productions &c, III the central region OF our
continent. hitherto hardly accessible. with
what reason is this contingent liability added
10 our War Debtl Yet, without it, and deduct
ing the cash in the Treasury, our National
Debt is apparently $2,5OO,3O0,3l3, and really
much less. because of the Greenbacks, Postal
Currency, &c, &c, which have been burned,
lost at sea, or otherwise destroyed, so that they
can never be presented for payment
But The World says the Debt was but
s2,423 437 ,OO2 ain 1860" In ,chat part of 1865
That ia n pertinent question. OF course, there
may have been some time early in 1866 when
the ascertained, liquidatcd Debt was no more
than is stated above. But Richmond did not
fall till April of that year, and ] ""'H s"'"o"do'
dates from the 9th of that month. Jobnstons,
Irck rayrur-s ana tile other Rebel armies,
surrendered at n much later day. The bloody
affairs of Five Forks, Bentonyle Averysboro',
Mobile. Selma, Sc, &c, all occurred in 1865; and
our armies were not mustered ont and paid of
till about the middle of that year-part OF them
not till near the close of it. Secretary McCul-
loch officially reported the Debt, over and
above the cash in the Treasury, as follows:
July 81, sGj...........---.S 75I253,@'5
Sept /, 1sGj............... 2,1j7GS9,5n
II is now S2J70OO,OO0 less, after paying
$7,2OOOOO in gold for Alaska, unless the Treas
ury is charged with the contingent liability for
building the Pacific Roads. And why should
il bd1 That IS not money spent in war and
so sunk but a guarantee to secure the con
structon of works which must add vastly to
the wealth and prosperity to
the tax-payng ability-of our People.
DO the Coppcrheads mean to deceive with
regard to the National Finances Compare
their statements with ours, and judge impair
tally