The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-10-08
HON. IT. A. HENDRICKS
Eaton, Ohio, Friday, September 26, 1879.
Fellow CITIZENS

FELLOW CITIZENS:
] need not remind you that during the
wears following the close Of the war your
minds were disturbed by tho most profound
anxiety for the public welfare There was
Ia more work for the sword. Overcome
and 4I-Dauded, the troops Of the South had
returned TO their homes. AcquIe,cence IN
Federal authority was complete and uuiver-
-aI Yet you feared that the reconciliation
might not be thorough and perpetual that
dangerous causes Of alienation might still
remain. But you were compelled, and
perhaps content 70 trust-a. you did trust
the possibility Of fraternity aud union 10
the wisdom of the public policies and to
the good sense and patriotism of the people.
Aud notwithstanding the fOllies and crimes
~ some, and the wicked dcmagogism Of
others. arousing dangerous passions that
were sleeping I feel assured that your reli-
auce upon yourselves and your fellow
countrymen will not fall you, hut that
fraternity and union will grow with the
growth and strengthen with the strength
Of the country.
You were also solicitous for our material
welfare, because of the exhaustion caused
by and following the tremendous struggle.
The production of our important and great
staples could not be maintained in quaint
ties sufficient To meet the demands upon
uuT resources. our embarrassTnents and the
hiudrtnces % production were greatly aug
m.utcd by the unfortunate policy Of recon
-tructiDu, whereby for awhile the relations
of the states to the Federal Union were
confused and coniouuded and the white and
black races were involved in distrust, hatred
and strife. The mad policy and passions of
tue times excluded capital from an entire
section Of the country, and disturbed labor
-Iu its employment. The direct, the incv-
table consequence was that our foreign trade
was heavily against Us. May | state the
facts as an Illustration? During the two
wears and Il months from July /, 1860, 10
May 81, 1868, our imports, valued ia our
own currency, amounted to 81, J97 ,449,O55
and our exports, under the same valuation,
amounted to LII ,0S9, 1875. During that
yeriOd Of two years and III months, after the
Close If the war, our purchases exceeded
our .a!es abroad by the enormous sum OF
Sls6, 900
[ suppose that balance against Us was met
largely by sales Of our public securities
abroad, but during that same period we
exported over and above our imports Of
gold and silver SlS3, or ,69l. then thought
and so expressed the opinion that, our future
prosperity must depend upon an increase of
production and more advantageous foreign
trade, that when our sales should exceed
our purchases abroad, our financial Difficult
ties would rapidly disappear, and we would
-o-,u stand upon Il specie basis, and that to
such end we wanted peace, reconciliation
and harmony, ] thought and said that
-tat-4manship worthy this country and
adequate to the necessities OF our condition,
would seek every opportunity 10 foster and
increase the production OF the staples that
command foreign markets And Iventured
lhe opinion that AN increase of 20 per cent.
ju the production OF our great staples would
turn the balance Of trade in our favor, and
the current of gold toward our own shores,
and contribute more than any enactment of
Congress TO an early resumption OF specie
payment" / need not remind you, for 1t
cannot be ctIaced from youI memories, that
no beuehcent change in policy or admins
tration took place, but that in 1869 and
thence TO 1873 and tS'i the sympathIes OF
she administration and the policies of Con-
ere,- were altogether favorable to those
who least needed favor, and bard upon the
masses, who have the burdens To carry. The
changes IN the public contracts We're such
"a, made the Obligations harder ana the
burdens heavier, save only the provision for
a reduction OF interest. Favoritism, eX
trayaguuce and corruption pervaded and
poisoned the public service, and went unre-
hukrd and unchecked. Unnecessary and
cNlrayagaut expenditures burdened the
people with oppressive taxes, and Withdrew
large volumes of currency from the chan
uel- of trade and added to the evils of
vicious administration aud of unequal and
unfair legislation eliminated III financial
tanic and disaster that struck and paraiyzed
All the business pursuits and useful enter
priscs Of the country. At once the people
realized the extent and magnitude OF the
calamity. They abandoned faith and hope
in the Republican party, and trusted to
themselves for the recovery Of lost prosper
itv Promptly and earnestly the work was
undertaken. Eighteen hundred and seventy
four became memorable year. n Demo-
cratic House was chosen, charged with the
duty of retrenchment and reform. IN every
household an economy was adopted more
rjrid than ever before known. Labor was
active and diligent To the utmost extent OF
Dossii,le employment. The results are now
seen and realized. Individual economy,
practiced everywhere throughout the
country had de effect to reduce our pur-
.haSes abroad as follows: From 1910 70
1874 the reduction was $14, 129,S6S; from
1874 to 1878 it was $34, 400, 9O6; from 1879
10 1876. 81 264 24j; from 1876 to 1871,
Soils O65; and from 1877 to 1873, the re-
Auction was SI42TI, 594 The economy OF
the people in 1878 as compared with 1913,
in the consumption of foreign goods, was
about 500, 100000.
During the same period the dlligeht IN
du-try of the people 50 increased our agrl-
cultural productions, and such was the
condition of the foreign market that our
exports for sale abroad in 1878 were Sl1Z,-
S64 1889 more than in 1873, and in the
year 1873 onr exports of merchandise
exceeded our imports by the sum OF SOL
796 1854. II is a striking fact that IN 1910,
she wear before the Democratic House was
chosen. our purchases exceeded our safes
abroad bv Sll9656, 2SS, and that after
three years of Democratic control OF the
House the figures were reversed, and, as /
have said, the exports in the year To- .
exceeded the imports by 1921 1916, 964 Inc
distances against US IN 1873 markeu .ne
increase of our Indebtedness, and the
figures of 1873 indicated its reduction
Our exports Of merchandise during the
years 1874, 1876, 1877 and 1873 exceeded
our imports in the sum of s5QS, 1880
ann not able to give accurately the excess
for the present year, but suppose IL Is satS
TO state il at S240,000,00O, making S,fo'-
f49, 236 for the five years named. III tlesI
statements / rely upon the ta2Ies PIeP1.ou
F,v Mr. Spofford, the librarian sof Congress,
The effect of the favorable condition OF
our supply of gold and silver IS shown IN
the fact that in 1873 the export OF sPeole
exceeded its import by the the SUM "
$63, I27 637, and that in 1878 the excess
was only S39ll9ll Our favorable foreign
hr.5e has not only turned the current OF
Speeic toward our shores, but 1t has caused
the return of large volumes of puotlc secu'
rites that had gone abroad to meet the
balances when they were against US vi L Us
reducing the export OF gold TO meet !ne
accruing interest. The effect q 9 lofeiSH
trade during the past i've years, d9F9s .s3
to rs bev,ond all precedent, ana DfoNShe
about by the economy and diligent industry
of the people. has been TO increase our SUP
ply Of gold and silver, and to make 1T 1t
permanent and reliable, ana 70 Il'lAo
resumption of specie payments PoSSiON''
ty. Auan
Four years ago, when Governor Ai ne~
was 4 candidate for reelection, II was ~
duty and pleasure TO speak in his fsyorI
and then repeated to the men of Mnskin-
gum county what had said TO the Demo emo,
Gratis of Indiana at the State Conyeh aIs