Year: 1860

more than the average that the demo
Gratis paid! They have, too, met
promptly every demand on the Treasu-
ry for current expenses, the entire in
terest as it became due to all the State
debt, and the payment of the public
debt as it became due, qchich the dem
ocrats' failed or neglected to do euery
gear since the organization Of the goy-
eminent, to the extent we have shown.


Thus do Democratic official records
prove fully, and more than prove, that,
with the most prudent management
possible, the people of Michigan will
have to pay direct taxes for years to
come, in consequence of this Demo-
cratic Folly and Neglect, and that but
for the folly and neglect of Democratic
administrations to pay the interests on
the loan and part-paid bond debt, there
would not now be any necessity for a
State tax of single dollar.


The Democratic folly, in not paying
the interest referred to, was more their
settled policy and design than neglect.
The facts warrant the assertion that,
during the last few years at least, it
was purposely adopted as the policy of
the Democrats in order to retain the
use of the surplus money in the treas
ury for the State officers acithout inter
est They wanted the free use Of the
funds, and they adopted and pursued
the policy of not calling in the part
paid bonds, I'M order TO secure the free
sese Of them. They would neither call
in these bonds nor provide for nor pay
the interests on them, nor pay interest
on the surplus. And not until 1854
did they ever pay any interest for the
surplus-and then only one per cent,
amounting to less than $1,000 in all.
So tenacious were those Democratic
State officers to retain the surplus ,oith.
out interest, that when, in 1853, when
Gov. McClelland held the helm OF
State, the Legislature passed law re-
quiring them to pay .tfce per cent, they
obtained repeal of it only three days
after its passage, and had the interes,
reduced to one per cent.-See Auditor
General Sweegles' report, Dec. l, 1858


The radical difference between the
policy and management of the Demo
cratic and Republican rulers in this
State, exhibited by the foregoing his
:orical and documentary sketch is tha,
the Democratic rulers under a system
of heavy taxation, with the sale of oul
works of Internal Improvement, and
by borrowing largely from the trus
funds, succeeded in getting into and
retaining in the treasury large bal
ance for long series of years, during
which time the State received compar
atively nothing for the use of the mon
ey, and the interest on the outstanding
bonds of the State remained unpaid
and the debt therefore accumulating
though the State had money which il
justice to our people and to the bono
holders, ought to have been regularl,
applied to the payment of interest
This policy of the Democratic party
pertinaoiously pursued during thei
continuance in power, not only had th'
effect of compounding the interes


upon our bonds until the same was &C
tually more than doubled, but it bega
extravaganza in our expenditures
which were entirely unnecessary to tn


successful operations of the govern
ment, and a reckless prodigality in th


allowance of claims to partizan favor
ties which could not be sustained b


the least show of justice or equity.


Whilst the Republican party, imme
diatcly on its accession to power


passed law stopping the interest al


ter fixed date upon the unadjuste


bonds of the State, thereby causing tn


prompt surrender and adjustment {
nearly the amount. They also at once
and as fast as practicable, applied tn
money in the Treasury, either to tn
payment of interest or the liquida,io
of the principal of the State indebted
ness, and portion of the money r,


ceived from the trust funds to the e,


tension of the Penitentiary and tn
erection of the Asylum works, imper;


lively demanded by the necessities {
3 our State and people. Also, to til
completion of the Agricultural College
: an institution that is destined soon I


be the most popular and useful institl


tion of learning in the country.


A searching investigation of I'll


foregoing facts cannot fail to justii


the conclusions to which we have a
| rived, and we know too we'll the d
: termined resolution of the people


Michigan, not to believe that they WI


in the most decisive manner, and on q
5 proper occasions, manifest their abho
: renee of the wrong, and their apprec


alton of the right.