Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-10


clarified and purified from every suspicion
of political progress.
Carl Schurz on the I'rcsiuciFA'
RRAsoNs WHY lie CANNOT SUPPORT TILDEN AND
HENDRICko-TIIE FINANCES AND THE DEMO-
RACi.
That certain democratic papers. in their treat
ment of those who are Of their opinion, rely more
upon insults than arguments is disagreeable fact
We had hoped for respectable campaign, and we
believe that great majority of the citizens OF
this country share in the wish. At all events, we
believe that facts AMI reasons Will have more
weight this year than invidious rhetoric. Let us
address ourselves, then, with the former TO
those with whom sound financial policy can be
honolably and earnestly discussed.
1t is generally admitted an undisputcd fact that
while the republican party is not altogether free
from initiation elements, nine tenths of the inia-
tionists and regulators are in the democratic
ranks. All important elections in which the
finance policy stood in the foreground have beea
conducted by the republicans and Independents
as the defenders of hard money aga nst the demo-
Gratis as the supporters of imitation. We recognize
with pleasure that in the accepted platform Of the
Democratic National Convention some progress
has been made in this respect 1t pronounces IN
favor Of hard rn0ney,-only in theory, 1t IS true,
but even that is some gain IN comparison with the
democratic State platforms OF this and the proceed
ing year. and we bid it welcome. But as the hrst
practical measure for the carrying out of this hard
money theory, the democratic platform proposes-
What? The repeal Of the resumption clause of
the act Of 1870, which fixes the resumption of
specie payments in the year 1879
In respect to this resumption act oil 1870 we
criticised it freely at the time, bet in its detail pro-
vdng for the bringing about of specie payments
it not strong and express enough. On the
other hand, however, We cordially praised II Tor
the reason that the law settled the promise, and
therein the duty of Government to begin at GER
tain time the redemption of the paper money in
deb,edness In this promise, this express recogni-
ton of an exactly defined duty of the government,
q great gain was made, for the discussion about
specie resumption thereby stepped over from the
kingdom of geneialties into the domain OF the de-
fued.
If the law which contains this promise not
perfect in all its details then there remained but
one duty for every honest supporter Of hard
money policy, namely, so to perfect those details
that they should prove adequate to the purpose.
But what does the democratic platform propose :
Not to complete the law and render 1t sufficient
for the accomplishment of its object, but In a
word to recall that promise. And what does the
repeal of the resumption act signify Nothing
else than the open reputation OF promise gwen
by Congress IN the form of law Of duty SOL
EMMY recognized by the United States govern
ment.
The reason which the democratic plat torn as
signs for this reputation, is that this promise OF
resumption in fact stands as "hlndcrance IN the
| way o. practical resumption. We take the liberty
to say that this Is eonsummate nonsense. But II. Is
something more than mere nonsense; II Is very
| transparent evasion to cover up step OF which
| every honest hard-monev man must be ashamed
as piece of deceit and treschery.
| Everybody knows that the repeal of the resump-
ton act has been the battle cry of the infatonists
for the past two years. In Congress, at every OPP
! rortuny, they have made this repeal the goal of
| their exertons, and in every one of their State
| platforms they have stoutly demanded the same
| thing. And now come the friends OF hard money
| into the Democratic National Convention and
| agree to the Reputation of this promise. That is
| the simple state of the case.
| If the democrats should succeed to power, the
repeal Of the promise of resumption will, In con-
| formity with their platform, become their very
| first step The lntlationlsts will eagerly lead on
the attack, and the democratic friends Of hard
| money will assist them in it. And what more
The democratic platform speaks OF host OF other
things, by which the way for resumption OF specie
| payments must be prepared, as economy, etc.
| Now that is charming. But we know this Is talk.
| We heard it during the Ohio campaign of the
| preceding year, from the lips of Messls. Ewing,
| Pendleton, &c. The same arguments were used
| at that time to persuade the people that the G.
sumption Of specie payments must not be thought
time, then, served as ground against resumption
| we behold now in the democratic national Plat
| form. IS means for its accomplishment. No
| right-thinking man can come TO any other conclu-
than that this platform, with its express repu
diation of promise made in the form of law, is,
in spite of all its beautiful rhetoric about harmony,
nothing else than concealed, and indeed very
| miserably concealed, compromise with the intla-
tonists This compromise appears still more
| clearly in the choice of candidates. That Mr..
| a'ilden is hard money man, we believe. That he
| would make every exertion to carry through a
sound financial policy we accept as true. Whether
| he would succeed amid the too-powerful imitation
| elements of the Western and Southern democracy,
we doubt. But the democratic convention has
| placed by his side the Vice Presidential candi-
| date Mr.. Hendlicas. Who is Mr.. Hendricks As
is universally known, he is the pet candidate of the
int1ationists. IT, then, Mr. Tilden should be elect
ed and then die; if any fatal accident should be-
fall him, what then; then Mr. Hendricks, the
| leader of the democratic iniiationsts would be
! the President OF ihe United States. That might
be termed far-fetched. 1t has already been men
toned at the headquarters of the inlatonists In
the Cincinnati Commercial it is mentioned
among the. reasons for the -nomi nation of
Mr.. Hendricks to the Vice Presidency.
The writer says, among otherthings: "a delega'
gate from New York assured me of his conviction
that there was no doubt of Tilden's election" He
added "Mr. Hendricks will not lose anything by
accepting the nomination. 1ilden will not live
through his term of office, if indeed he survives
till election day. Mr.. Hendrick sw i'll be President
within two years, and in four years we can easily
re-elect him." Mr.. Hendricks has accepted the
nomination. That Mr.. Tilden, to use a mild ex
PRESTON is not a robust man, every one who is ac
quainted with him knows. Several Presidents
who were much stronger than he have died before
the completion of their terms. In the case then
OF democratic victory, there would stand be-
tween the Presidential chair and the leader of the
inhatIonists only one rather feeble human life.
That is at any rate fact which no deny.
If then there friends of hard money who
can compose themselves in the presence Of an ex-
in the form Of law, and OF the possibility OF a
President Hendricks, let them reconcile it 10 their
| conscienccs, not us.-C. S. IN Wealisehe Pest
| Juty3.
Gen. Dix and the Veterans.