Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-13
SPEAKER BLAINE S LETTER.

of President Grant and the administrations
of Presidents johnson and Buchanan, nor
the way in which it shows how the taxes
were reduced in Congress by republicans
against the opposition of doubie-dealing
democrats. Its attempt to escape the dis
grace of Mr.. Johnson's administration.
after defending his acts, sustaining him
against impeachment, and squeezing him
dry of official patronage and influence
while he was President, is ungratetul and
cowardly. Had Mr. Blaine omitted to say
that Andrew johnson in the last seventeen
months of his rule increased the national
debt more than thirty millions of dollars.
while President Grant in the seventeen
months of his administration has reduced
the debt more than one hundred and fifty
millions of dollars, the Standard would
not have been driven to the dire necessity
of disowning the President whom it sup
ported so strenuously against republican
efforts to remove him. But if this casting
off of johnson shows ingratitude and cow
ardice, what shall be said of the attempt
to whitewash Buchanan's administration.
According to the Standard, Mr.. Buchanan
was not in league with the southern traitors
although he allowed them to go on with
their treason under his very nose; nor did
Howell Cobb derange the finances, al
though he stepped out of the treasury into
/ 1, Il oIIn :
and ammunition for his master, jeff Davis
nor Toucey fail to have the navy in good
condition for Immediate service against the
rebellion, although what was in order was
out of reach, and the rest might as well
have been. The Standard does not 90
qnite so far as to say that Buchanan swore
BY the Eternal he would hang the
traitors, as jackson did, but We presume
the next article Of Mr. Buchanan's Attor-
ney General will take that step. Mean
while the people know what Buchanan's
was drifting under his direction, and what
the Standard or Mr. Black does in the way
of whitewashing will amount to but little
Andrew jackson had no difficulty in find
ing a constit :tional way to crush treason.
James Buchanan could find no such way
when the country was menaced with re-
bellion, and whether his fault was because
of his impotence or that he was tainted |
with treason, there is no apology for him
that can reach the ear of the American |
people.
In relation to the reduction Of taxation
the Standard is in a dilemma. Mr.. Blaine
shows that eighty millions of taxes were
removed at the late session of Congress,
and while the reduction was sustained by
the republicans the democrats went solid
against it. Although the democrats had
been clamoring loudly about heavy taxa
ton and the necessity of reduction. when
the test came they were found silent or
acting in opposition. This was the en-
dorsement which they gave to their pro-
LESSONS in favor of lesscning taxation.
This is the record with which they must
go before the country. Their excuse is
that they wished different rate of taxa
ton on hair-pins, eyelets, buttons, and
perhaps button-holes and jews-harps, and
because they could not have these to their
mind they Went for no reduction of the tax
on tea, coffee and sugar, and otner articles
of large, necessary and common consump-
ton. Whatever reduction there is in tax
i- III 10 hp
will do for those who did what they could
to make taxes less to say that the reduc-
lion should have been greater, but it comes
with an i'll grace from those who stand re-
corded as having opposed what was done
in the way of reduction, to find fault be-
cause more was not accomplished. In the
matter of taxation we have to thank the
democratic party for what is land upon the
The debt of three thousand mil
lions that the war left upon us is a demo-
cratic legacy. When democrats talk
rascality ,mal-administration of the govern
ment, let them look at the national debt
rs a monument of their works and forever
after hold their peace upon such matters.
The republican party preserved the nation
from destruction by the war into which
he democratic party plunged it. and is
now paying the debt caused by democratic
reason, and keeping good the credit OF
the nation as essentially necessary to its
existence and prosperity. The admins
tration of President Grant has /. record
upon the question Of the debt and taxation
that will show the better the more it is at
tackled.
DDT TYJIAJ