The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-05-13
RepHdiation.

The Radicals profess an intense hor-
ror of the very idea of repudiation.
They denounce it in their platform,
and their President, among his first
utterances, after his Inauguration,
gave public warning that no one in
any wise opposed to paying the bond
I holders to the uttermost farthing,
need look for official favors at his hands
Among the first acts of the XLIst
Congress, and the very first to receive
the sanction and signature of Presi-
I dent Grant. was an act to repaltate a
solemn promise made to the people.
At an early date in the progress
1 of the late civil war, the Govern
/ ment found itself greatly in need
of money to aid in maintaining its au-
thority and in putting down the re-
billion and for the purpose of supply
ing the Aneedful," Congress resorts to
a forced loan from the people by issu-
ing the paper promises of the Govern
ment, called iegal-tender notes or
/ "greenbacks,r and therein and thereby
then and there, in the language of the
legal fraternity, they stipulated and
promised to those who were forced to
receive these notes fthe Government
/ that they should be ga legal tender
for ali debts public and. private except
duties on imports and interest on. the
public debt, and receivable in pay
melt Of all loans made to the United
States" Under this solemn pledge
the people had reason to believe that
they could pay the debt Of their Gov
| ernment with the same currency they
had been compelled to receive on ebli-
cations due to them either from the
Government or from individuals, In
deed, it was $50 stipulated in the bond'
Yet, the Radical Congress and Exec
utive that manifest such virtuous in
dignatien att the very thought ofwlat
they denounce as reputation, under
the pretext of " strengthening the pub
lie credit" pass and approve the
Schenek bill by which they pledge the
faith of the nation that every dollar Of
the Government bonds shall be paid
in coin, unless other'acise expressly
stipulated! thus regulating the SOL
eemn promise made to the people that
these paper promises of the Govern
ment should be legal tender for all
public dues except duties on imports
and interest on the public debt, and
receivable for all loans made to the
United States. This was done for
the sole and exclusive benefit of the
bondholders,. and thereby an additional
burthen of from $500, 100000 to $780,
100000 is supposed upon the shoulders
OF the toiling producing masses of the
country. In the face of this open,
plain, palpable reputation of the OBJ
legation of the Government to its op-
pressed citizens, this manifest injus-
ice, these Radical repudsators profess
to be. the exclusive advocates of equal
ity and the rights and interests of the
people! Can any one doubt that the
Radicals are building up in this coun-
try privileged ORDER. and reducing
the laboring, producing millions to a
state of,servitude to the bendholding
aristocracy.
Hon. Fayette NfcnInllin-The Peace Nego-
tiation of 1s61-Isemarkable Revelation.
While in Marion, Smyth county, a
few days age, had the pleasure of
several lengthy chats with Hon. Fay
yette McMullin. Mr.. McMulIin says
that sinse the war he was one dav in |
the Presidents house in Washington
conversing with Hon. f. P. Blair, ST.
Mr.. Blair told him that soon after Nc
Millan's 'speace resolutions" had been
introduced into the the Confederate
Congress, Mr.. Lincoln, being extreme
ly anxious to bring about q peace
honorable alike to both sections of
the country, and foreseeing and wish
ing to avoid the political consequences
of the military subjugation of the
South, sent him (Mr. Blair) to Rich
mond to confer with Mr.. Davis and
learn what arrangement of the diff
culties could be made. He was passed |
through the lines of the contending
armies and conducted to Mr.. Davis
house in Richmond. After long
conversation with Mr.. Davis and other
prominent. gentlemen, for whom Mr..
Davis. said he had no proposition to
make. Mr.. Blair then proposed that
General Lees army be marched into t
Mexico against the French; that Gen. J
eral Grant would follow and support |
the movement that the united armies
would drive out Maximilian; and I
then the Southern States should name |
their own terms of reconstruction, ev-
-erything short of independence being
guaranteed. at Mr.. Davis request,
this proposition was made in writing,
and, after some consultation and rer |
flection, acas signed and accepted By /
him. Mr.. Blair returned to Washing
ton, and Mr.. Lincoln was highly de-
lighted with the success of the nego-
tiation. 1t was in the hope of con-
summating this arrangement that Mr..
Lincoln aud Mr.. Seward met the
"peace commissioners" Hons. Steph-
ems, Hunter and Campbell, at Fortress
Monroe; but there, to Mr.. Lincoln's
chagrin, the committee declared that
they had been instructed by Mr., Davis
to insist upon the independence of tho
South, and would listen to no other
proposal. And thus the whole affair.
came to a @mnstl lame. and impotent
conclusion" q.s4a,s -. 4
Such is the substance of the account
related to Governor McMullin by MIR.
Blair. Mr.. McMullin says that he