Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-03

a OVlhhaaus patty AudJ uoty euo Co42obitu- |
ton, trample upon the rights of the weak,
and sport with their misfortunes but
the fires Of ianaticism cannot always |
burn, the passions Of men viii grow cool,
and the day will come when justice and
public faith, benificent as the censtitu-
ton and broad as the Union, will prevail.
If gentlemen really desire to constiS
tute themselves the peculiar friends and
guardians of the public faith, if they wish
to preserve it pure and unspotted, they
should pursue course of impartial JUS
tice toward all the creditors of the United
States. In discharging their high trust, |
let no preferences, partialities or preju-
dices warp their Judgment orcontrol their
action; and, above all, let them do |
nothing in violation Of the constitution. |
The public Indebtedness, large Us it is. is
owing for the most part to our own citi-
zens, and, in view of their equal rights,
pay all or pay none; or, il. they can only |
pay part, let them refer the matter to q |
master commissioner for pro rata dis
tributioA of the assets among all the
creditors in exact proportion to their sev-
eral demands. Whatever may be the
hardship of such measure, it will fall
upon all alike, and those who have been
drawing the gold will have less reason to
complain than these who never received
cent. A discrimination among Ameris
can citizens is in fragrant violation Of the
fundamental principles of our free insti-
tutions, and a fraud upon the equal rights
Of the people. Our Government was
established to secure the rights and per-
petuate the liberties of the people, and
not as an engine of oppression and tor
turs to degrade and enslaye them. IS
The condition of the country in f1nanss
cial point of view is alarming, and most
Of the remedies prescribed appear to be
temporary in their character. Many of
them propose, in certain conting encies, to
issue more bonds, as if the bonds already
in existence were not absorbing and con-
Stunning the substance Of the people. That
relief which comes from increasing the
burden will not meet my appreciation.
The desperate situation of our affairs is
rendered perfectly manifest by the con<
ficting and contradictory measures advo-
Gated by statesmen Of great capacity and
enlarged experience. Scarcely any two
agree, and yet each has the utmost con-
fdence in the wisdom and policy of his
own scheme.
Deprecated paper is the object Of as
sault on all sides, and those who forced
| it upon the country are now its deadlieSt
foes. A speedy resumption ofspecie pay
| ments, with or without means, is advo.
Gated as sure defense against all the
dangers that surround us. That redun-
dancy of currency of which we hear SO
much may exist in the region where the
bondholders live, but in the agricultural
districts there is no such complaint. In
my section the people are neither given to
idleness nor to luxury. They have never
had the wealth to indulge the one nor to
support the other and man who en-
joyed both would not be very respect
able member of society. Intelligent la
Dor is industriously applied to fruitful
soil, but still money is so scarce that any
contraction Of the currency would operate
most injuriously upon the agricultural
and mechanical interests.
| Let it not be said that | am or have
been the friend of the paper money, or of
any of the overgrown monopolies that
have fed and fattened upon public plun>
der until they defy the constituted
authorities Of government. The resnmp-
ton of specie payments, five were ready
to resume, it is admitted on all hands
| weuld be attended by great enhances
ment of the value Of paper money, A
dollar in gold, instead of being worth q
dollar and thirty five cents, would be exs
changed at par, or the premium Of thirty
five per cent. Of gold over greehbacks
| would no longer exist. So that man
Iholding 100000 in greenbacks would
have it suddenly raised to the value of
| $l35, 009in that currency. But the people
of the United States are not all bankers
and bOndhollers. The great majority of
them derive no profit from the one or the
other. and the interests Of this class,
numbering twenty to one, are entitled to
some consideration at the hands Of Con-
gress in its efforts to solve tho financial
question. The debtor is entitled to ful>
ly as much sympathy as the money
lender. The labOrer between his plowl
handles and the mechanic in his shop
II
the equals of any other citizens of the
Republic. 1t is their energy and their
productive industry which upholds
and sustains the fabric Of Ameri-
can civilization. Knock out this
support, and the Government, with its
bonds and its currency, would be in
| volved in common ruin. The claims of
labor and the welfare of the laborer are
matters which must engage the attention
of statesmen if the sunlight Of prosperity
is ever to shine upon US again. Politi-
clans may plot and plan, bankers may
discount and accommodate, demsgogues
may delude aud deceive, but the truth
will come out at last that the hard hands
and strong arms Of labor must work tho
deliverancs
Has any person seen farmer or me.
chanic who complains Of a redundancy of
money! The complaints that have
reached my ear are precisely the reversed
If they are in debt, do they desire the
| privilege Of paying 0ne.third more than
they contracted, and are they paTticu-
| larry clamor0us FOR reduction Of their
wages Are they feverish in their
| anxiety TO see $4O0,0O0000 of Govern
ment bonds sold in England for gold to
| redeem the greenback currency, aud
| then to see the tax-gatheF5 collecting in
the same gold to ship across the waters
| 10 payment Of the interest on the bonds2
| According to my theory the burden rests
| upon their shoulders, and their tongues
must make the call before | will ever
| ,-,t. G.r a hanJ for ann ,,urnOSa ~ hat