The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-09-08
than all the expenses Of the Forty first

IMAM all the expenses OF the fOfty-nrs
Congress.
With such policy as this transferred
TO Washington, the Democratic clamol
that the national debt must not be paid
Off now would be found full Of meaning
and full of danger. Public credit would
fall, and distrust of all public securities
be openly avowed. The government
could not long survive such misWpnage
ment.
OUR PUBLIC DEBT.
Passing next to the consideration of
the public debt, he said:
Hitherto it has been the policy of the
Republican party to reduce the public
debt as rapidly as the prosperity of the
people and the financial interests of the
country would permit. ! believe this
to be wise policy, and hope to see it con-
tinued. General Grant has wrought to
this end steadily and persistently, with
results already shown. 1t ought to be
added that the annual saving of inter
est on the debt reduced and paid is
$l2,000,000. This reduction has not
been made by the aid of additional tax
es, but under a large repeal Of taxes. If
the fidelity, integrity, and economy of
the administration enable Congress to
make still further reduction in the
rate of taxation, and exempt still
larger list of objects, it ought to he done
If it can be done without impairing
the public credit at home and abroad,
and without embarrassing the regular
and necessary operations of the govern
ment. know there are some good Re-
publicans who have serious doubts as to
the policy Of reducing the debt so rap
idly during the present generation.
have shown that the reduction already
made was from money saved by the
economy and vigilance of the present
administration. Thus far no one GER
tainly ought to object, nor to its contin
uance on such terms; but if we stop re-
ducing the debt because we say the next
generation will be so much more able
to pay it, and, therefore, leave it to
them, that generation will, in all proba-
bility, be quite as willing to adopt our
example, and leave it to their children,
and so it may be postponed from one
generation to the next, until, in the
end, disasters may overtake the ma ion
before the debt IS provided for. Our
public credit will thus be seriously i'm
paired, and our prospects of funding the
debt at a lower rate Of interest utterly
overthrown.
OUR INDIAN POLICY.
After showing that the Indian policy
of the present administration was more
economical than that pursued by pre-
ceding administrations, Mr.. Delano re-
h.a Il Il,
tons at issue between this country and
foreign nations, dwelling more particu-
larly on our critical relations with Great
Britain.
THE ALABAMA TREATY.
He gave a short history of the nego-
tiations for the settlement of these
questions, including the much-vexed
question Of the Alabama claim. In
connection with this subject he said
An unsatisfactory adjustment of these
difficulties had been attempted during
the last days, and amid the expiring
embers, as it were, of the last admins
tration, the results of which were so dis
tasteful that they were at once repudi.
ated by President Grant, by the Senate,
and by the people. The first resolute
announcement by the President Of the
attitude of this Government toward
England was, think, the cause of our
subsequently successful negotiations.
There was no threatening, no buster
ing, but an expression of determination
to insist upon our rights. This, also,
came from one known to have fixed
purposes and fearless character. Here
we paused, and Great Britain reflected,
and reflection led to an advancement
by England, ending, finally, in treaty
which, | think, is one of the noblest
achievements Of diplomacy that has
ever been accomplished by this Govern
ment.
THE SAN DOMINGO JOB.
In the matter of the late negotiations
for the annexation Of San Domingo, the
Secretary explained many facts hitherto
not generally known, which reflect
credit upon the President and present
the San Domingo question in light
very different from that in which it has
recently been brought before the coun-
try. He said: This imperfect view of
the foreign policy and acts Of the adj
ministration would be incomplete, were
it not to include the San Domingo
question concerning which so much
has been said and written abusive of the
administration. Every effort seems to
have been made to induce the belief
that the sc enc for the annexation OF
the Dominican part of the island of
Hayti, or the acquisition of the Bay and
Peninsula Of SANTANA, originated with
General Grant, and that he had used
undue means to effect these objects. A
greater blunder has not been commit.
ted, and wish to show the exact pro-
cess by which the question was brought
to its present status. 1t is matter OF
history that as long as 1915, during the
administration of Mr.. Tyler, an agent
was sent to Hayti to examine the Bay OF
SANTANA and the adjacent portion of the
island, with view to obtain foothold
there for naval station. Again, dur.
the administration of Mr.. Polk, in 1916
Lieut.. ID. ID. Porter, now Admiral, ex.
amined the island for the same purpose
and made favorable report. Also
during the administration of Mr.
Pierce, Captain George B. Mcclellan
made similar survey for the same
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