The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-09-02


tant cities, at discount of from one
to three per cent. National bank
notes were even better than green
backs, for when a national bank
broke, its notes sold at premium.
No man had ever lost dollar By the
national banks, and never could.
The bill holder was positively secur-
ed. whereas. under the old system of
free banks and State banks. it had
been officially stated that 3O,O00, 900
annually died in the pockets of the
people.
We want a good safe currency.
We have it now. and will make it
better; we will bring it up to par. IF
our Democratic friends can devise
better currency We will adopt it, but
we will never 20 back to the rotten
system of Free Banks and State
Banks. Senator Morton next re-
ferred to the State Government and
the administration of Gov. Baker, who
was a modest man, and at the expense
of making him blush, aud at the risk
Of making himself blush he would
say that be believed that for the last
twenty years previous to 1861, this
State had been the worst governed
State in the world. and that during
the ten years since that time he be-
lieved it had been the best governed.
Vehement aud prolonged applause ]
" IF so, why do you want TO take it
back? Why would you take back
the old rulers that had so fatally mis-
managed the affairs of the State? 1t
could only be on the principle of
charity-to give them a chance to re-
form. It were safest 10 let we'll
enough alone. There were good men
in the Democratic party, but they
were misguided by their leaders. For
the last twenty years their leaders
had been all wrong, and the party had
been placed in q wrong position by
them, and often against their will
You were wrong, and we were right.
On the slavery question, you were
wrong and we were right, and history
will so write it"
He next glanced at the evils result
ing from the war, and fixed the re-
sponsibility. When Mr.. Lincoln was
inaugurated he found the war already
made to his hand. Eight States had
already declared themselves out of
the Union, and acts of war on the
Government had been committed.
The people of the South had been
encouraged by the Democrats of the
North. But for these promises and
encouragements the war would not
have commenced. The people of
the South know how fatally they
were deceived. The Democrats
are therefore responsible for the war
and all its eviIs,-for the National
debt and the burdens of taxation, which
the Democrats say are grinding the
people down. He did not see the
evidences of this distress. de doubt
ed if the people had ever been better
dressed, or gave more unmistakablC
signs of prosperity, and he was sure
they had never been possessed of 81
much taxable property. daughter
But there was, and is. great debt
It was necessary. But the men whC
made the war were responsible foi
the debt. They gave US the alterna
tive of giving up the country or In
curing debt. Democrats said giv'
up the country. We determined tc
save the country. We borrowed
money. but Democrats did not lent
much. They advised their friend
not to lend their money, as it Woul'
never be repaid. They ridiculed tn
men who bought bonds. They bough
gold. betting against their country
They bet and lost. Gold went dowr
The bondholders made money, Will
the buyers of gold hav
gone where the woodbin
twineth." Democrats made the deb
,, and justice demands that they shoul
! pay it, but we will help them; but W
mean they shall help us. We intend {
pay the debt honestly, just as you pa
! your debts. without any trick. It ca
: not be done without expense or taxa
; tion, and when any man comes to 20
and proposes to pay the national del
without taxation, set him down as
= confidence man, like one of those me
who advertise to send you som
}, great secret if you will enclose him
dollar or two. These advertisement
and these silly propositions are alway
made to those who are supposed [
: be ignorant or vicious, and are an II
suit to your good sense or your hor
esty. It is worse for a nation to los
q its honor than for an individual. Th
9 mans dishonor only lasts for lif'
9 time at the farthest. The di
G grace of q nation lasts foreye
Spain WITS an instance. Her bond
; had reeS atty been sold in Londo
9 for Is GEMS on the dollar. Spai
! has not paid her interest for year
Il and has neither respect or credi
e The State of Mississippi was anothr
a instance. She had repudiated b.
u debt. and now could not borrow
:. dollar She had done worse ths
, that. She had given us JEFF. Davi
e In 1886 Indiana had issued her bone
e for internal improvement. and in 184
0 she was unable to pay her interest, an
paid none up to 1916, when an adius