The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-09-15

Of Bourbon Items" purporting to be
an answer to an item under this head a
few weeks ago in relation to the re-
duction Of taxes and the national debt
Although the article appeared as edito-
rial. it bore the unmistakable ear marks
of our astute and intelligent city attor-
ney-a man who knows just enough to
write common town ordinance SO that
an extra session of the board had to be
called to repeal it, revise it and repass
it, to make it ineligible. He says the
national debt has been diminished near
ly four hundred millions. An editorial
in last weeks Republican gives Gen
Logan as authority that the public debt
has been decreased about 100000, 900,
only $500, 100000 more than our intel
ligent city attorney has sta very small
difference, to be sure, but nevertheless a
difference. In speech delivered by
Mr.. Boutwell, in the house of represent
atiyes, July 81, 1868, he made use of
the following language.
"Iwish to call the attention % the house to 8
TACT deduced by careful examination q. statistics
obtained from the assistar; secretly o. the trsas
NY. sho" ing that with resources and the rev.
enne OF this country we have secured large dim
inuUOn OF the public debt I confess that, after
O. Ind IA I fa1t
PEELED to review 1t see IL there was not some
mistake In the premises or In the calculation, so
astonishing Is lhe evidence thus furnished Of the
utility OF the people Of the country TO liQuidate the
pablo debt. From the lat day of April. 1876. TO
the lst ~ OF January. 1863. We have paid ont OF
tine public treasury $l.s52 90 0kG OF money. Upon
Careful anal' SO OF the expend lures OF the gov
ernTeLr dur:ry nose two years ard nine months.
nnd mat The expense Of peace establishment
the basis of the year 1866 and 1867. when .he *
2cnscs OF the government We're SIC oD.0U rccre
than they ar. to be the present year, amounted 10
those expenses, - Os6 eco VG0 On the Gfst day Of
April, 1875. the public debt iqu'dated and ascrr.
tanned was s., 80 O0O.OO9, AID the 81 .nSsHo,0cJ
and the LET day Of January, 1858 would hvve been
added to the public debt proper expenses Of the
war five had nor paid them cut OF the public rev
enue from day to day II Ac add the 81. $4,000
coo of public debt debt the lat OF April, 1865.
what we paid for our war expenses, including In.
terest on the war debt. pensions. and bounties.
!.
1865, the public debt. il We hsd not paid war ex-
penses out OF the ordinary revenue. would have
amounted 10 1872 OOO000 In the face OF this great
fact that in two years and nine months. by extra
ordinary taxation. and extraordinary efforts to be
SURE pad 81 .066 900 go OF the public debt,
we to assume that the people of this country are
not annually 10 make con- iderahe payments Of
the public debt? Almost One.third OF the puhlIc
debt has been paid In two years and nine MT nths
This alleged reduction took place du
ring the presidential term of Andrew
johnson, and the statement that in
two years and nine months, April 1st
1865. to Jan. 1st, 1868, Eve paid 81,
O66. 100000 of the publ; 1 y" was
made simply to pull 90 wool over the
eyes of the people" We have not time,
pace or desire to enter into I statistical
investigation of sum so enormous as
our present national debt, with gentle
men who differ $500 100000 as to the
amount Of reduction. If the debt was.
according to Mr. Boutwell,, in two years
and nine months, reduced LOGS, 000,-
900, We are heartily glad of it. If, ac-
cording to the Republican, the debt has
been reduced $500. 100000, we arc glad
of it. If it has, according to our intel
ligent city attorney, been reduced s4OO'
900, goo, we are glad of it. If sit is
but little less than it has been for seve-
.ol ye.rs past" we are glad of it. A
people '"xed from three to four hundred
millions per year "Vsld be glad to know
that any portion of the ,"nrmops
amounts they are called to Poy yearly
had been appropriated to the pay
ment of the public debt. If Grants
administration has faithfully collected
and properly applied the revenues and
taxes wrung from the people to liquid
ate the claims of a proHigate and dis
honest party, it has done 10 more than
should have been done foy the past ten
years A party thai can give away one
hundred and sixty millions of acres Of
the public lands in the short space Of
ten years, ought to be able to reduce
the debt to almost any desired amount
Every man, woman and child has an in
terest in it and cannot escape taxation
to help pay it. We must endure the
evils that are upon US. But we can Sc
cure ourselves against the future BY TAX
ing the government from the hands of
those who have been unminGful of the
constitution and regardless of their
pledges Of economy. and place it in the
hands Of those who have been faithful
to both, wise and sagacious,, and will 80
administer it as to make it blessing in
stead of burden under which the PEG
pic are bending, staggering. and liable
to be crushed, without the hope of pos
sible relief.
An Unsaid speech.
After much herald;ng through the