Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1875-10-09

tl0n OF the country, our influence is no
felt, nor our will expressed il councils
of the nation Scarcely single Law
upon the statute books owes its origin
to farmer, or was enacted in his 10
terest. Owning all the lands of the
country, grand, God given heritage
the fairestand most fertile of earth, and
producing thereon all the wealth and
power the land, we have allowed it to
be legislatsd away. and burthened and
deprecated till now half the farms in
the West and South are mortgaged, and
upon US still rests the burden of tar
if which takes from US 10 per cent. OF
our annual earnings, while, with State
and county expenses and Indebtedness,
we bear increased and intolerable bur-
dens.
The legislation of the Government
should have had in view at the close
of the war measures of relief to debt
ors by which they might have been fa-
eilitsted in paying the vast debt that
had been put upon them. But, strange
to say, every act of Congress touching
finance has been to strengthen the
credit of the Government, and in
crease the claims and enlarge the
wealth and power of the creditor.
For instance, in 1869, after the war had
closed, Congress passed an act fund
ing the 5 20s in gold paying bonds
which were by their terms payable in
currency. These new bonds were also
freed from taxes by the Government, by
States, and counties and cities. This
one act ran bonds from 100 to 126, and
while this accretion of wealth eamethus
to the bondholders real estate ran down
from 100 to 33. In New York city. as
well as in Memphis, real estate which
in 1869 was worth 800, 900, is now worth
not over $4,000, while bonds then
worth 100 are now worth 112. Nothing
but vast stretch of power, shamefully
violative of the rights of the people,
could have brought such a startling and
unnatural transition in relative values
and one so destructive to the great body
of the people.
Then when the people inquire what
is the matter?" why are we so op-
pressed ? whittier goes the product of
all our hard work and abundant crops?
We answer-The speculations, frauds
and peculations, stupendous railroad
subsidies, official extravaganza and
folly, the retiring of 81 200, 600, 900
Government notes, the issue Of i'm
mense numbers Of Government bonds
payable in gold, and nou-taxable at
that, in lieu of others payable in cur
rency and subject to taxation; the Ma
tional banking system, based as it is
on Government bonds, and the tariff
laws, by which the producer pays near
ly the whole debt and current expen-
ses of the Government thence come
all our woes. No wonder now that we
are slaves to debt greater than that
which rests upon any other nation.
No wonder that we are ruined by the
measures that enforce its payment.
No wonder that the law thrusts its Fl.
fas. into every household and hangs
upon and haunts our track in all our
wanderings.
Thackeray has a maxim which, for
sound business shrewdness, is worth
every one ever uttered by Benjamin
Franklin-"If you want anything, ask
for it.
Now | say, we, the farmers of the
United States, do, to man, want fair
and equitable administration of the
Government, conforming to the broad
and equitable principles upon which it
was founded-and, l say, let US ask for
what we want. Let US come to the
surface and march to the front as we
never have done, and demand with all
the power of our half of the voting
strength of the Government:
l. Free Trade.
2. Banks based on Government notes
-orgold--oran anything but Government
bonds.
3. Suspension of specie payments on
Government bonds and all other liabil-
tiles whatever, until, by the interven-
ing equitable and healthful operation
of just laws, real estate shall come up
again to have fair convertible value,
and the bondage of the people to the
bondholders shall be broken.
4. Payment of national de BIT aud cur
rent expenses of Government by direct
requisitions on the States, which, in
turn, shall raise the means by direct
taxation uniformity distributed and ap-
piled to every species Of property what
ever.
These beneficent ends may be COM
passed by our Order. Numbering near
100000 now, we claim to be the
strongest fraternal power in the world.
Gathering strength by large and ever
enlarging accessiohs, we may safely
assume to ask for what we want with a
reasonable prospect Of getting justice
ere long at the hands of the American
people.