River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-10-14

I
land around the globe, poor man is found
want ing to better his condition. his hopes
and prayers and heart are turned toward
the United States. Is not that the high
est testimony torepublican policy? What
can our opponents promise better than
that? But leaving this broad and undeni.
able generalization. and testing he ques-
ton by political issues, the answer is equal
ly triumphant
THE SOLID SOUTH
with the northern democracy, elected ia
1886, the last democratic national admin
istration our country has seen. In tins
of profound peace that administration of
Mr.. Buchanan's increased our national
debt in four years 800 per cent, namely
from $2S, 900, 600 in 1857 to 100000 900 in
1861. And, when it went out Of power,
our national 6 per cent bonds could not be
sCld at higher than 50 cents on the dollar, (
and that last democratic administration
had to pay as high as II per cent. interest
per year for loans for current expenses.
Look at that picture and then on this.
Since the rebellion of the solid south was
conquered the debt their treason entailcd
on the nation has been reduced from 81
10000, 900 IL August 1865 to 81, 9l9 100000
in 1880, reduction of over $500, 100000;
and our yearly interest charge has been
reduced, in round numbers, by our dImin-
ished debt and improved national credit,
the enormous amount of 80 per cent
Instead of paying : $40 interest per
year, as we did at the close of the war, our
1 per cent. bonds are at large premium,
and all the balance of our debt can be
funded, if republican policy can be sus-
tanned by the people at the unprecedented
figure of 81 per cent. interest per year.
But our democratic friends object 10 this
contrast between republican adminstra-
tions and their last democratic administra-
ton in our republic; and they fill the air
with charges of republican corruption"
as the reason why republicans should be
driven from power, and all the branches of
the government should be entrusted to
democratic hands.
Well, then, let US make the comparison
nearer to our times than their last demo-
cratic president.
GEN. GRANT,
whose administration is specially derounc-
ed by our opponents, was president for
eight years from March, 1869, to March,
1877. During these eight wears with a
republican administration and republic
can congress, our debt, entailed on this
country by the rebellion of the solid south,
was reduced from s., 49,, zoe, 600 to s? ,0l9,-
600, 600, a reduction of S4l3, 100000. Dur
ing these eight years, New York ciiy was
under the control of Tammauy hall (Which
with the solid south controlled the nomi-
nations of the last democratic at;onal
convention with a democratic city admin
istration and democratic common cornell;
and the debt of that single city was inereas-
ed during the same eight years, from 1869
to 1877, from $35, 100000 to $4,000, 900,
an increase of $S4 100000.
And what il even worse n very large
proportion Of this enormous increase is
universally acknowledged 20 have been
robberies by the million upon million. by
democratic magnates of Tammany hall
with the connivance and concurrence of
the democratic official guardians Of the
city treasury.
Our opponents only hope of carrying
the state of New York is by the aid of
Tammany hall, whose political demands
have recently all been acquiesced in by the
party. Whether you take the deht-in-
creasing history of the last democratic
national administration, or Of the demo
cratic government of New York city, as
| the contrast with the steady debt-paying
history of republican administrations, his
tory gives You its solemn warning against
democratic success now.
But our opponents may demand a wider
range of years for the contrast between
democratic and republican rule. They
boast that they governed this country al
most uninterruptedy for sixty years, and
we will make the contrast on that basis.
The democrats have always professed
GREAT REGARD FOR FOREIGNERS
and claimed their votes on that pretense.
! But their professions have been mere
words But republicans made haste rs
soon as they had abolished slavery by The
| IL u aptao6rlpnf IN the Ia
declare in the fourteenth amendment that
the same shield of protection, and The
same constitutional equality of rights and
| privileges should be extended to natural
| lied foreigners as to native-ctizens; and
| prohibiting any and all states from any
and all determinations against them
! Listen to the majestic sentences of this
! fourteenth amendment
| All persons, born or naturaliZed in the
| United States, and subject to the jurisdic
| ton thereof are citizens of the United
! States and of the states wherein they re-
! side. No state shall make or enforce any
law which shall abridge the privileges and
| immunites of citizens ofthe United States,
nor shall any state deprive any person of
| life, liberty, or property without due pro
cess of law, nor deny to any person with
! in its jurisdiction the equal protection Of
! the laws.
! Our opponents always profess great inter
est in the poor men of the country. But
words are cheap, and acts are far more
valuable.
While the democrats enjoyed their sixty
years of power there was no free home
stedds on the public lands, outside of the
| iar-distant Oregon, for the landless poor.
Bills were often proposed but as Oft
voted Gown in democratic congresses At
| 10 ,,.g,c..I duripor Rnpb u
| term-one I had the honor of reporting
| myself from the conference committees
| which prepared it, But it came bac$
from the white house with Mr.. Buchanan's
veto killing it, When Mr.. Lincoln, how
ever came into the presidency, with re-
publican congress, this benefcent grant 81
| free homes for free men was presented
and passed through both houses ans
promptly signed by him-as it now stands
! on our statute book, a monument to repub-
! licanism-ard | rejoice TO say that last
! year no less than six million acres of our
national domain were taken up under il
! by our landless poor.
! During the sixty years of democratic
| power in this nation slavery grew and
! thrived and strengthens becoming more
and more arrogant, until by the repe. Of
| the Missouri compromise, demanded OF
| the north by the solid south, and the
| bred Scott decision, it seemed almost n
vincible. But the republicans, feeling
that it both dishonored the nation and de-
graded the poor white lab0rer working by
the side of the slaves, grappled with it
! fearlessly, elected president on the issue
! of no further extension of this sum of all
| villainies.' and when the solid south rose
in rebellion and strove TO destroy the ma
| ton and to murder the nations defenders,
the republic administration and congress
rose to a grander height and destroyed the
| whole institution.
If the democratic party had continued
| to COVER n the country till this day, az
they resisted both its non-extension and
abolition to her uttermOst.
SLAVERY WOULD STILL EXIST
arrognant, domineering, national. If
there had been no republican party slavery
with its auction blocks for men and wo-
men, would cast its baleful shadow over
the republic to-day.
After further illustrations and brief dis
cussion Of financial questions, Mr. Col
fax in conclusion returned to his opening
thought about the commanding position Of
our nation to-day.
The very cornerstone of our national IN
stitutionis the ballot box. In themonarchies
the sovereign is born to rule and the people
: al. I,ft bt4