Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-08-05

region between the Rocky Mountain range
and the Sierra Nevadas, which was almost
unknown in 1861, is now traversed by
highways in every direction, and It's geo
graphy is as familiar to our children as tho
geography Of New England was to the
children of 1861. And here, within this
very Republic which thirteen years ago the
| fsithless Democracy turned over to the
! Republican party for burial, capital has
combined to construct more miles OF rails
way than all the rest of the world possesses
| lIarbors and rivers have been improved,
and the trade of our Western lakes and
rivers now employs commercial marine
exceeding 100000 tons.
Enlarged facilities for trade have swelled
the volume of trade.
PUBLIC CREDIT ADVANCED.
| Two facts are sufficiently eloquent Of our
national growth First. The six per cent
bonds issued in February, 1861, sold for
ninety -four cents on the dollar. The nation
| then owed but sixty million dollars. The
same bonds sold in June 1873, as high as
| 1924 cents on the dollar, in currency, or
fraction over 10 in gold, although the
nation then owed two thousand million
dollars Second. The value of annual ex-
ports Of domestic commodities increased
! from three hundred and seventy~three mill
| lion in 1860 to six hundred and forty nine
million in 1878, being an increase during
the period of two hundred and seventy six
million dollars.
There arc those bold enough to assert
that the country is now governed worse in
| stead of better tnan formerly. Some may be
found weak enough to believe such asser,
tions. But it requires a great deal of de-
clamation to prove that the day is cold
when the mercury stands at SO in the shade
! The mercury won't lie. Men unhappiy
sometimes do. And it will require great
deal of rhetoric to persuade this country
that it is being ruined by a Government
which in thirteen years has advanced its
credit throughout the money markets of the
world fully thirty-three per cent, and has
nearly trebled its surplus productions.
LAND POLICY
But this is not all Since the advent of
the Republican party the finishing touches
have been given to our land system. 1t was
long ago adjudged that dollar and II
| quarter was a full equivalent for an acre OF
the public domain, Accordingly that was
tieXd as the minimum price That gave to
the Government 500 for quarter section
of land. But Republicanism adiudged
thata farmer was more worth to the country
than $500 and so it has rendered home
stead not exceeding one hundred and sixty
acres to every head of a family who will
make farm upon it. And in view of fact
which no State can afford to overlook, t.
wit: that a successful agriculture is Tho
primal necessity and grand inspirati n Of
every other industry, and that to be truly
successful, agriculture, like every other
craft should be learned, prosperous colleges
have been endowed out of the public
domain, wherein field culture may be
reared from the rank of craft to the dig
nifty of u science; to the grandeur even o.
an art.
But,as establishing the future land policy
Of the Republican party the following
resolution of the House of Represe natives
is submittcd
ReSOlCe8, That in the judgment of this
House me pOIlcy or granting SUBSIDIES II
puDHc land 10 railroad ana uther corpora
LIONS ouSnU 70 Oe u'scehtlnItu aru tua
oo,,u'Y 800, -, ,In ',D
~ ia nnb1ic lands If tbp Initial State,
.bouiJ he had for the exclnsivn nurnoso a
securing homesteadst to actual settlers. undeI
, the homestead and Jre-emption laws, subiec
to reasonable appropriations of such land
) for educational purposes.
THE UNION PREsERvD.
Fellow.citizens when Won committed IN,
) Union to the keeping Of the Republicar
, party il seemed on the verge of dissolution
Many hoped and some feared it haC
/ received an incurable wound. We presen
the Union to you to-day every whit whole
The, Republic Is at peace throughout al
5 hcr borders she Is at peace with All TN
Worlu. Hsr rlgnti.uI authorily Is GlsputeI
mI"ne'e er opidlGL9 are rcteu every
soror5,n StofoY W. t" 80
nrodnc6 another instance Of conStr,
raised from such humiliation To sucl
Q grandeur in so short time. And thi
transformation has been wrought no
merely without the aid OF the Democratic
2 party, but inspite Of its utmost hostility,
I You nave seen the shortcomings OF tina
party IN administration. Its faults II
opposing nave been sun more glanng
ferhaps they can be forgiven Tor alloWlni
the ShlP oil state TO driit SO near the rocks
, DuI no" can 'hey De forgiven their strug
SIes 10 prevent her from oelhg snatche'
= from 'hat peru mat charity, winch de
lighs TO thlnk no evil may excuse thei
omission 10 MT the country, upon the pie
, Oh ihcompetehcy. But not charity itself cal
see anything out mailgnancy IN their per
0 Sistent euoTts 10 prevent the country iron