The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-04-22
Ex.PREsIDENT. Johnson.
ms spERcH AT KNoxvlLLE, TENN


Ex-President Johnson's speech at
Knoxville, as published in full, is
masterly vindicatiom of his own Off
cial conduct, and scathing review of
the adverse policy forced upon the
country. Throughout his career he
maintained an unsuspected integrity,
he was unappr9achable by the corrupt,
his hands were unstained by the bribes
or presents-the preservation of the
Constitution and the true interests of
the country occupied all his thoughts
and were the objects Of his perpetual
care. hiai39 aaf
Had he taken the other course, and
drifted in the current of venality-
had he received bribes under the name
of presents and bestowed Offices and
jobs upon the giyers-had he co-ope-
rated with the plunderers of the treas
ury and concurred in the evil meas
ures outside, the Constitution, he
would have retired with boundless
wealth, glorified by the Radical lead
ers, to be handed over with them to
the future historian as examples of the
Immortality, selfishness and corrup-
ton produced by civil commotion.
We regret that we have not room
for the whole speech, but give the
following extracts:
DEBT AND TAXES.
When you look at the history of this
government in the last eight years, it
has made strides that are alarming
Look at the debt, look at the oppres-
sions, look at the taxes. Think when
you are talking abont billions it is not
millions. How long is this state OF
things to continued? One word in this
connection. Your debt is now in
round numbers, three billions of dol
lars, SO far as the National Govern.
ment is concerned. How much is il
at home now, God only knows. ]
know where the State was when ]
left it as your Governor 1 know you
had school fund. [sWhere is il
now?"l Yes, where is it now? Echo
answers, whore? Applause 1t was
a large school fund, and in a. very
short time it could have been increas
ed SO as to be sufficient to educate al
the children in the country. You
debt was about sixteen millions, anG
your State was in a prosperous condi
ton. Where is the debt new? Lool
at the State taxes, and look at the tax
es of the Federal Government, and W,
find that the Federal Government col
lects from the people to pay interest
$780, 10000 per annum--three time
as much as was once necessary to de
fray the expenses Of the Federal Gov
ernment. You collect $3.50, ,O00, t,
be paid in gold and silver to the bond
holders of this nation. That is one o
the fruits of what is coming upon us
Black men will understand this
While they have been giving You free
dom, as they pretend, and disfranchis
ing white people, on the other hand
they have been making white men an
black men slaves together. The onl,
difference now is that all are slaves
while q part only were slaves. before
Now you have to toll ON, white an,
black, to pay one hundred and fift
millions per annum to the bondholder
of this country, who never shed
drop, of blood to save it. i would
God there was no power, or in othe
: words, the Government had not tn
credit to borrow money to carry o
t war; If the people had to be calle
$ on for money before the war began
+ we would have no war. \ We. used
. talk about the negro aristocracy of til
a South, and we were terribly aiarme
r at it. The estimated value of. the !,
1 boz" under the slave system was. thrt
= hundred million dollars. But now q
this has disappeared. The negro h,
been freed, but let me tell you the bi
d of sale has been transferred TO 9TH,
men, and you have got to work to pa
!. it. If the debt is fixed upon the pc,
pie, let me tell you it has got TO con
q from your toll and the peoples toll
pay the one hundred and tiftymilliol
Il every year to the, bondholders Of Il
9 nation. Did they buy it? No, n
: from anybody Did they. loan Il
Government Golsl and s;lvar2 Al