The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-09-02
Pay for Their Slaves,

I
cipated slaves which no considerations of pru-
dence have kept the Richmond Wing from
bringing forward at this inopportune moment,
is attracting deserved attention. The plan
has diabolcaI ingenuity that would give t
great prospect of success in case of genera
Democratic victory. The ex-slave-holders say
to their former bondmen who are now voters
-'.join with us and our faithful Northern al
lies in robbing the Northern States of three
hundred million dollars, and we will divide the
. plumber with you. Join hands with us in
this freebooting expedition and you shall not
lose anything, but gain immensely Such is
the tscheme for strengthening the national
credit which the leading Democratic paper
south of the Potomac proposes with the APP
proval of mauy other Democratic papers fur
Their South. The merest suggestion, the faint
est hope, the smallest foreshadowing of sue
cess fills the Democratic Imagination full to
the brim with such wild fancies. Evel ybody
remembers how the Democratic boasting be-
fore the election of 1868 caused an animated
search for the waste paper on which the Con
federate bonds are printed, and gave it, for the
first time since the close of the war, an ap-
preciabe value. In the South even Demo
cratic victories in State elections excite hopes
ofthe recognition of the rebel debt on the same
footing as our owniignoring the constitutional
prohibition which they regard as having no
binding force.
There are those who do not believe that any
general attempt will ever be made to realize
such extravagant expectations as payment for
the loss of slave property. But we believe that
at least, two generations will pass away before
the last of this claim will be heard. More, we
believe that the question is to become in few
years, especially in case of renewed Democrat
ic ascendency, an extremely prominent one
Why should it not? How many ex-Rebels are
there who have lost property by emancipation
who do not regard themselves as robbed How
many of them are there who feel that their
loss is just one for which there ought to be no
compensation How many Northern Demo
Gratis are there who do not hold the same Cd
MONS on this subject as their Southern associ
ates?
1t is very easy to say that the South has
given up everything, and thai it no longer
hopes or desires anything but to be left alone,
submitting to the present situation. But the
experience of the last five years has repeated |
ly shown that when Democratic victory has |
given little relief to these submissive South |
rons, they suddenly throw off the mask and
Te capable OF any extravaganza. In Georgia
we have seen them undo the work of recon-
stIuctiou in one day, when they supposed the
coerciSe power of the general government
was finally withdrawn. In the summer of
1868 we heard the Rebel yell raised fiom' one
end of the South to the other in response to
Gen. Blair's "Broadhead letter" and the gen.
eral Democratic assurance of success. But
the other day we saw the ex-Rebels of North
Carolina, who supposed they had majority,
attempt without any pretence of legality TO
overthrow the new constitution. Are the
men who do these things incapable of seeking
compensation for their slaves when it is plac
ed within their reach by Democratic victo-
ryP 1t they will talk boldly OF it now, in de-
fiance OF every suggestion of saeacty and pru'
dence, why may we not expect universal
upraising in support of the claim when the
Bourbons get back to the White House?
Portsmouth City Council on Thursday even
ing, Hon Richard Jenness violently opposed
the proposition to aid the construction of the
lover and Poftmouth railroad by a loan of
the city credit. He said:
Portland had led in lending credit n roll
Toads. IL loaned its credit by issuing honIs
for Sl,OOO,O00, took mortgage and had a nv
vlso 70 repay Two per cent. yearly In addi-
tloD, STOCKHOLDERS LOOK Sl,OO0,000. Notwth
standing these precautions, the money loaned
had been sunk. Other schemes were carried
out by Portland on the same basis, part of the
Roads being partially built, for II miles or
more. Yet this amount was sunk
Portland has never lost dollar that has
been loaned to railroads, neither has the 9TH
sunk; on the contrary all the roads but one
nave been completed and are in operation and
'he 'emalning one is being pushed forward as
puiy as possible. In connection with this sub {
- w may also say that if it were possible {
49,. Tue action of the city in the promo
iion vi railroad enterprises not to, vote. . :
wouid oe given in favor of the rou.na., H. Il
Jenness also said: o'eiSai. MI. +
The tax of Portland was sos o., a,oo Il
reai estate had fallen off so per cent ~Vo ana g
SIX SIX months and two thirds tie buiidnese In i
not reI ted Portland is the moda II'ns 9 are i
aid city. 'ne model railroad q
nc increase in the valuation of real estate
,or inc past year, as shown by the assessors
DOCKS is s2'6,200. The increase in the nm. o
OF poils is about 300, showing an increase in o
population OF 1900 within the year. If Mr.. q
Jenness will come to Portland we will con. i
vince him by practical observation that real !,