The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-03-01
MIR. Tarbox on the Return to Spe-
Cie Payment.

Then Mr.. Blaine took the floor and
read from printed slips long speech
in which he attempted to vindicate
the financial policy of the Republi-
can party.
Mr.. Tarbox dem. Mass. replied
to Mr.. Blaine. He said he fully adj
mitted the necessity of return to
specie payment, and asserted that the
fact that the country was not safely
there already was a modification to
the people and shame to the party
and law givers that had controlled
the policy Of the Government ever
since that fatal mistake was made
which cut loose from gold as the
standard of value. The substance
and marrow of the speech just deliv-
cred had, however, more relation to a
new political event of great impor-
lance to persons and parties than it
had to- the calculation Of any problem
of public policy needful in aid of leg
islation. The gentleman blaine
had sought to make an apology fol
the financial history of the past dozen
years, commencing with the legal
tender act, the origin and fountain Of
the financial woes of the country, and
down to the act of year ago, that
wretched fg-leaf covering of the ma
kedness of the Republican party
The Republican party had made that
history, and by it's record it should
be judged and its deserts awarded by
an intelligent people. He recalled
the fact that with this House, under
the lead of Mr.. Blaine as Speaker, a
Republican Congress had passed the
initiation bill, which had only failed
to become law by the interposit ion
Of the Presidents veto, and he asked
whether, if this Congress should neg
lect to pass any financial Legislation,
and should leave the country to real
ize to the full the result of the Re.
publican policy, it lay in the lips Of
the gentleman from Maine, or of his
political friends, to complain.
He defended the Democratic party
from charge made by Mr.. Blaine,
that that party, in.lS6S, had proposed
an almost illimitable issue Of legal
tender notes, and he said that the
charge was so unjust, so monstrous
and so uncandid, that he did not dare
to characterize it further lest be
should exceed the limits set by the
decorum of debate. The allusion, be
supposed, was to a resolution in the
Democratic national platform in 1868
in regard to the payment OF certain
parts of the public debt with green.
backs, and he explained the true
meaning Of the resolution, anil tlefen-
ded it by the political record Of
events. AS to the charge made BY
Mr.. Blaine Of there being All alliance
be- ween the Democratic party OF the
North anil Of the South, he admitted
that there was such an alliance, air,
he asserted that whatever peril thai
alliance might threaten to the Repub
lican party, there lurked in it no evi
to the public welfare Of the country
i That alliance had no neaner objec
than the restoration of the Union OF
a basis of loyalty and constitutions
law. T b e representatives of tn,
South were not invited here as infe
riors, but as peers and equals, equally
honored and equally respected in tn,
council chamber of the common Gov
eminent. That league of amity wa.
SO firmly sealed that it was beyond
the power of political ambition OF
political malignity to break it.
| In conclusion, he submitted tn,
} following problem in arithmetic =
Cold being at 100 in 1870, and lib il
1876, how long would it take at tn,
same rate of progress to reach re
sumption? Laughter. When th'
gentleman from Maine could eluci
date that problem satisfactorily, ant
show specie payments as a result
then he { Mr.. Tarbox would conside
: his proposition; but meanwhile, evel
though Democratic hearthstonc
should grow cold, there was for Dem
ocrats no hospitable warmth of th
Preside under his (Mr. Blaine's) pc
litical roof tree.
Mr.. Randall (Dem., Pa..) Chair
man of the Committee on Appropri
ations, closed the debate, and the
the committee proceeded 10 conside
the bill by sections for amendments
Mr.. Chittandan lind N Y.