Wilmington journal., 1876-07-07
NO. 81

REFORM Is necessary 10 rebuild an
establish in the hearts of the whole peopl
the Union, eleven years ago happily re-
cued from the danger of corrupt centra
ism, which, after inflicting upon ten State
the rapacity of carpetbag tyrannies, ha
honeyeombed the offices of the FEEDER;
government itself with incapacity, vast
and fraud, infected States and munic
palities with the contacion of misrule, an,
locked FAST the property of an industriou
people i'll the paralysis of hard times
| Reform is necessary to establish a SCUM,
currency, restore the public credit, an,
maintain the national honor.
We denounce the failure for all thes,
eleven years to make good the promise O
the legal tender notes, which are chang
| ing standard of value in the hands of tn,
people, and the nOn-payment of which is
| disregard of the plighted faith of the nation
We denounoe the improvidence which
in eleven years of peace, has taken from
| the people in Federal taxes thirteen time:
| the whole amount of the legal tender
notes, and sqgiandered four times this sun
| iii useless expense, without accumulating
any reserve for their redemption.
We denOunce the financial imbecility OF
that party which, during eleven years oi
peace, has made no advance toward re-
sumption; that instead, has obstructed re-
sumption by wasting our resources and
eXhauSting all our surplus income, and
while annually protesting to intend Il
speedy resumption to specie payment, has
annually enacted fresh hindrances thereto.
AS such a hindrance we denOunce the re
sumption clause of the act of 1876, and we
here demand its repeal.
We demand { judiciOus system of pre-
paration by public economies, by official
ar1 Nv Uri.so
shall enable the nation to assure the whole
world of its perfect ability and perfect
readiness to meet any of its promises at
the call of the creditor entitled TO payment.
We believe such n system well devised, and
above all, entrusted to competent hands
for execution, creating al no time an arti-
hclal scarcity OF currency, and at no time
alarming the public mind into tie with
GraWal of that vast machinery of credit ky
which % per cent. OF all business transac-
tOns are performed-a system open, public
and inspiring general confidence, would,
from the day of adoption, bring healing on
its wings to all our harassed industry, and
set i'll motion tho wheels Of commerce,
manufactures and the mechanical arts
restore employment to labor, and renew:
in all its national source, the prosperity of
the people.
A'CIo1 LII 10 ACSCSSdIy III JHt SLIl anu
mode of Federal taxation so that capital
may be set free from dstrust and la
Dor lightly burdened. We denounce
the present tariff levied upon nearly
five thousand articles as MASTER
piece of injustice, inequality and false
pretence. 1t yields a dwiudling, not
a yearly rising revenue. 1t has impover-
ished many industries to subsidize IA few
it prohibits imports that might purchase
the products of American labor; it las de-
graded American commerce from the first
to al inferior rank upon the high seas. IL
has cut down the sales of American mann
features at home and abroad, aud depleted
the return of American agriculture or in
dustry, followed by half our people. It.
costs the people five times more than it
produces to the treasury, obstructs the
processes Of production, and wastes the
fruits Of labor. 1t promotes fraud and
s1sters smuggling, enriches dishonest Otli-
clalS and bankrupts honest merchants. We
that all customhOusa tax alton shall
be only for revenue.
Reform is necessary in the scale of pub
lie expense, Federal, State and municipal
Out OF Federal taxation has swollen from |
500, 100000 gold, in 1860, to $3.50, 100000, |
in 1870. Our aggregate taxa
ion was from S1S4, 100000, gold, i'll 1850
10 $730,000, 900, currency, in 1870, or in |
one decade less than So per head to more |
han SIS per head. Since the peace the |
people have paid to their tax gatherers
more than thrice tie sum of the national |
lebt, and more than twice that sum for |
.e Federal Government alone. We de- |
nand a vigorous frUgality in every depart
nent and from every officer Of the gov
Reform is necessary to put stop to the
1rofigate wastes of the public lands and
heir diversion from settlers by the party
n power which has squandered two hun
ired millions of acres upon railroads alone
md out of more than thrice that aggregate |
las disposed of less than a sixth directly |
o tillers of the soil.
Reform is necessary to correct the mis-
axes of the Republican Congress and the |
errors of our treaties, and our diplomatic |
citations which have stripped our adopted |
citizens of foreign birth and kindred race |
'ecrossiug the Atlantic, of the shield of |
American citizenship, and have exposed our |
brethren of the Pacific coast TO the incur |
'ions OF race not sprung from the same !,
great parent stock, and in fact now by law |
lenied citizenship through naturalization, |
rs being neither accustomed to the habits !
If progressive civilization, for exercise in !
liberty under equal laws. We denounce |
he policy which thus discards the liberty |
owing German and tolerates the revival of |
he COOlie trade i'll MOngOlian women, inn |
ported far immoral purposes, and Mon9O- |
ian men hired to perform servile labor con |
racts, and demand such modification by |
Congress within a constitutional limta- |
ion, as shall prevent the further importa- |
ion or immigration of the MOngolian race. |
Reform is necessary, and can never be eff |
ected but by making it the controlling issue !
If the election, lifting it above the two false |
ssues with which the Ofhce-holding class |
md the party in power seek to smother it. |
The false issue with which they would |
enkindle sectarian strife in respect to the |
public schools, of which the establishment |
md support belong exclusively to the sew |
.ral States, and which the Democratic par
y has cherished from their foundation, |
md resolved to maintain without parti- |
.anry or preference for any class, sect or |
reed, and without contributing from the |
Treasury to anY-the false issue by which |
hey seek to light anew the dying embers J
If sectional hatred between kindred pcO-
lie, once unnaturally estranged, but now
eunited in one indivisible Republic and
common destiny.
Reform is necessary in the civil service.
Experience proves that the efficient, eco
loHllCdl cOuGucJ Oh tDf' governmental DtiSI-
less is not possible il its civil service be
ubject to change at every electiOn-be a
'rize fought for at the ballot-boX-be
,rief reward Ofparty zeal, instead of posts
If hon r, assigned for proved competency
md held for fidelity in the public employ
aent. That the dispensing of patronage
hould neither be a tax upon the time OF
Ill cur public Inen, nor the instrument OF
heir rmbition. Here again professions |
alsitied i'll the performance, attest that the
'arty in power can work out 10 practical or
alutary reform.
Reform is necessary even more in the
higher grades of public cserviee-President,
|ice President, Judges, Senatars, Repre-
entatives, Cabinet officers. These oth
ers, and others in Authority, are the peo-
lies servants. Their offices are not pri-
ate perquisite; they are public trust.
When the annals of this Republic show the
lisgrace and censure of V ice President;
late Speaker of the House of Representa-
ives marketing his Rulings as presiding
,fficer their friends DrOtltino secretly bV |