The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-04-07

the present time. England at that
time was Just after a revolution, and
the country was thrown under the
control of despotic power, and Jeffreys
was the eager instrument. -Four years
ago this country had come out of q
great civil war. Since that time the
great work of Congress had been, or
should have been, to restore harmony
and prosperity to the country. How
had the work been carried on2 Is
there, he asked, peace at the South ?
Is there prosperity or contentment
among the people there? Are they
not rather IN a state of chronic revolu-
ton? Is there Justice in the land ?
Who that is a poor mdn dare attack
one that is rich in any count IN this
land Is there protection for the
rights or liberties of the citizens in this
boosted land of freedom. The immi-
grafton to this country had fallen off
10000 during the last year, and it
would continue to fall off, because the
industry and agriculture of the coun-
try were SO Frustrated at the West
that immigrants could not find re-
muperative employment, and ifthey
went to a farm in the " est they could
not sell their proGGcts for enough to
supply them with the necessaries oil
life. Whenever any one in the SEN
ate or elsewhere asked the reason of
the depression of our commerce and
manufactures he was sure to be met
with the answer that it was owing to
the fact that we were not paying
spaeie; but the real acasun was that
the legislation and the administration
of the government were so shaped as
to encourage capital to speculate upon
every industrial occupation in the
country. If this course were to be
continued in less than five years there
would be a clamor for a tariff to keep
out foreign cotton. But great as was
the mismanagement of our national
affairs in every department, the great
est abuses were in our financial policy.
That policy was directed and CONTROL
ed by the bankers; they no doubt gave
as good advice as they could, but ex-
perience had always shown that deal
ers III money known little or nothing
about the relations of money to other
occupations and interests. The bear
ing of all this upon the pending bill
was this: If the Legislators of the
country had done their own work so
badly, how could they dare to assume
the powers and duties of the Execu-
tive also? He had intended to say a
few words about the relations between
himself and certain other Senators, by
way of showing the unftness of the
Senate to exercise q revisory power
over the acts of the President, but he
would reserve them for another occa-
sion. He must, however, before clos
ing, say a word about the social con-
dition of the country, which, he
thought, was quite as bad as the fin
ancial condition. The rich were
striving to be richer, and the poor
were struggling to initiate the rich,
and thus virtue was lost. He knew
something of the character of the peo-
pie of other countries, and he firmly
stated that there was less virtue and
morality in American society to-day
than in any other civilized society on
the face of the earth. The prevailing
generalization was frightful. What
mother could send her son out into the
world with any confidence that he
would be able to resist the temptresses
that would surround him? What
husband could close his door?
CLaughter.) The country was on the
brink of a precipice, and unles the pee
pie should be reused from their apathy
all was lost. He had wished for and
aided in the election of General Grant
to the Presidency, because he believed
that he president Grant, had net
been contaminated by the politicians
and had the capacity required to see
through and defeat their machina-
tons. He had listened to the inaug-
ural address with intense interest and
had been pleased by the Presidents
expression of his purpose to be indie,
pendent in the discharge of his official
but when he heard the passage
asserting the sacredness of the public
debt he had gone away dishearttened
and sorrowful, because it had shown
him that the canker that possessed the
body polite had got poses
sion of the President also. Still he
was not without hope. He hoped
that the President would yet discover
the great error into which bad advis-
ers had led him and Fould turn away
from this policy as from a charnel
With an interesting biograph-
ical sketch of himself Mr.. Sprague
finished his speech.