Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-01-12

ever Ds q lGui DICT upon TIE history oi Cpdiu'
/ We should indeed be unnindful OF human.
/ ty N of he e eatDess OF our natlona!lty,H
We omitted TO notice this patriotic effort BY
the Cubans 70 throw of the Spanish yoke,
and IKE our own ancestors, '.tc assume
among the powers of the earth the separate
and equal station to which nature and ma
7 lures God entities them. The new organ
ization has abolished slavery, aud attested
Its 9 1t not .oniy to our sympathy but 10
/ recognition. t,y the viaor and determination
( OF It's resistance to the oppressi0ns OF the
mother country Almost from the begin
ning OF our National Government, Congress
/ has furnished numerous preeedents Tor the
action here ind ateG, even when the people
/ struggling for liberty were not upon the 4
mericah continent. They recognized Greece
! in her efforts TO establish her nationality
against Turkish oppression. The same spir
/ it prevailed not only towards Poland, Italy
and Hungary, bns to Ireland IN all her
movements to regain her lost nationality.
/ These countries had the unmlstakable sym
/ pathy of the people of tie United States,
/ and our public men, in every branch oil the
/ Government, never hesitated to speak IN
1 their defence In the case of the French
/ resolution, the statesmen of America gave
every encouragement to the people OF that
I country 10 establish 4 republican form OF
I go.eEument. Upon this continent there are
numerous instances of active sympaihIes
I with the struggles of the people for liberty
/ in various nations. In the case Of Texas.
( during her conflict with Mexico, she no only
had our undiseuiSed friendship. ut.obtain
/ ed our recognition OF her Independent ma
tionaiitg, and soon afterwards she was an
nexed to our great sisterhood Of States
/ Ii Is in singular contrast with these hlsto
ric rreccdeuis that the people OF Cuba have
/ as yet received no national encouragement or
/ reco -nltion, while they are Initiating the ex
ample of our fathers, who, as colonists,
struck down the hand which oppressed them,
| and established for themselves free aud lu-
/ dependent government There is no ques-
/ tion but that the patriots Of Cuba have the
warm and emphatic sympathy OF great
majority of the people OF this and other
! States and but give utterance to what is
an abiding sentiment among the masses,
when | declare hearty sympathy with the
people OF that Island now endeavoring to
cast off the yoke OF oppression fastened SO
| 50 long apGn them an lntolerant Govern
ment. The gem Of the Antilles Of right be
/ longs to republican rule. and is. to all intentS
and purposes, covered by the Monroe doc
( trine, 20 that whatever recognition the gov
| ernncnt might extend to republicans of Gu
ba, it would only amount to the practical
| enforcement of what our nation has SO long
| advanced in theory Cuba is an American
Island. Geographically it belongs to the
United States. Its acquisition has been q
leading principle with many of our ablest
statesmen from an efrly period ln our histo
rs. jeff rson. Madison, Adams, Clay Van
Buren, Buchanan and many others advOca
ted the incorporation of Cuia into the L.
Mon Il is hoped the time viii soon come.
if it has not already arrived, when by the
enuncation of prompt and decided policy
| Il brave people may be recognized as inde
pendent. and the clu-e of republican princi
pies receive new encouragement.
The management of our national finances
is one of the most delicate and important
questions nov under consideration ny the
American people, and while it is not my IN
tentIon to otieF any plan to settle matter
which seems to give 50 much trouble TO many
of our most experienced Gnanciers, fes
suggestions may not be out OF place.
1t viii be remembered that by the estab-
lishment of our National banks, the best and
safest paper currency that ever existed in
this nation has been afforded. Great caution
should therefore he taken not to mar sys-
ten that has been 50 generally beneficial
" hen the government established the Ma
tinnal banks, our Sla;e banks were taxed out
of existence and destroyed as such, hut in
many Instances they wcie renewed by the
solemn enactment Of Congress, under whose
supervision they were promised Just. kind
and fostering care 1t seems unjust. there
fore that the government should propose "a
withtrAR paltt of their ciTcua ION from
them and give it to new ones TO he or
oaaiZed where none now exist f new
banks should be created wherever they may
be required, they should rC ceive their crcu
latiJn from an increase Of he amount now
authorized by law. The circulation to he
the same as the banks now have and on the
same Kind of securities. In my opinion, Z
policy of expansion OF the currency should
be adopted that will give ease and comtort
20 the people, and that will cheer up and re
assure our business men and put he y heel,
! / Of commerce. manufactures and labor in i'ul
operation 1t will prevent decIire in Tx
J revenues derived from the tariff and inter
: nal taxation, and will save thousands OF cit
zens from the crushing effects OF contrl lcliou
4 part 0f the same policy. there sho0ll
he no hesitation about the accndoument O
the idea Ct reducing the currency by thC
! adoption of any plan TO curiaii tie amount
Of legal tenders pow in circulation.
The constant and natural approach to spe
/ Gle payments is The only safe mode, in my
, opinion, 10 accomplish that desirable end
, ANY compulsory law that may be enacted
viii IN all probability be failure. | do no
: hesitate to say that the contraction Of III,
t currency at his time would be productive o
great injury both TO individuals and TO tht
general interests OF tie Nation. Let Their
! be liberal encouragement of railroads. man
e uiactureS and every project that VIII afTorC
5 employment aud compensation to our toilint
millions. Encourage a vigorous collection
e OF the revenues on luxuries Maintain
: strong treasury, with gold sufficient to keeI
a check upon those who might disturb tn
c natural tendency towards specie payments
or for the purposes OF speculation. Their
+ should he steady but moderate reductio
j n the National debt, funding of the pres
z cut slx per cent. five-twenty bonds in other
d at lower rate OF interest. not by cOmpu
e sion but by fair dealing and the establishin
d ot a sinking fuEd, at such a rate as will pa
L oit he debt in about thirty years We sha
e then not only hud the business of the coutr
5 revlving, but our business men ready to eS
& pand Their operations with the greatest eu
e couragement.
l The foregoing are the only subjects cor
a nected with State and \ tional affairs tn;
N have deemed of sufficient importance t
|, offer Tor your consideration at the preser
Il time and | cpncIuda Lv eypraSs;r, 1, q |, -,