Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-08-19

| people III II DTduCH vi SOHsiCco
while struggling to reduce expen-
ditures, compelled to confront the
menace of the Senate and the Ex-
ecutive that unless the objection
able appropriations be consented
TO, the operations Of the govern
ment Hereunder shall suffer det-
riment or cease. In myjudgement,
an amendment of the Constitution
ought to be devised separating in
to distinct bills the appropriations
for the various departments of the
public service, and excluding from
each bill appropriations for other
objects, and all independent legis-
lation. In this way alone can the
revisory power of each of the two
houses and of the Executive be
preserved and exempted from the
moral durets which often compels
assent to Objectionable appropria-
tons, rather than stop the wheels
of the Government.
THE SOUTH.
An accessory cause enhancing
the distress in business is to be
found in the systematic and insup-
portable improvements imposed
on the States of the South. Be-
sides the ordinary effect of ignor-
ant and dishonest administration,
il has inflicted upon them enor-
nous issues of fraudulent bonds,
the scanty avails of which were
wasted or stolen, and the existence
of which is a public discredit, tend
ing to bankruptcy or Reputation.
Taxes, generally oppressive, in
some instances have confiscated the
entire income of property, and to-
tally destroyed its entire marketa-
BILE value. 1t is impossible that
these evils should not react upon
the prosperity of the whole coun-
try.
The nobler motives of humanity
concur with the material interests
of all in requiring that every OBJ
stacle be removed to a complete
and durable reconciliation between
kindred populations once unnatur-
ally estranged, on the basis recog-
nized by the st. Louis platform of
the "COnstitution of the United
States, with its amendments, uni
versally accepted as a final settle
ment of the controversies which
engendered civil war"
But, in aid of a result so benefi-
cient, the moral influence of every
good citizen, as well as every gov
ernmental authority, ought to be
exerted, not alone to maintain
their just equality before the law,
but likewise to establish a cordial
fraternity and good will among
citizens, whatever their raee or
color, who are now united in the
one destiny of a common self-gov-
eminent. If the duty should be
assigned to me. / should not fail
to exercise the powers which the
laws and the Constitution of our
country clothe its chief magistrate,
to protect all our citizens, whatever
their former condition, in every
political and personal light.
CURRENCY REFORM.
"Reform is necessary" declares
the st. Louis Convention, "to es-
tablish a sound currency, restore
the public credit and maintain the
national honor :" and it goes on to
demand a judicious system of
preparation by public economies,
by official retrenchments and by
wise finance, which shall enable
the nation soon to assure the whole
world of its perfect ability and its
perfect readiness to meet any of
its promises at the call of the cred
itor entitled to payment"
The object demanded by the
convention is a resumption of spe-
Gle payments on the legal-tender
notes of the United States. That
would not only "restore the pub
lie credit" and 'maintain the ma
tional HONOR but it would "estab-
lish a sound currency for the peo-
pie.
The methods by which this OBJ
ject is to be pursued, land the means
by which it is to be attained, are
disclosed by what the Convention
demanded for the future, and by
what it demanded in the past.
BANK-NOTE RESUMPTION.
Resumption of specie payments
by the Government of the United
States on its legal-tender notes,
would establish specie payments
by all the banks on all their. notes.
The official statement, made on the
18th ofMay shows that the amount
of the bank-notes was 800 millions
less 20 millions held by them
selves. Against these 290 millions
of notes, the banks held 141 mil
lions of legal-tender notes, or a lit
tie more than 90 per cent. of their
amount. But they also held a de-