The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1874-03-19
Fernando Wood Arraigns the Republican
Party.


Fernando Wood Arraigns the Republican
Party.
Hon. Fernando Wood, of New York, recent
ly delivered an able and exhaustive speech In
Congress, in which he arragned the Republi-
can party for its corruption, mismanagement
and extravaganza. He concluded with an
array of specifications against the government,
which is contained in the following extract:
I have thus briefly presented some of the
errors for which the Republican party are re-
sponsible. Were I to give them all days
time would be consumed in the enumeration.
To that party and the Congress and admins
tration it has created may be charged all the
public evils of the times as we'll as the general
private destitution and paralysis of trade. 1t
has difused throughout the nation erroneous
and pernicious ideas of the nature of our gov
ernment and taught the rising generation that
extravaganza and not economy is the road to
wealth and happiness. 1t has deprecated
public morals, and taught that by pretext OF
philanthropy, Christianity and temperance,
the greatest public crimes could be committed
and receive condonement in consequence. By
its policy our great national resources have not
been developed on sound principle of pro-
duction.
Extravaganza, proaigacy, decentralization and
general instability prevade the whole body
polite. Everything is artificial and uncertain.
Nothing is stable in property. We have neith-
er permanency nor safety. The earnings of
life of prebity and purity offer no security as
against the avarice of the officials it has placed
in Office. To satisfy its thirst for gain and to
st, oil op6
all things must fall, if necessary, the great
leading objects being power and plunder.:-
These two words comprise the motto on its
banner under which it fights, and by which it
expects to maintain power
In conclusion I present series of allega-
tions duplicating this party defy contradic-
ton as to the accuracy and truth of every one
of them:
Fsrst-Through the government of its crea-
tion it has maintained large standing army
at great expense during time of peace.
Second-It has issued and continued de-
preciated, irredeemable paper currency called
legal tenders, without taking one step toward
redemption.
Ihird-It has usurped by force the State
authority in several States, producing anarchy
and despotism and reputation Of their mon
eyed obligations.
Fourtb-It has increased the civil list from
A,500 persons in 1860 to $3.50 persons in
1878.
Fyth-It has instituted system of espion-
age and oppression in the execution of the
revenue laws which has resulted in enriching
Custom House and other officials without aid
ing the public treasury.
Sirth-It has created and maintained direct
taxation which, until its advent to power, has
been unknown in this country since the close
of the American Revolution.
Seuenth-It has stealthily absorbed the whole
government power of the country at the federal
capital, until all State interests are made sub
servient and dependent upon its will.
Eghth-It has driven from circulation gold
and silver, the only constitutional medium, and
Notwithstanding its large receipts in coin from
customs, duties and mines does nothing toward
its restoration.
Mnth-In disregard of the policy adopted
by other leading nations, it has permitted the
export to foreign countries of aboutSl ,O0O O0O,-
900 of the precious metals, instead of retaining
it here for it's necessities and the restoration of
a sound currency.
Tenth-It has increased the salaries of all
officials including that of the President which
it still maintains, though industries are op-
pressed and poverty goes starving through our
streets.
Eleuenth-It has maintained a protective
tariff in the interest of class, to the detri-
ment of the whole people.
Twclfth-It has, since 1862 anticipated the
public debt not due for twenty years, and paid
100000 for the privilege of doing so, al
though the immediate obligations of the gov
ernment were dishonored and the Treasury is
now exhausted.
Thirteenth-It has inaugurated fatal policy
in its treatment of the Indians-part peace and
part war-by dealing out moral suason to the
most war-like and certain death to the most
peaceful, thus adding to the difficulties and
expenses of proper settlement of this serious
question.
Fourteenth-To divert public attention from
the extent of the profgacy and extravaganza
of its horde of officials it pretends the estab-
lishment of a rule of civil service reform,
which it applies altogether to few clerks in
Washington, where there are no votes to be
had, but ignores elsewhere where party service
as reward for Office is required.
Flfeenth-It has diffused erroneous ideas of
the nature of our government to the youthful
and uninformed, and taught by example a
general looseness of public and private morali.
ty which tends to subvert the permanency OF
our institutions and loosens the foundation
stones of social order and public we'll being.
Col. RICHARD LATHERs.-.The Augusta
Constitutionahst says 'The people of South
Carolina, and more particularly the people of