American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-09-24
A Republican Claim D-sseeted.

For sharp contrasts between pro-
fession and performance the Republican
party has not been equaled in the past
and is quite unlikely to be surpassed in
the future. Its history, as sketched by
its leading writer's and speakers, bears
but the slightest resemblance to its ac-
tual and unalterable record Time
would fail were one to attempt fair
presentation of all the discrepancies be-
tween what is claimed and what has ac-
tually been.
1t is the boast of Republican states
men, politicians and organs that their
party has been peculiarly, exceptionally
and invariably honest in our National
finances. They claim that but for this
alleged honesty the public debt would
have been repudiated and we should
now be in a state of monetary chaos.
But we have only to refer to the
speeches and letters of our public men
TO learn that such leaders as Thaddeus
Stevens and John Sherman were i'm
favor of paying off the five twenty
bonds in greenbacks. In fact there
were many of the ablest men of both
parties who held that those bonds called
only for such payment, and there are
leaders OF both parties to-day who hold
to that opinion.
If Thaddeus Stevens was a fair ex-
ponent of Republican sentiment, if he
was an honest, patriotic man, the act of
Congress by which specie was substi-
tuted for paper money in liquidating
the five-twenties, was dishonest, was a
robbery of the people for the benefit of
the bondholders. If John Sherman
was in the right that act was the great
est public robbery ever perpetrated.
Was the Republican party, as repre-
sented in Congress, peculiarly honest
party when it demonetized silver? Was
it honest, after doubling the public
debt by single act, to adopt another
measure sweeping out of existence our
readiest means of paying that doubled
debt?
Coming down to more recent years
we find this party of ''honest money"
this party that claims a monopoly of
honesty in finance, allying itself with
the heresy of fiat money in every State
where an opportunity for such alliance
is presented.
In Missouri, in Mississippi, in Arkan-
sas, Alabama and other States, we find
the Greenback party and the Republi-
cans so joined, mixed and mingled that
it is impossible to determine which is
which. Like that uncertain, indefina-
BILE '.spot near the pickerers pectoral
fins where the thoraX leaves off and
the venter begins" the line of de-
narration between these amalgamated
organizations cannot be traced.
In the United States Senate we find
the Republican party making UMPIRE
cedented concessions to man whose
idea and whose only stock in trade is
elimination of public debt Mr.
Malone stood on his own ground. He
declared that he was neither Demo-
crat nor Republican, but Readjust-
er. On this ground the Republican
Senators joined him. He did not 90 to
them, they scaled the chasm and stood
by him.
And now this "honest money! party
is doing all that it can to bring into
power in Virginia the organization
that proposes to make vigorous appli-
cation of the principles OF :. Readjust-
ment'-meaning repudiatlon-to the
National debt.
Was there ever a more glaring con-
trast than that which exists between the
professions and the practice words
and the acts-of these Republican breth-
ren?-H aShinyt0n Post.