The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-02-25

NUMBER 50.
debtor is entitled to fully as much symyath
as the money-lender The laborer between hi
plow handles and the mechanic in his shop are
under our system of government, the equals o
any other citizens of the Republic. 1t is thei
energy and their productive industry which up
holds and sustains the fabric of American civil
ization. kuock out this support, and the Gov
ernment with its bonds and it's currency wOul,
be involved in a common ruin. The claims o
labor and the welfare of the aborer are mStter
which must engage the attention of Statesmen
if the sunlight of prosperity is ever to shin,
upon US again. Politicians may plot and plan
bankers may discount and accommodate, dem
agogues may delude and deceive, but the truth
will come at last that the hard hands and strons
arms of labor must work the deliverance.
Has any person seen farmer or mechanic
who complains of i redundancy of money
The complaints that have reached my ear are
precisely the reverse. II they are in debt do
they desire the privilege of paying one-thirC
more than they Contracted and are they par
tlcularly clamorous for reduction of theil
wages! Are they feverish in their anxiety tc
see 1000, 900 of Government bonds sold in
Engla land for gold TO redeem the greeback cur.
rency, and then to see the taX-.athc c1ars col
ecting In the same gold to ship across the wa
terS IN payment of the interest on the bonds
According to my theory the burden rests upon
their shoulders, and their tongues must make
the call before [ will ever vote for bond for
bond for any purpose wha
The Southern States embrace Il popula tion
OF eight or ten millions, aud unless their Very
existence is to be ignored some considera ion
should bestowed upon the measure, rs it is very
likely to affect their interests. ire they ready
specie payments, and do they desire that all
and silver Almost every newspaper that comes
from that quarter informs US that some finely
improved est ate has been disposed of at
Sherlh's sale for two dollars per acre, and as
the unfortunate owners have been bereit OF Il Il
else, they would hardly favor Il project which
would sacrifice their lands at 81 2o
OF the situation OF the Southern people I
know little from actual observation. Since the
war | have been no further South thau Cor
donsviile, in Virginia. Manassas, which has
risen from the ashes, reminds us OF the opening
scene i'll the civil strife. passed Cedar Noun
tain, or SlauS hterS Mountain, as the people of
the country call it, in whose shades Jackson
marShaled his forces, and from whose summit
swept the charge that never failed of victory.
crossed the Rlpidan, where Gran. and Lee,
the great masters of military science, for seven
long months confronted each other from oppOS-
ing bauas. bitches and earthworks may be
seen all sides, but where are the farms, the
orchards, and the gardens, the corn, the fruit,
and the flowers! These rich valleys, like West
ern praireS, spread out before you, but 10 fence
obslructs the view, and no sounu breaks The
solemn silence that reignS around There re-
main, however, some evidences of {. banished
Now and then Il single chimney,
like a monumental column, points You TO the
past. 1t bears no lettered scroll; bat still it
speaks of happiness and home. Its warmth
has been comfort to age, and sparkling eyes
and ruddy faces have reflected It's light. But
the scene has been changed. The thunder
cloud of war drew near and more near until
its angry flashes gave fearful warning OF ap-
preaching doom. The mother knecls at the
family altar, invokes the blessing of Eliah's
God, and goes forth with her children L fugi-
tive in the land. Every thing that will burn
is given to the flames, and the chimney stands
as landmark, 4 starting point for the surveyor
i'll his WORK of rc-estIot,hn. meCes ana
lines.
Other portions of Virginia may have suffered
less, but honestly believe that the people Of
that State are not prepared for specie payments.
and that any great contraction of the currency
would Involve them in ruiG. They could en-
durc gentle imitation, but they Will scarcely
survive a further contraction. [ know not how
Others may feel, but as for my single self con-
tess to 4 weakness for the Old commonwealth
of Virginia If she has sinned in the sight Of
Heaven, Heaven and earth have witnessed the
terrible retribntion. When We speak of Fr-
ginla tile long past rises before us, and we are
associated with the heroes, the statesmen, f.ud
the philosophers of other days. The sword of
her Washington haugs in the Patent ONCE, and
there too, IS his camp aHl ais camp furniture,
even down t. his pewter plates, held as the sa-
cred memorials Of a patriotisn which endured
all things for his country sake. Jefferson ana
the Declaration, and Madison and the Consti-
tuition, the eloquenCe of Henry, Lhe learning OF
Marshall all protest against the divorce which
sewers the bonds Of union and degra,leS Virgin
ia from her position OF equality iii the family of
States. Dsmenbered and divided, spurned
and insulted, suffering and bleeding, the fcail
and tottering remnant Of her former self, If we
can not alleviate, let us do nothing to increase
the calamltleS which overWhelm her already.
Neither the vicissitudes throu h which she has
passed, nor the furnace Of attlicton in which
she walks at present, have ever been able to
cXtort from her word Of complaint or rc-
proach. Ii ii is believed that she can be driven
or persuaded to profession OF the Radical
creed, it is mistake; She VIII live and die in
the faith which has been handed down from the
fathers.
II is assumed that gold will come to this
country when it is needed. In my opinion it
will be needed long time before it viii come.
When our exports and sales in foreign coun-
be paid to us i'll gold.
Another assumption Is that greenGacks will
enhance IN value As soon as an act Of Congress
shall fix day for the resumption of specie
payments. The ability Of debtor to meet his
O0nSatlonS is OF more consequence in the eyes
OF creditors than any promises or pledges lie
may make upon that subject. If he is in Doubt
ful or falling circumstances, it is certainly pru-
dent TO name d distant day, aud this pracaution
has been nrpDoSnI f. the
But the great question is, can the Govern
ment meet its liabilities? The report of the
Secretary of the Treasury shows that for the
last three years and seven months The average
annual expenditure in payment of interest and
other demands has been $50S GAG. So, and
that during that time the pubic debt ins tead
of being diminished, has been et by the
addition Of SlGO, ,l75,47 .4S. In three years and
seven months almost two thousand million dol
lars have been expended, and the debt is larger
than 1t was at the close of the war. The Sec
retary says that if it had not been for the Pa
cifc Railroad, the purchase of Alaska and other
estimates, which he believes to be substantial
ly correct, the debt would have been smaller.
But Such contingencies are rs likely to happen
in the future rs in the past, and the fact stands
as stated While the debt has been thus rapid
ly Increasing, the resources Of the Government
for its liquidation have been more rapidly de-
clining, as tbs tables will show:
The receipts from internal revenue for the
year 1866 were $500, ,220 ,6i3.43
The receipts from internal revenue for 1867
wera or 10, 40