The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1876-08-16
ALBANY, n. Y, !


ALBANY, n. Y,
July 81, 1861
10 General John a. McClernand, Chair.
man General W. 3. Franklin, Hon
j. j. Abbott, Hon. \. J. Spannhorst
Hon. II. J. Redfeld, Hon. S. +. Lyor
and others, Committee of St. Louis
: Convention:
CENT? .EaIEN-When I had the honor
to recei We personal delivery CT youl
letter on behalf Of the Democratic Ma.
tional Convention, held on the 2Sth OF
June, at st. Louis, advising me Of my
nominal ton as the candidate of the con
stituenty represented by that body for
the office of President of the United
States, | answered that, at my earliest
convenience and in conformity with
Usage, | would prepare and transmit
you a formal letter of acceptance.
now avail myself of the first interval in
al unavoidable occupation to fulfill that
engagement. The convention, before
making its nominations, adopted de-
claration of principles which, as q
whole, seems to me wise exposition
of the necessities of our country and of
the reforms needed to bring back the
Government to its true functions, to re-
store purity Of administration, and to
renew the prosperity Of the people; but
some OF these reforms are so urgent that
they claim more than a passing ap-
proval.
REFORM IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
The necessity of reform in the scale
OF public expense, Federal, State and
municipal, and in the modes of Federal
taxation justilics all the prominence
given to it in the declaration OF the St.
Louis Convention. The present depres-
sion i'll all the business and industries
of the people, which is depriviug labor
OF its employment and carrying want
into so many homes, has its principal
cause in excessive governmental con-
sumption. Under the illusions of 4
specious prosperity engendcred by the
false policies of the Federal Govern
ment, a waste Of capital has been going
on ever since the peace Of 1865, which
could only end in universal DISASTER
The Federal taxes of the last eleven
years reach the gigantic sum of forty
five huhdred millions; local taxation
has am buntCd to tWO-thirds as much
more. The vast aggregate is not less
than sdyentv-tive hundred millions -
This ell ormous taxation followed civil
conflict that had greatly impaired our
aggregate wealth, and had made a
| prompt reduction of expenses iudispen-
sable. 1t was aggravated by most un-
scientific and i!l-adjusted methods of
taxation that increased the sacrifices of
the people far beyond the receipts Of!
the III easury. 1t WAS aggrayat" !,
moreover, by a financial po!icr hic!l
tended to diminish the energy, skill ana
economy of production, and the frugal
ity OF private consumption, and induced
miscalc n.at,on in business ana all an
remune rative use Of capital and labor.
even in prosperous times the daily
wants Of industrious communities press
closely upon their daily earnings; the
margin of possible national savings is
at best h small percentage of national
earnin3s, yet now for these elcv II
years governmental consumption has
been larger portion of the national
earnings than the whole people can
possibly save even in prosperous times
for all new investments. The conac-
qunnces of these errors are now acute
public calamity, but they were never
doubtful, never invisible; they were
necessary and inevitable: were fores, Ell
and depicted. When the waves of that
fictitious property ran highest, in a
speech made by me OH the 2tth of Sep
TENDER, 1868, it was said of these taxes:
They bear heavily upon every mans
income, upon every industry aud every
business in the country, and year by
year they are destined to press still
more heavily unless we arrest the sys-
tenn that gives rise to them. 1t was
comparatively easy when values were
doubling under repeated issues of legal
tender paper money, to pay out of the
trots., OF our growing and apparent
wealth, these taxes; but when values
recede and sink toward their natural
scale, the tax gatherer takes from rs
not only our income, not only our pro-
fits, but also portion of our capital.
do not wish to exaggerate or alarm. |
simply say that we cannot afford the
costly and ruinous policy Of the Radical
majority of Congress. We cannot af-
ford THAT policy toward the South. We
cannot afford the magnificent ami OPP
pressiVe centralism into which our Gov
ernmeht is being converted. We can
not afford the present magnificent scale
of taxation. TO the Secretary Of the
Treasury I said, early in 1865, there is
no royal road for Government more
than for an individual OF corporation.
What you want to do now is to cut down
your expenses and live within your in
come. | would give all the legerde-
main Of finance and financeering-I
would give the whole of it for the old
homely maxim, olive within your in
Gomez This reform will be resisted at
every step, but it must be pressed per-
sistently. We see to-day the immediate
representatives of the people in one
branch Of Congress, while struggling
to reduce expenditures, compelled to
confront the menace Of the Senate and
Executive that unless the Objectionable
appropriations be consented to, the
operations of the Government there
under shall suffer detriment or cease.
In my judgment, an amendment OF
the CO Institution ought to be devised
separa ting into distinct bills the ap-
preparations for the various depart
ments of the public service, and exclu-
ding fIom each bill all appropriations
for other objects, and all independent
legislation. III that way alone can the
revisory power of each of the two
houses and of the Executive be pre-
served and exempted from the moral
duress which often compels assent to
Objectionable appropriations rather
than stop the wheels of Government.
THE SOUTH.
An accessory cause enhancing the
distress in business is to be found in
the systematic and insupportable mis-
1r>,, {l,n St,too