Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-09

free list was added to the Tariff, and whereby
sixty millions of Internal taxes were entirely
removed. They voted with equal unanimity
against the bill which proposes to fund the
public debt at four per cent. interest, and
thus immensely decrease the annual charge
upon the people. With very few exceptions
they voted against the bill which gives to the
South and West something nearer to a fair
proportion of national banking capital and
which on the specie basis makes the banking
system free to all who wish to engage in it as
by right and Justice it should be. 1t is not
fair to assign motives to men, and hence do
not attempt it. l content myself with calling
attention to the fact that tine Democratic
party as represented in Congress, stands re-
corded as voting against all these measures
of relief amelioration and justice. -s...-.--.
The Republican party is in the tenth year
of it's power in the Nation. When Abraham
Lincoln was inaugurated as President in
March, 1861, ,he treason of leading Demo
Gratis had well nigh destroyed the Govern
ment. Howell Cobb had blasted our credit
and left bankrupt Treasury. John B. Floyd
had so demoralized and scattered the army
that the strongest fortresses fell into the
hands of rebels and traitors. Isaac Toucey
had despatched our war vessels on distant err
rands, not leaving guns enough in our harbors
or marines enough in our southern Navy
Yards to hold them against the enemy.
The result therefore of Democratic rule was
national credit ruined, Army and Navy pow
erless for defence, treason rampant and de-
fiant, and the country on the eve of fatal and
final ACKNOWLEDGMENT. At the critical moment
the Republicans came into power, and how
they have governed the nation, history will
tell. The most gigantic of rebellionS has
been crushed; the great evil of slavery has
been extirpated; the national credit has been
revived, and the national faith maintained;
great public works have been prosecuted to
completion; the continent has been spanned
with Geographic wires; the two oceans have
been connected with iron bonds; our entire
domain is organized with civil government;
new States of wealth and power have been ad-
ded to the Union, and old States, purified as
by fire from the faint of treason, have been re-
constructed and once more clothed with their
appropriate powers. And all these results
have been achieved not only without the aid
but against the efforts of the Democratic party.
political organization of such respectable
antccedents rs the Federal party was utterly
destroyed by the suspicion that in the hour Of
war its sympathes were not actively on the
side of the country. How much more deserving
of reproach and condemnation is the Demo- .
cratic party which Thoughts southern wing ac-
tually made war upon the Government, while !
the northern wing was divided between active
sympathy with the rebels and tardy support
of the National Authorities. 1t is not wise,
know, to keep alive anmosties or infiame re-
sentiments, and l do not recall these painful
facts with any such desire, or any such pur-
pose. But am persuaded that great evils !
would result to this country by restoring to
power the men who attempted TO destroy it
and believe it is an imperative and patriotic
duty to keep the people aroused to the necess-
ity of averting even the possibility Of such d
disaster.
Very truly yours,
J. G. BLAINE.