The daily gazette., 1878-09-24
THIRD EDITION
Speech of Hon. Robert M. Me
Lane.
From the Baltimore Sun.

TIC meeting at Hollins Hall, in the eigf
teenth ward
The first speaker was Hon. Robert NJ
McLane, the democratic candidate fo
Congress from that district, who spok
at length, giving prominence to tn
the resumption act and the greenbacl
theory. He declared that if in Congress
he would vote against the resumption
act, and was warmly applauded. HI
mentioned the name of b. f. Butler il
connection with the greenback move
ment, and was also aDplauled by larg,
fraction of the meeting. Mr.. McLan,
then said: 81 hope you are not going tt
applaud at the name of Butler" anC
there was some renewal of the applause
Hon. Robert NJ. McLane said: "Iu
accepting the nomination of the demo.
cratic party / promised steadfast ad-
herence to the principles and policy OF
that party. 1t is my duty to develop
that policy, and to satisfy the people that
the best interests of the country will be
promoted by its adoption. Great dis
Iress prevails, and for some years all
branches of trade and manufacturing in
dustry have been depressed, and few of
them have resulted in profit. Conse-
quently labor finds employment at redu-
ced wages and incomes are reduced; pro-
BCiiN VI bii hiiitis III i utlt
is no panic, but a sort of stagnation in
business, which, though not a. complete
and universal as it was last year, is still
very depressing. All experience and OBJ
servat'on prove that this state of things
results directly from the administration
of the government, following closely
upon the waste and destruction of prop
erty and industry during the five years Of
civil war, 1t is now more than twelve
years since that war terminated, and
p 'ace was not allowed 10 restore the in
dustry and labor of the people to
normal state. Instead of economy and
irugality, with equal laws, we had excess
We expenditure, wanton extravaganza
and partial legislation, fostering specula-
ton of every kind and overwhelming
the people with taxation.
Prior to the war in 1860, federal tax
alton did not exceed sixty millions per
annum; five years after its termination il
reached four hundred and fifty millions
during the twelve years that have elapsed
since the termination of the war more
than four thousand millions of dollars
have been taken from the people by fed
eral taxation, which immense amount
has been squandered and wasted, and
much of it corruptly embezzed Such
taxation is a horrible evil in itself, but,
waste of property in the war, the total
destruction is frightful, and constitutes
the real cause of all our troubles. Year
by year this great evil has been set forth
and combated by the Democratic party,
until the yearly taxation is reduced one
hundred per cent. nearly, and with this
reduction porceptible Improvement ap-
pears in trade and commerce. Tie mo-
lnent approaches when the government
will pass into the hands of that partv,
End complete relief accrue to the coun-
try, and my appeal to you is not to desert
the ranks at such crisis to follow strange
gods.
"The federal government is directly re-
sponsible for all legislation affecting
trade and commerce and tiuauce, and the
democratic party in its national conven-
tlon in st. l. 0uis in 1876 set forth in lis
platform and resolutions the true princi-
pies and issues of the dap. In plain and
explicit terms in denounced the fiscal
policy of the republican party, which in
the issue and negotiation of three hun
dred millions of public debt created near
four hundred millions of bank paper re-
deemable in four hundred millions OF
government paper, and then provided
for the resumption of specie payment on
the 1st of Jannarp, 1879; policy which
the most ordinary intelligence woulC
perceive would be perfectly sure 10 re
suit in contraction of the currency
ruinousjand disastrous TO every brancl
of business. 1t denounced the reyenu,
policy of the republican party, its exces
slve taxation, Its eXtravagant expendi
ture, It's waste of the public lands, It's ne
glect of the naturaliZed citizen, its sec
tartan and sectional hate, its abuse of the
civil service and its unexampled corrup
In an gplt, nj. -
he government. In lieu of thsseries o
Flclous measures, it promised revenue
and fiscal reform and the restoration o
the constitutional rights Of the States ant
tae people, and it is entitled to the sup
port ofthe country in its efforts TO TAX.
POSSESSION OF the government and Civ,
ettectto its poleY.
The democratic party has pledged il
olito the repeal of the resumption act
so-ealled, fixing the lst Of January, 1873
a. an arbitrary time when the govern
fnent will resume specie payment, TO
the reason that the operation of that la,
would result IN ruinous and disastrou
contraction of the currency, rendcrin
certain and indefinite the suspension {
specie payments. In lieu therefore it prt
poses to reduce taxation of every kim
aad particularly upon all articles that wi
open to our manufacturing industry ne,
markets, and afford to our working an,
laboring classes new fields of industry
Economizlng i'll Il e public expendtuT
at the same time that taxation is reduced
the prosperity of the individual secure
and the means necessary for the pa,
lnent OF the public febt are accumulate
in the treasury Under the opera ion ,
tlis policy the paper of the governme,
becomes ofeqnal value with coin, al
the resumption of specie payments b
comes question Of detail in the currel
administration and regulation of the pu
lie debt.
'As to the substitution of greenbacl
Tor bank currency, which is so muC
Il sous ,ed by the new lights in financ
there viii be no prc'ical difficulty if II
subject IS worked out gradually, and
Il manner which respects the pro )er
invested IN banks, the reform TO be II
DIR the direction of the democratic par
4 part of it system of rt venue and f
cal reform, under which coin and pan
VII have equal value and the people W
Lave as much of either as their commt
al wants may dictate. Bank eurren
"4i com constitute a very small portii
" The Whole amount of the means of t
'7pl" used in buying and selling, ~
maps moi over one-fitth, and very certa'
iN IN tle course of "A week more mon
pa saes by checks and other transfers
b yihg and selling in the large cities tn
he whole amount of greenbackS a
bank notes ia circulation in the Unit
. ates' anu the same thing is true of