Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-07-18
secretary Boutwell, on the Political



Situation.
1he speech Of Secretary Boutwell, in North
carolina yesterday claims attention rs the arst
Dig gun OF the campaign. Il Is an effort ca.cu-
lated TO Go good service for the administ -ation
beng calm in tone, argumentati We, and bristliny
with figures and data to make q good showing
especially, for The financial policy of President
Grant; subject of course upon which the Sec
Rotary Is qualified 70 speak. Sir. Boutwell, de-
INES that policy to be: The faithful collection
CT the public revenues; the reduction Of the
public expenditures; the re-estahIishment of the
public credit, land consequent reduction Of the
interest accOunt;) the reduction of taxation and .
finally, The preparation of the way for the re-
sumption OF specie payments At the earliest
moment consistent with the uninterrupted
prosperity OF the country.
1t viii be difficult TO refute the facts ana ar
guments brought forward by the Secretary to
show the great degree of success with which the
administration has carried out this policy It
has corrected the carelessness and fraudulent
practices under which, in Johnson's administra-
ton, such losses were experienced in the collec-
ton OF the revenue. The gain in this particular
Tor the country in the first three years of Grants
ADMINISTRATION over the last three of J0hnson's
was so, 20, 639, equal to an advance of n per
cent. In this connection Mr.. Boutwell, makes a
telling stroke. He points out that the large Dor
ton OF the losses under the johnson administra-
ton was due to circumstances we are now invited
70 renew. johnson, sympathizing with the
democratic party, was held In check BY
a large republican majority in the Senate
The natural result OF this condition of things
was that persons who sought appointments
through the nomination of the President AMI
confirmation OF the Senate represented them
selves 10 the President as hostile aud to Senators
as favorable 10 the republican party. None but
dishonest persons would resort to such means,
and, therefore, a a general rule. dishonest per-
sons were appointed TO places of trust Should
Greeley be elected he will be confronted in the
Same way by a republican Senate and the same
result would foliow-the retention OF dishonest
men in Office, and the appointment Of dishonest
men to Office, by processes which do not adm
OF control.
The Secretary shows conclusiveIy by data
heretofore before the public the steady and salts
factory reduction OF expenditure. The reduction
OF The public debt was an incident to. and kept
pace with, the results attained under the first two
Ieais, and from TIE i;h of March, 1869, to the
1st OF July, 1872, the public debt was reduced
IN the sum of ScSSi $40 1869, and the annual
interest account in the sum of S22 ;01 ,0s1 Ii is
10 be observed that the average rate of taxation
during the first three years OF General Grants
administration was very much less than the
IN,
although reductions were made in Mr. John
sons time, the first of these was in july 1s;s
b. the act OF June 6, 1872. the revenue derived
from customs is reduced, BY estimate in the
sum oi ejl ,G1, and internal taxes $50 6jI 900
making total CT S51.S33..6l. The duties are
removed entirely from tea and coffee, from
many other articles of necessity or which enter
Into tie manufactures OF the country, while the
demands Of the internal revenue system Are
limited to liquors, tobacco, banks and bankers
proprietary medicines, and stamps upon checks
thceT the new system the people will be EXEMPT
entirely from all direct taxation by the uationar
government, and will never more see the face
OF Tie tax Gatherer. II needs no argument to
snow that sIi these measures combined eon.ur
IL aic OF the policy of the government TO bring
The paper money Of the country to par with coin
al The earliest possible moment. In this con
neetior MI Boutwell, points out that if greeley
Is elected ard should undertake to carry ont his
1TItLEe ideas in regard to the resumption of
specie payments, his policy "would end in dis
asters such as the country has not witnessed
since 1eai, ard II Mr. Greeley is pledged to any
thing It is to the Inauguration OF this policy if
unhaFpily he should be placed at the head of
affairs"
On other points besides the financial question
Mr. Boutwell, made effective arguments; and
especially TO the Southern audience he was
dealing with, when be told them that in the
North the democratic party is known as the re-
dictionary party. democratic majority in the
south, or in any state of the south, is accented,
not by republicans only, but by democrat as
well, as declaration that, in the district OF
country represented by that majority, neither
immigrants EOr capital will be safe. demo-
cratic vote is regarded as a protest against i'm
migrants and capital from the north. On the
other hand, a republican vote and a republican
majority are aecepe ed as pledges Of security to
Ierson, property, and business.
The Philadelphia Press says, in a compli-
mentary allusion TO the executive officer of our
Board OF Public Works, visiting that city
80 To the energy OF himself and a few others
may be accredited the astounding prosperity of
Washington city. They have not faltered or
failed IL adversely. Assaulted front and rear
alike by factions in the city and suspicion in
congress, they have finally been Endorsed by
majority OF the people Of the District OF Column
Tia, and by yind;cstion OF both houses of the
rational legiSiature.,,