Year: 1868

our merchants and manufacturers in


condition of uncertainty, and all asre


that a perpetual Congress is a perpett


al curse. Within the past few years


has made nearly monthly changes i


the tariffs. 1t hinders labor and enter


prise by heavy burthens, and hunt


down our merchants and manuiactul


ers with an army of official spies an,


informers, and it gives these the powc


to rum men of limited means by falls


charges. Itputs our government no


only in light that is hateful, but wha


is more dangerous, it makes it pitiablc


If our young men wish to engage il


business or to seek homes in the West


and they ask from those who have mon


ey to lend, the aid which has hereto


fore been given for those purposes


they are told that the government


which ought to be paternal will pay q


higher interest than the law will let th'


citizens give, or than they can atfor,


to give, and, also, beyond this, will ex


empt them from taxation. Congress


paralyses in this way, the industry o


the land. Whichever way you lool


you see that the party in power is {


blight upon the honor, happiness and


industrial pursuits of our people. Oul


carrying trade upon the ocean is de.


stroyed, our ship yards are idle, oul
merchants are distressed, our manufac
turers complain that taxation out
weighs the protection of tariff, and our
farmers are indignant with unequal and
insulting exemption from the cost of
local State and National governments.


Upon one point only has it been firm
and unyielding. In order to help a
foul speculation it put Il tax offve hun
dred per cent. upon alcohol, which the
experience of the world and our own
experience show, cannot be collected.
1t tains it with aperiect knowledge
that it merely ministers to public and
official corruption. The officers Of the
law and the violators have, under its
provisions, taken more from the people
than the interest Of the public debt up
to this time. In this strength they
control the action Of the government,
and this great stream of corruption is
now the life blood of II party held to-
gether by the cohesive power Of public
plumber.


Congress is not only keeping the
government disorganized and the bus
mess of the country unhingcd and per
picked, but it is also unsottiing the
morals of the country. 1t proclaims
to the world the sanctty of bonds, OBJ
legations and contracts, and at the
same time, under the influence and by
the action of its party friends, many
OF the States which make up the I'm
ion, have dcfrsuded the public crcdi-
tors by forcing them to take dcpreca-
ted paper in return for the coin or its
equivalent, which was given for their
bonds. Going still deeper in dishon-
or by its laws, the debtor who may have
received coin or other consideration
equally valuable, and who has in sol.
emn covenant agreed to pay i'll coin, is
allowed and encouraged to violate his
aith and to compel. his creditors to
AXE debasea paper.


Is it strange that in the face of these
things our credit is tainted in the mar
kcts OF the world, and that our bonds
sell for less than those of the Turks.
Ii the morality of the citizens of the
country is undermined, if the faith of
the States making up the Union is dis
honored, where is the security of the
national credity The late Republican
State Convention expressed its horror
Of reputation Will its members OK
plain the villainy which forced the cred
tors of this great commercial Safe t.
paper at one time worth but 80 cents
On the dollar? This was done in the
face OF ehtreatics from a Democratic
Governor not to dishon0r New York
md in opposition to the vote Of every
Democratic Senator. Will these men
explain the indecency of an official in
mother State who insulted q foreign
,reditor for asking money as good as
hat he had loaned to the second State
If the Union? Yet its Republican
legislature refused to rcbuke the indie
,ent action and this indecent official.


Gov. Semour then went on to speak on
he financial question. He advocated the
payment of the debt in gold. He then
aid


/ go against this Congress for its
crimes aud above all for those which
t is now perpetratine against the liber-


les Of the people and the sauctity of
he judiciary. While we sit here they
lrag the Chief Magistrate of our coun-
ry, who has been stripped Of rightful
power, and shackltd with humiiiatiny
'estraints, before tribunal which de-
reed his sentence before the charges
lgainst him were framed. And what
ire these charges? lie dared again t
brutal and indecent statutory insults to
Ippeal to judicial tribunal He dared
% do his duty and warn the people
against the iollies and crimes of their
legislators. This Congress has declar-
I'd that to test its acts in the courts es-
tabiishcd for that purpose, is a crime,
md that freedom of speech is q high
When the President
entered upon his duties, he took
solemn oath that "to the best of his
.bility lie would preserve, protect and
lefend the Constitution of the United
Strtes." For trying to do this accor-
ling to his conscience he is impeached.
II this high officer may not appeal to
he courts, il he may not at all times
BY speech or writing, warn the people
)fthc dangers which menace their
rights and liberties. what protection is
here for the humble citizen2 We are
not left to inference. Men have been
arrested without warrant, have languish-
I'd or died in prisons without trial, and
N many instances have never known