Year: 1868




cided it upon the idea that if they
gave the States the right to tax they
would have the power to tax so high
as to destroy the value of the bonds.
deny it. The right to tax on the
part of State is the power only to
tax these bonds equally with all otlrt'r
property. If you discriminate against
them then the action of the State
would be void but SO long as you
tax this property equally with all
other property there is no power in
the general government or anywhere
else to prevent it. have shown you
that there is abundant power in the
general government to do this.


REVERSAL OF SUPREME COURT DECISIONS
RRCITED.


All parties entertain a high respect
for the Supreme Court and obey its
mandate yet 1 tell you the time will
come when this decision will be re-
versed. by infusing into that body
something of the popular element
upon this subject. 1t will be the same
as it was in the matter Of the United
States Bank, where the peoplein their
sovereign majesty, led on by that
glorious old hero, Andrew jackson,
reversed that decision. (Applause.)
So it was in the Dred Scott case. All
my republican friends claim that the
people reversed that decision-that is,
they infused into the Supreme Court
enough of the popular element to i'm
press it with different opinion upon
that subject. And so it will be in this
case. See the injustice of it. Why is
it that the government can take our
money without our consent? What
is the justification Because it protects
our lives and liberties, and therefore
has the right to take our money to
pay taxes for that protection.


HOW IS IT WITH THE BoNDs7


How is it with the bonds? When
they come into the hands of the citf-
zen Of the State are they not property
protected by the State authorities
Are not all the expenses of protection
incurred the same as in regard 20 any
other description of property? If
they are stolen the citizen can resort
to court of justice for redress, and
he enjoys the same facilities as others
possess to procure their recovery and
punish the offenders. Why, then,
should not these bondholders, 1 ask
you, my honest republican friends,
contribute something to pay the ex-
penses of that protection as well as
other people who own property? Do
you want to pay taxes for the men
who hold these bonds? 1 have no i'll
will to them, but who are they? They
are not the men who labor for q liv-
ing; they are not the men who rise
early in the morning and toll till
evening, but they are men riding past
on the golden wheels of luxury, who
live on the labor of others, and why
should they not contribute equally
with you and me? Remember that this
year is the last opportunity you will
ever have of protecting yourselves.


APPEAL TO YOUNG MAN


Permit me to appeal to the young
men, for this question is Of more vital
Importance to them than any one
else. Those Of middle age will soon
pass away, and the burden of this
government will fall upon the young
men just entering upon the stage of
action. 1t is you, young men, who
should rise up in this campaign, and
prevent the forging of these shackles
which viii bind you and your poster
ity foreverI View the countries of
the Old World. Look at England,
probably the first country in Europe
tO-d9y, and what do you perceive (!
Do you not know that this internal
system of taxation has ground down
the masses until they and their fami-
lies have become poorer and poorer,
to such an extent, that it is said that
one ont of every eight OF tho people
of that land go to the almshouse or
some public pOorhouse during their
lives Why is this? Because the
moneyed powers have the control of
all European governments. They
have the control of the military pow
er also, and they keep the people
down by force.


| THR PRIVILEGED CLASSES IN RURoPR.


1t is because these privileged classes
these moneyed interests, these money
ed aristocracies, most dangerous in
any free government, possess the con-
troll OF the government and keep the
people under that the great masses Of
them are 80 poor. Ask any man who
came from Ireland why he left his
home-that green isle that might be
made to flow with milk and honey
and come to a foreign land among
strangers to seek his livelihood. Be-
cause the government taxed him to
that extent that he was unable to sup
port his family and himself That is
the reason why he left. The reason
that hundreds of thousands from Ire
land and other European countries
come to this country year after year
is because the masses of the people
are taxed tc death.


THE FINANCIAL QUESTION THE VITAL QUESTION.


I tell you that the contest to be de-
cided in the fall is more important
for the liberties of the country, on
account of these financial questions,
than any others, important as they
may be. No people can be free who
are unjustlY taxed to this extent
Why, take poor man. who works
hard for living, aud the government
takes half what he earns, what will
be the effect upon him? 1t destroys
manhood, his vitality and independ-
ence. 1t destroys those elements
which make him a free, an independ-
.ent and happy man. never was
in favor of slavery in my Ife-Amer-
lean slavery per Sc. only agreed to