Year: 1870


s258, 900, 900 Of dollars Of your bur-
dens in the last four years.


But with all the indignation mani
tested by Democratic leaders over the
high rates of taxation, and all their
zeal to have the people relieved Of
them, we find that when the Repub-
licans in Congress, last winter were
proposing to reduce the tariff on tea
and coffee and sugar and other arti-
cles, every Republican voted aye, J"
and every Democrat except two in
the Senate and six in the House voted
4" no.N The reason, they said, was
that they did not like the details.
They never do like the details OF any
thing. No matter what the Repub-
licans proposed, if it was liberty for
the oppressed, they didn't like the
details. If it was equal rights in
your courts, equality before the law
for every citizen, they didn't like
those details; if it was reducing the
Internal revenue taxation, they didn't


like those details: if it was doing JUS
tice TO all men, they didn't like those
details; there never was a detail of
anything Republicans proposed that


SNAAAbNAeAAo AAA INT


Mr.. Colfax then discussed the DEM
ocratic plan for paying the bonded
debt in greenbacks, showing that that
could not be done first, because pay
ing one promise to pay with another
promise TO pay was no payment sec
ond, because the solemn faith Of the
nation was pledged that no more
greenbacks should be issued; and,
third, because q majority of the Su-
preme Court of the United States had
decided that no greenbaeks could be
issued, even in time of war, that
would be legal tender for debts pre-
viously existing, and the Court was
unanimous in the opinion that in
time of peace a greenback could not
be made legal tender for debts pre-
viously existing. He also discussed
the question Of taxing government
bonds. This could not be done: first,
because when the bonds were issued
the government made a solemn prom
Use that they should not be taxed ;
second, because the Supreme Court
has five times decided unanimously
that a State or a city cannot tax the
obligations of the government.


He then went at considerable length
into the history Of the Democratic
party as connected with the rebellion,
showing clearly that they were alone
responsible for the war and the debt,
and the consequent high taxes about
which they grumble so much. He
closed as follows:


When we came into power slavery
ruled in this land OF ours it dOmi-
mated in Congress; it controlled Pres
idents; it muZZled pulpits; it broke
the power of every party that dared
to speak against it. Ne grappled
with it. With one hand we grappIed
with the rebellion, and with the other
with slavery. We broke them both
down with the aid Of patriotic men
of all parties in regard to the war, but
without the aid Of any Democrat in
regard TO slavery. But we broke it
down, and our Constitution, shining
with the glorious principles Of lib
erty for all, Justice for all, protection
for all, down to the feeblest, the poor
est, the humblest man in all our linn
its, will stand in all the ages to come
as an enduring monument of what
you Republicans of Bartholomew
county and your fellows have done
for this country we love.


For my part thank you for what
you have done. Ny heart goes out
in gratitude to God that He has
strengthened US for this work. l re-
jOiee in every fiber and sinew OF my
system that 1 have been part and par
eel with you in this great work, and
when I return to the shades of pri-
yate life, to which 1 am determined
to retire, I shall rejoice in all the years
to come that il was my fortune in
public life to stand elbow TO elbow,
shoulder to shoulder, heart to heart
with, against all our enemies, to ae-
cOmplish these noble measures for our
country and our eOuntry's prosperity.


And to you, Democrats, if have
spoken to you the words OF truth and
to-day, If I have told you
the truth, what your conscience and
your judgementtell you is unquestiOn-
ably true, only ask you, as sincere
men, honest, patriotic, liberty-lOving,
justice hOnoring men, men who care
for your country's prosperity, its good
faith, its honor, its good name, its
credit, its reputation, its brilliant
deeds in the past, and its brilliant re-
cord in the future, join with US in this
great army, that hereafter your hearts
may rejoice as ours rejoice to-day.
I Applause.