The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-24
The Democratic Record on the Green.
back Question.

The Democratic Record on the Green
back Question.
Col. La,ham's Summary In the Keyser Nv. vs-)
Echo.
1t is amusing to witness the anxiety OF
the Democrats to be regarded as the special
guardians Of the greenbacks, and of max
Ing them absolute money" equal will
gold, since it is well known that they OPP
posed the issue from the first and were
especially hostile to their illegal tender
feature, and every Democratic Judge on
the Supreme Court of the United States
voted 70 declare TIL, feature unconstitu-
tional. The Republican party is the fathe.
OF the greenbacks, and does not propose
to disown its offspring. 1t has brought
them, despite the opposition OF the Demo
cratic party, to par with gold and silver.
am in favor OF maintaining them so, and
Of giving the country as many as the peo-
and business OF the country will hold at
par with gold and silver.
The Democratic party is now claiming
that the entire administration OF the gov
eminent should be turned over to them,
that they may manage especially its finan-
ces. lie. US examine for a moment the
last three years Of Democratic rule, with
regard to finance and the national credit:
They commenced the year 1855 with SiG,-
500, SIS in the treasury; June 18th of that
year they borrowed 81 III, 300 on 5 per
cent bonds, payable January lst,. 1871.
This loan sold IN open market at an aggre-
gate discount OF sos, 351'2. February Sth,
1861, less than one montn before turning
over the Government to the Republicans,
they borrowed 20,776, 500 payable Deem
Der 3lst, 1880. These bonds bear interest
at 6 per cent, and though the rate was
raised ! per cent the discount on the loan
aggregated Sl0,00S. Interest on these
loans payable semi.annually, interest and
principle, payable OF course in coin.
These three years ended over u years OF
uhbroken peace and eight years OF unin-
terrupted Democratic rule.
The principal OF the total loans was ST..
Isl, 900. Ofthe first two OF those loans az.
gregating So, OCT 500, all has been paid OK.
ccpt S299, 6SS 80, including accrued interest.
Tie interest has been stopped on $4,000
Of the principal and only 10000 still
bear interest. OF the other loan, not q, o.
lutely payable until December 3lst, 1880,
there are yet unpaid, including interest 8 ,
the LIST OF the present month, $lS,507,O75
the principal being SIS, $1,000 The prin-
cipal therefore OF this Democratic legacy.
has been reduced 81 0SS. 600, besides pay
ing It's twenty years interest, saving the
country from Democratic rebellion, and
carrying our own burdens; and the credit
ofthe government is better to-day than in
lSGO and 81, our bonds being all at a
premium in gold, grcenbacks a. par, and
the rate OF interest coming down-our
per cent bonds being worth more by some
5 to per cent than their 8 per cents were
in 1851. Taking the last three years Of
Democratic rule as basis and running II
through to the present time, suppcsinga
condition OF profound peace, We would
now be saddleG with debt OF S4s5, 510,66l,
with interest at the rate OFFS per cent per
annum, payable semi-annually-the debt
still increasing and government bonds at a
discount! Should not the people OF this
country hesitate before turning over their
government to the management Of this
party?