Year: 1868

Last night, the joint discussion De-
tween General J. c. Veatch aud Hon.
w. E. Niblack. opposing candidates
for Congress in this Congressional
District, took place at Turner Hall
The large hall was filled to overflow
ing by members of both parties,
and large number of Ia
dies were in attendance. Ac-
cording to previous arrangement, Gen.
Veatch spoke first. He was intro
dueed by His Honor, Mayor Walker,
who asked on the part of his Demo-
cratic friends a patient hearing. Gen.
Veatch, on making his appearance on
the stage, was received with round
after round of applause, and proceed
ed at once. when quiet had been re-
stored, to address the people. We
cannot, give either speech in full. but
will give full summary. On taking
the floor, Gen. Veateh said:


/ GENTLEMEN AND LADIEs-It af-
fords me a great deal of pleasure to
/ address such large audience as this,
and [ hope that all will keep as quiet
as possible during the discussion of
! the evening. | have known Judge
i Nlbiack for long time, and am glad
/ to say that he is kind and courteous
gentleman. la speaking of him |
shall do so, not as a private citizen,
J but as a public man, whose acts are
/ the subject of criticism by all.


Now, our country is suffering from
a great debt. On that question there
is no difference of opinion between
my friend and myself. We both agree
also that the debt must be paid, but
as to the mode of paying that debt
there is wide difference. As to the
manner or mode of paying that debt,
the Democratic party Is inharmoni-
Gus. In the West it is proposed to
i pay it eff by the issue of greenbaeks.
This is the argument of the Democ-
racy out West. while different plan
is proposed East. This plan of the
payment Of the National debt is not
recognized in the platform of the
party. adopted at New York. My
friend insists that it shall be paid by
the issue of greenbacks. but how can
you show that the debt is re
duccd by the payment of the
bonded debt in greenbacks. It will
only be chang ng the character of the
Indebtedness, and not reducing it.
Democrats say that by doing so, you
avoid the payment of the interest on
the bonds, but by this change you
lose in the depreciation of the eur
rency all you gain in interest. This
is but a plan Of reputation; 1t L
give a man a note to bear six per
cent. interest, and at the end Of one
year tell him that [ will not pay but
three per cent, it is reputation to
that amount. [ may with the same
propriety repudiate q part of the
principal, as a part Of the interest.
But even on this Democrats are not
agreed. Some are In favor cf paying
all the bonds in that way, while
others are only In favor OF paying a
part, but the platform of the party
does not propose the payment Of the
debt iu that way. You Democrats
who propose to vote for Sey-
mour and Blair, on green
back platform, when no such propO-
/ sitition for the payment of the debt
is to be found in that platform, how
can you suppose that the people will
follow you off on that question? Is
/ Seymour in favor of the payment OF
the debt in greenbacks2 Let US see.


Here the speaker read from a
speech Of Mr.. Seymour, in which he
said it was wrong to pay the debt in
greenbacks that it was but step to-
wards reputation; that the PROPOSE
ton 10 pay any part of the public
debt in that way was but reputation,
aud that the people could not afford
tospeculate on the honor Of the coun-
try at so fearful a cost.I


Tell me now, how man can stand
up and vote Tor Seymour, when he
has pledged that if the party shall
come into power, no speculation shall
be made on the honor of the nation,
as he would call it, or, in other
words, that the public debt shall not
be paid in greenbacks.


But Hhat of the Democratic plat
form? My friend was not a mem Der
OF the committee that made that plat
form, bat Wade Hampton was placed
. on the committee on platform. Does
i that platform propose TO pay the debt
in greenbacks2 No, but in the law
fal currency of the country. My
friend, at the commencement of the
war, with other Democrats, said that
the mark OF Cain was on the green
backs; that their issue was uuconsti-
tutional. Now, why this charge? II
they were unconstitutional then, why
not so now?


/ There the Speaker read from a
speech of S. s. Cox, Democrat, who
/ declared he would not vote for the
payment of the debt in green backs. ]


Ny friend does. not like to quote
FROM Frank ?. Blair. For twenty
years lie has been opposed to, and
voted against the Democratic party,
and no until he had written that in-
famous Broadhead revolutionary let
ter, was be fit member OF that PARTY.
Then he became fit subject for
membership IN the party. Frank
Blair said that the tax question, the
| gceenback policy and ali that, were
small matters, but that the overthrow
OF the reconstruction policy of Con
gress was the all important question
now before the people, and for writing
this revolutionary letter he had re-
ceived the nomination by Democrats
for the second Office in the gift of
the people.


My friend says that the people are
outrageously taxed. What plan does
| he propose to avoid this taxation?
have called on him often to propose a
plan, or to tell me what plan
his party proposes to avoid this
faxatton. but he has in all
cases failed to do so. The only meas
ure he has ever yet proposed, is to
restore the Democrats to power.
/ . oIIooL;oa H.,