The Republican journal., 1870-10-20
THE PUBLIC DEBT.


Of the public debt, which have averaged not
quite 100000 monthly since the LIST of
March, 1869, their strong argument in favor
of Grants administration.
| In accomplishing these reductions they
pretend, or rather assert, that the administra-
ton has performed an astonishing financial
feat and practiced a rigid economy which
throws into the shade all preceding admins
trations. And having, as they imagine, es-
tablished their premises, they dismiss all
doubt that the easy credulity of the people
will adopt without investigation of their facts
and logic, the conclusion they have arrived
at, and which, if their premises were sound,
would be unavoidable-to wit: That the radi-
cal party should be continued in power
Unfortunately for them their figuring is
deceptive, their facts are without foundation,
or grossly distorted, and consequently their
premises and conclusion are both unsound
| They compare the financial management
of Grants administration with the proceed
ing administrations of Buchanan and
johnson; and by the omission of facts in
some places, their distortion in others, and
| the free use of falsehood and the himsest
sophistry they attempt to show that the form
financial SKILL economy, honesty, wisdom
and general excellence.
Now nothing can be more remote from
truth than these assertions of the radical
press and stump speakers
They tell us that the administration of Blu
chanan created debt, which it left for the
Grant administration to pay, and that under
the johnson administration little or nothing
of the public debt was paid, while Grant is
paying OFF millions every month.
These statements, uttered on the stump by
radical orators and published by radical edi
tors without facts or explanation, undoubted
ly look formidable to the apprehension of
such as are in the habit of receiving as truth
all that is spoken or printed by the party
leaders. But their supposed strength be-
comes positive weakness when examined by
the test of truth.
Buchanan contracted debt because it was
found necessary to put on foot large Gin
proportion to the numerical strength of our
then small army military expeditions against
the Mormons, for which Congress had made
no appropriation. The amount was but a
few millions, a mere drop in the ocean COM
pared with the immense debt of thousands of
millions since then contracted under radical
rule, and would have been paid years ago
had the democratic party continued in pow
er. For the ordinary expenses of govern
ment Mr.. Buchanan never, and democratic
administrations rarely, if ever, exceeded the
appropriations of Congress based on official
estimates; while under radical rule Con-
gress, at the opening of every session, is
called upon to appropriate millions of dollars
for deficiencies in the different departments.
This is trick Of the radicals, by which
they are enabled to make show of econ
omy. They hoodwnk the people by under
estimating expenses for the fiscal year; and
the committee of Ways and Means, acting
upon these short estimates, makes the appro-
priations asked for, only to be told at the
next session that there are heavy deficiencies
which demand new and immediate appro-
priations. Thus we are told at the close of
every session that large reductions have been
make in the expenses of the War, Navy and
other departments The trick answers the
purpose. 1t enables mendacious orators and
editors to deceive the people and carry the
radical party successfully through the cam
paign. The deception is never discovered
by the masses of the radical party, and the
few, of more inquisitive turn of mind, who
do discover it when the appropriations for
deficiencies are asked for, excuse the impos-
ton because of its success.
We assert boldly that the government was
never more economically administered than
under the administration of Mr.. Buchanan,
and never more extravagantly than under
that of Mr.. Grant.
The falsehoods spoken and printed by
those who shape the policy and control the
action of the radical party are of the most
shameless character When they found that