Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-09-09
New Series-Vol. 9, No 81

Ohio. Is it haf as hard-is tany hard
ship-to pay n tax on whisky and tObac-
ca, or OIL foreign silks and saiius 10 pay
the national debt? We have reduced
the debt of Ohio to less than half by n
patient payment of the land tax. and
shall We not have the same patience
with tax OIL whisky and tobacco. or
even Oh coffee and tea? And especially
shall we not have that patience when
the country is prosperous beyond meas
ure. and the public ,iebt is sast being re-
duce,i?, Let us look at these facts:
l. The Republican Congress set them
selves to work to reduce taxes as far as
possible DithoW enudHgering the p0y-
naent of the public de6t; IN doing this the
RepubJiran Congress and administers
tion showed their belief in the honesty
OF the people. If they are mistaken III
their confidence. they do not wish 10
remain i'm power and take the RESPONSE
bility of reputation and disgrace before
all nations.
Believing. however. that the people
were honest, the r Publican Congress
reduced the taxes, as far as at that time
seemed possible. consistently with pre-
serving the public credi'. They reduced
the taxation Oh all species OF manulac-
lures and industry, to the amount of at
least SIXTY millions of dollars, besides q
reduction uf ether taxes The RESULT of
this is that all the Industry of the coen-
try sprang forward, and is now in a
most fieurishing condition. No intelli-
gent man will deny that.
2. This reduction of taxes was so great
that the Democratic statistician of JOHN
sens , reasury Department prophesied
Il. fan a
public debt be increased? Well, the re-
duction was so great that it seemed not
improbable that it was too large. But
what was the result? The effect of the
reduction of taxes on industry was such
that the internal revenue was increased
instead OF being diminished; and not
withstanding the denunciati0n of the
tariff foreign imports actually increased,
and the revenue duties largely increas-
ed! On the 4th of March, 1869, GRANTS
administration came in. On the LIST of
August five months) after that admin
istration Through Secretary Boutwell)
had paid off FORTY-THREE MILLIONS of
the public debt. Was that good or an
evil? Has any class of persons felt them
selves much afflicted by that payment?
Mr.. Pendleton must have very poor
opinion of the sense and judgment of
the people of Ohio when be calls upon
them to lament over the sad state of
public affairs His Southern friends
boasting of great prosperity, the coun-
try, filled with most abundant crops,
civil peace restored, the taxes greatly
reduced, and forty millions of the pub
lie debt paid off, is that state of affairs
over which any sane man win shed
tears?
If it be that Mr.. Pendleton is prepa-
red with remedy for all this prosperi-
ty, and if it don't cure the country of
prosperity, there is nothing that cam
Let his policy be adopted, and it will be
many years before the people will get
into their present condition again.
There is scarcely an intelligent man
from the peninsula of Michigan to that
of Florida, who does not, in his heart,
feel--though prejudice and seIfishness
may induce him to withhold the con
fession-that the Republican policy has
been successful; that the war brought on
hy'a Democratic trebellion has, by the
spontaneous patriotism OF the country.
been successful in establishing freedom.
and consolidating the unity aud glory
of the country; that the evils which il
left behind are fast passing away. that
the Republican policy is surely solving
all difficulties. establishing all rights.
and restoring in their fullness peace and
harmony