Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-05-03

with yearning heart, she stands in silent
grief over the graves of her illustriOus chill
dren, whose counsel and wisdom she so
much needs in her present dark hour OF
oppression and degradation. The memen-
tos of her former glory lie in ruins around
her. The majesty of sorrow sits enthrOned
on her brow. Proud of her statesmen and
sisters, now that the war has ended, all the
rights you claim for the other States of this
great Republic. Hayward and willfu!, |
perhaps, she has been but honor and vir-
heroes who sleep beneath her sacred sod, |
she cherishes in her heart her living chill |
dren, and loving them with mothers |
warm affection she begs them not to for
get or forsake her. And while some of
those unnatural children are found in the |
ranks of her enemies reviling and SANDER
ing her, and crying "Crucify her," as one
of her humblest children, mean in the
future, with even more love and zeal than
in the past, to devote my life and energies
and whatever talent [ may possess to the
reesUablishment of her rights and liberties
arc the promotion of her prosperity Eand
happiness.
There never has been as bad a govern
inert in the history of the world as the rad
ical governments Of the Southern States
since the conclusion Of hostilities; and yet
no reason can be adduced, no justice be
longer found, for Withholding from the
southern people the rights and privileges
enjoyed by the people Of the other sections
Of the Union. The stale political staple OF
g Ku KluX," war; and g rebel " finds no
sufficient justification i'll truth for this con-
| tlnued, persistent oppression; because
every man Of any character for truth or
| honesty knows that there has scarcely been
! a man of any prominence or influence IN
| the South, and know of not one in my
! State, who has not eXerted that influence
in the interest Of peace and against disOr-
der and lawlessness, while Outrages and
violence have at all times been deprecated
| and denounced by every leading citizen OF
the State. And while those wicked out
| RACES, whether committed by secret bands
Of Ku klux, Union Leagues, Heroes of
America, or by desperate individuals, have
been reprobated by the great bulk of the
! good citizens everywhere, and have been
unfortunately of too frequent occurrence,
yet it cannot be denied, for the fact Is
patent to the country, that more than twice
as many crimes and fGlOnies (and some OF
| them scarcely known in my sectiOn) are
committed in northern than i'll southern
| States. And yet this false clamOr is kept
up solely for party effect, and the whole
country knows it. This and the continued
| oppression of the South by unwarranted
usurpatiOn of power and i1lterIneddling
with the internal affairs Of The States, ChuS
! building up Il great centralized govern
ment y the imposition OF more burdensOme
taxes upon the people generally, and espc-
cially upon the South. than was ever levied
by any Government or earth; reckless eX-
travagance and wide spread corruption in
every department Of the Government
these constitute the leading features and
prominent measures of this AdminiStra-
ton.
Sir, in confederation and proof of the
general propositions laid down and argu-
ments adduced in these remarks, proceed
briefly, but more ii detail, to establish
what | have said by official documents,
figures, and facts, and high Republican
authority. find from the finance reports
of the Secretary of the Treasury, which l
have before me- the startling fact that since
f the beginning of the fiscal year 1865 up to
the end Of the present fiscal year, now
nearly expired, there will have been levied
t and collected in taxes out OF the people OF
this nation from the tariff, internal revenue
, and other sources of revenue, the enOr-
nous sum Of 5000, 1O7,043 -! In round
f numbers, say $1,000 100000. During this
period there has been paid on the public
debt $612, CTS, 500 2G interest, and less than
three hundred (abOut two hundred and
ninety) millions on the principal of the
2 debt. | have all the figures before me.
| Thus it will be seen, and | call the atten-
: ton of the country to the fact, that the
, Republican party, largely in the majority
in both Houses Of Congress for the last ten
= years, has expended since 1865 over two
thousand million dollars, exclusive of pay
= meHts of principal and interest on the
l public debt, averaging an annual eXpendi-
ture of $500, 100000.
Sir, it naS been truly said by a distin-
/ guished Republican, ay, sir, by intelligent
! men of both parties, that had economy and
= honesty III office prevailed, and these
t mighty resources been utilized and properly
applied, and all the moneys collected from
the taX-ridden people found its way to the
t Treasury, there would have been paid on
: the public debt, instead Of $500, 100000,
$1,0OO,000,00 And yet, sir, we witness
= the shallow device, to be kept up l suppose
until the next presidential election, OF
monthly statements OF payments on the
public debt to deceive the people; as if
(Over-burdened with unjust taXatiOn) they
did not know the public debt was being re-
duced, and that if the immense sums
wrung from their labor were honestly APP
piled the whole debt would be paid off in a
few years.
Sir it is not the Administration, but the
people, that are paying, and that have to
pay this debt. They know this they feel
it; and they grOan beneath the excessive
, burdens laid on them to meet 1t, only a
small portion of i:ich (they are beginning
to learn) is applied to that purpose. They
| expect to pay the debt, but they want time;
time to develop their industrial resources,
improve their farms, beautify their homes,
build up the country, regain their prosper
ity, and educate their children. And they
want the time for its ultimate extinction
extended so as not to cripple and embar-
rass too much the present generation, but
to leave fair proportion Of it to poSterity.
And hence it is that the people, instead OF
expressing communication of the Admins
tration in this regard, have just cause for
condemnation.
Look at the civil service, the exposure Of
which would require long speech i'll itself;
but | must stop to say that the immense
amount improperly expended, the cOrrup-
ton, extravaganza, incompetency, bribery,
defalcation, and plumber i'll it, as disclosed
by investigation and reports Of the commits
sion and of committees, appointed, too, in
F the interest Of the Republican party, are
perfectly appalling, both here and i'll New
FORK, and throughout the country. Why,
sir, the twelve or fifteen million SWindle OF
the Tammany E'ring' pales before the lurid
glare of the 100000, 900 Of the Republican
''whisllcy-ring sWindle and defalcatiOn
but recently Ilnearthcd and let it be re-
membered that the former sum is taken
from the residents of the wealthiest city i'll
the world, while the latter comes from the
pockets Of the over-taxed people of this
widespread country.
Under authority of an act Of Congress
protesting for its object civil service reform
the President appointed a board of com
missioners, whose report is before the
country, making the astounding disclosure
/ that on account of the imDeTf6CtiOuS and