The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-09-08
The Letter ofthe Hon. Thomas Ewing

The Letter ofthe Hon. Thomas Ewing
Hon. Thomas Ewing, has written
a very able and elaborate letter against
the whole policy of the Republican par
ty, and particularly hat of Mr.. Bout
well, the Secretary of the Treasury.
The letter affords abundant evidence
that Mr.. Ewing. who must be between
three-score years and ten and four
score, retains all the vigor and intel
lect which for forty years has render
ed him an historical character.
1t Is now q third of a century since
Mr.. Ewing was a Wing United States
Senator froin Ohio. Twenty eight
years ago he was the Secretary of the
Treasury in the Cabinet of General
Harrison. Eighteen years since he
filled the same position in the Cabinet
of General Taylor. He has since, with
one or two exceptions, acted with the
Republicans, and against the Demo
cracy.
But the late outrages of the party
have been too much for him. He is
particularly opposed both to their e
construction and financial ideas. His
letter, which is full of valuable sugges-
tons, can not but be felt upon the re-
suit of the canvass. We will quote
here what he says upon the two issues,
the Fifteenth Amendment and Bout
Wells financial policy. He insists that
the amendment was not legally submit
ted, because the Senators and mem
bers from the Southern States were
denied admission, and that the two
thirds required to pass it must be two
thirds of the entire Houses, and moi
of the fractional number present. In
this connection he says:
''That which we have is no more a
constitutional submission than would
have been a resolution ola Republican
caucus.
"But there is now also an attempt
to force this irregular resolution upon
us, without the consent of the Legs
latures of a constitutional majority of
the Southern Statesno yet reconstruct
ed are to be denied read-mission as
States untllthey adopt this amendment.
They are to be thus forced to give their
free consent to it. Besides, if the I'M
reconstructed States ratify the amend.
ment pursuant to the resolution, what
will it avail The whole action of
Congress is founded on the assump-
ton that they are not now States in
the Union, but some kind of quidity,
no n knows what-Stefritories, con
quered provences, military procon-
sulates-and not States, until again
admitted. Now, if they adopt the re-
solution in obedience to THIS mandate,
their action is nugatory. None but
States of the Union can participate in
amending the Constitution of the Uni
on, and the whole Radical system of
reconstruction rests upon the assump-
ton that they are mo- now States. But
the party, having determined to carry
the measure, constitutional objections
are, | I'm well aware, unavailing-im-
pertinent, perhaps, since caucus reso-
lutionshave become the paramount law.
l am, however, opposed to the measure,
totally and entirely, and to all the jug
glery and thimble-rigging by which it
is to be brought about. 1 am unwill-
ing to change the Constitution of the
United States for a trivial cause, even
if some possible good might follow it
but here / can see The pro-
posed amendment is not in accord with
the opinions and feelings of our pco-
pie, and / would not have them lured
or forced unwillingly to adopt it.
There is NJ more reason for extending
to the negro political and social equali-
ity. Indeed, both are proposed by
ultra Republican reformers, and both
supported by the same arguments.
The experiment of negro supremacy,
where now in full operation, has not
generally produced results which i'm
press men f~avorably."
"While 1 am writing, the Secretary
of the Tresury reports that he has paid
off another two millions of the five
twenties. They were, by the express
terms of the law under which they
were borrowed, payable in legal-tend-
er notes. He paid them in legal-ten-
der notes, and added as a gratuity four
hundred thousand dollars-he paid
81, 100000 in currency for $4,000, 900
due in currency. This is simple plum
der, excused by no reasonable doubt
or ambiguity of fact or language.
There should be an end to this. The
whisky rings and all other rings, ofici-
al and unofficial, formed to defraud
the revenue and plumber the Treasury,
played at child's play compared with
this. Carried to its utmost result it
will rob the nation of more than seven
hundred millions, principal and inter
est, in the ten years. And it will be
so, unless the people by an emphatic
vote forbid it. The public treasury
will be added to the public Offices to
fill the measure of the spoils without
it they are quite too small to meet
pressing wants Of the party-"-En-
qaarer.