Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-21
The Meaning of Democratic RES
tOratiOn,

is subject which good citizens caiIhot
consider without alarm. Even III It's pest
aspects il is alarming. The passing OF
nover to a marty that is and has always
been loyal to the government IS one thing
but the handing over of the control OF the
government to red-handed traitors is an
other and very different thing. ttn the
men who recently were in arms to destroy
the government be trusted with the gov
ernment? That is serious question m
yolved in democratic restoration. No
people on the face of the globe ever vol
unfairly gave the keeping of their GOV
eminent to men who had done their best
to destroy it. Such an experiment was
never YET tried; had the people OF the
United States better attempt it ?
Tilden election would inevitably result
in bringing the old rebel element INTO luIi
power His election would carry with 1t
democratic majority in Congress.
There is now democratic House of
Representatives in which sixty rebels
are holding Seats and have been
engaged in making laws FOR us
These rebels have controlled legislation IN
that branch during the late session. They
elected the Speaker, carried two-third8 Of
tie chairmanships of committees into the
South, and shaped legislation so as TO take
from the North in the appropriations and
give to the South-cven approprating
money for the improvement OF small
streams in that section that never were or
will ba navigable, while cutting off en-
tirely or in large part appropriations tor
necessary national Improvements in north
ern rivers and harbors, already begun and
of vast importance to commerce and nav
igation. If this can be done and this is
the spirit manifested while the democrats
have only majority in the House, what
would be the effect were there a demo-
cratic majority in the Senate and demo-
cratic President? Already, says well
informed authority, There are now pend
ing in the House of Representatives one
hundred and forty separate claims,
amounting to 1852 269, every one OF
which is for injuries caused by our armies
in rebel States during the war. And in
the Senate a bill has been introduced in
favor Of those government officers who,
at the beginning of the war, paid over to
the Confederate States the balance due
from them to the United States.
At the close of the war, when every in
.dustry, employment, trade, or production
of the loyal States was heavily taxed to
meet the enormous cost of the war, Con-
gress placed upon cotton tax OF three
cents pound. After this tax had provid.
ed the sum of SOS, 072 ,088, it was, in 1868.
repealed. This was the tax of the South;
substantially all of it, when the aggre-
gate taxes collected in the loyal States
was still 10000, 900 for one year. This
tax was also paid by the consumer, rather
than the planter; but the demand has been
persistently made for the refunding of it,
and it will be refunded if the democratic
party gains possession of the government.
Not only this; there is a bill now pending
before the Committee on War Claims in
the House of Representatives. which pro-
vides that all citizens, rebel or other, may
sue for and recover the value of stores or
supplies furnished, or taken during the
rebellion, for the use of the army. That
is to say, we are TO acknowledge that the
suppression of the rebellion was an inius-
tce on the part OF the government, and
are to pay for all the forage and other
supplies taken in the enemy's country, in
pursuit of such enemy and in the Judi
ciary Committee of the House there is
bill pending which provides for compen-
sation for the use and occupation of rebel
property, in rebel territory, during the
war. The amount covered by these two
bills has been computed to be over two
thousand millions of dollars. The late
slave States have now in the House of
Representatives 10G members; the north
ern States have but 1876 members; forty
one democratic votes from the North
would carry these bills in the House."
And with a democratic administration
it will be done. In addition to the pay
ment of these vast sums, there will be
other demands TO be paid, now carefully
kept in the background, but sure to be
brought forward and pushed as soon as
favorable opportunity offers.
In the mere financial aspect of the ques-
ton, democratic restoration must be a
source of alarm to the whole body of the
Northern people; and when we consider
what its effect must be upon the colored
race, the stripping them of the rights of
freemen and returning them into con-
dition of servitude, also the danger of an
other bloody contest between the North
and.South, there is reason TO regard with
most anxious and profound concern the
return of the democracy to power in this