The Bitter Fruits Of Radical Misrule

The speech of Col. William M. Grosvenor at tho great Liberal nul Democratie. mitss meeting at ( 'olumlms, ühio, was one of the most powerful of the campuign. Tho following extracta relating to the condition of tho South, the erl'dit of tho carpet-bag rule, and the dungors liablc to re sult from the oonti'iunnce of tho present Adruinistration in power, are timoly und to the point : CONDITIOX OF TUK SOUTH. Could the people of thki SHtfl understand fully tho ooiulition nf the Southern yutes, and the effect of that oondition upon tho action of the Guvemiuent and of partió, I believe thoy wonld cast for the Kcform cause ths largest majority over given for any candidato. Let us first examine the coudition of those States, and tho wokirug of tho polioy thus for enforced by tho Republican party, in the light of cool, dispassionato, une.rring facts, drawn from the census and othor offici.il reports. You know already that in nine of those Status, those south of Virginia, Teuuessee, and Missouri, the Kepublicau party has attwupted to sustain Governments in whieh the great body of tax payers had small voice, aud froin which the men of experieuce and culturo were maiuly excludod. You know that stringent and harsh meaeures have been adopted in order to sustain thoso governmtmts. But do you know that in these States inuch of the property will not produce enough to pay the taxes lovied by the rulers whom our bayoneta sustain ? Do you know that hundreds of largo estates are looking in vain for purchastTsbeouuse nobody can afford to own thoin!' Do you know why iminigration does not go to the South, why capital shrinks from that unhappy land, why bitterness, discontent and unr-ertainty still prevail 'i Th facts will show. Wuon we speak of the debts of the Southern States, boar in mind that all the indebtodness incurred in aid of rebellion was repudiated. The people pay not a dollar for interest or principal of any debt incurred during the war. The iucrease since 1861 is wholly tho result of such governmcnt as bas been uphold aince the war undor the name and by the power of the Republican party. Having lost encrmous sums invested from their cuning8 and forevor sunk in war bouds, a peeple prostratod in their industrv huve beun burdened sinco the war closed, in the name of Itupublicanisiu aud peace, witli a new debt of over two hundred iiiillions of dollars. DEBTS OF TUE SOUTHEUJï STATES. In 1861 Noith Carolina had a debt of $12,689,245. Uobburs, who obtained power by calling thomstlve Kepublieaus, have swelk'd that debt to $34,887,464. Acts passed by shameloss bribory ; bondg sold at ten to thrrty cents on a dollar; officials hiiütily decamping with the proceeds ; a Statu with nothiug to show tor its iucreased debt - for even railroad companies were forcoJ to oompromise for a mere pittance the nominal valué of the bonds - these are the outlines of the pioturo. Tho Governor officially says (August, 1871): "The peoplo can not bear the nccessary taxation without being dopiived of thcir property, and, in gome cases, of evn the neceesaries of life." In consequence, the State had 6,500,000 acres of improved land in farms in 1860, and in 1870, only 5,200,000 acres , and the value of improved farms was $143,000,000 in 1860, and, in 1870, was only $78,000,000. While real estáte has lost nearly half its value, taxos havo risen froin 40 oents on the $100 to $1.80, or more than four-fold. In 1861 South Carolina had a debt uf $4.407,958. In 1871 the Governor admitted that there had been printod $28,680,000 of bonds and stocks, besides $2,500,000 of sterling bonds - how many have been sold, or at what figures no one knows. But the looal taxes were $1,200,000 in 1869, and $2,700,000 in 1870, an increase incroase from 27 cents to $1.50 on the $100. Is it 8trange the urea of improved land decreased oiio-third -from 4,500,000 acres to 3,000,000 acres ? Is it strange that the value of farms in this strickon State decreased from $139,000,000 to $45.000,000 : Think of it ! A loss of over two-thirds in tho ontire value of real estato, the debt increased six-fold, and taxs increased nearly the same ! Can any civilized ooinmunity look with fondness upon such a Government ? Florida, in 1861, had a dobt of $370,617 ; its debt in 1871 was $15,79787- having increased forty-fold. The Wtate taxes avoraged $83,000 par annum before the war, but in 1871 were $471,811. According to census reports, the local taxation increased from 23 cents in" 1860, to $1.50 on the $100 in 1870. In August, 1871 a convention of tax-payers deolared that " after the actual cost of jproduction, there will not remain in thelisuds of producers a sufficient amount to páy the taxes upon their proporty - thug leaving them without nieans of support for thoir families and employés for the ensuing year." The value of farms was sixteen millions in 1860, only ten millions in 1870. The debt of Georgia was $2,570,750 in 1861 ; how largo it was in 1871, no man knows. Bullock and his fellow-robbers aro fugitivos, and many yoars muy elapso before tho people know how large a quantity of bonds he carriod off with him The taxes have increased from 10c to $1 on the $100- just ten fold. Is it strange that tho number of acres of improvod land has decroased from 8,000,000 in 1860 to 6,800,000 in 1870, and tho valno of farms from $157,000,000 to $94,000,000 V Tho debt of Alabama in 1861 was $7,945,000. In 1871 it was $37,761,917, and aud a further indobtedness of $16,000,000 by indorsement of railroad bonds had been authorized. The t;txes in 1860 were $851,171, aud in 1870 they wero $2,982,932. The ratio of taxation increased from 20c to $2 on the $100 - just ten-fold again. In consequence, tho area of improved farms decreased from 6,385,000 acros in 1860 to 5,000,000 in 1870, and the value from $175,000,000 in 1860 to $67000,000 in 1870- a loss of nearly two thirds. IgThe debt of Mississippi has not been larjioly increased, only bocause repudiation provonted the sale of its bonds. But millions of acres of rich land have been given away by corrupt logislation. The cost of the State Government in 1860 was $350,000 yearly, and in 1870 over $2,000, .000. The total taxation was $954,806 in 1860, and in 1870 it was nearly $3,736,432 - a fonr-fold increase. Tho ratio of taxation incroascd from 20 cents to $2 10 on tho $100. Do you wondor, then, that tho acres of improved lsud decroased from 5,000,000 to 4,200,000, and the value from $190,000,000 in 1860 to $81,000,000 in The debt of Lousiana in 1860 was $11 - 000.000, and 1870 it was $25,021,734, with contingent liabilities of $15,000,000 moro, and county, city and local debts of over $27,0H),0(K). The entire looal Hxation in 1860 wus $4,960,780, and in 1870 it was $ 7,060,722. Tho ratio of tnxation cd from fl.10 to 3.80 on the $100. Aocordingly, the urea of the improved faruiH was 2,7OO,(MH) irt 1C60, and only 2,000,000 in 1870. Doos it surprise anyone that the value of iiuproved lands deoroased from $204,000,000 in lHfli) to $08,000,000 in 1870 - a loss of about two-thinis. Toxas had a dobt of f2,000,000 in 1861, and iu 1H72 it was 114,939,000. lts State Government cost $250,000 yearly in 1860 and $1,870,437 1870-71. The rate of taxation in 1860 w:is 115 1-2 cents on the $100, and in 1871 it was $2.25 on the $100 - an iucrea.se of over thirteen-fold. Accordingly, the aroa of lan.l in farms docreased trom twenty-five to eighteen niillion acr.s, and though the quantity of improved land increased, the valuo iell troin uighty-uight inilUcns in 18(50 tosixtymilüi.üs in 1870. One more State completes the shumuful record of mdarule in the uatnt) of loyalty. Arkaims had in 1800 a debt of tnly $2.084,17. In 1871 its debt was 17,998,000, and ita contingent iiabilities from aid of to railroads $11 .400 000 more. The ludí tuxation in 18ü' was $635,393, and in 1870 it was $2,8(i(i,8;)0. 'ine rate of taxation iuuroascd from 40 ceuts to $3 on the $100. Aocunlingly the area of farms deereased from 9,500,00 to 7,(500,000 acros ; the area of improved land from 1,900,000 to 1,800,000 aères.iuid thevalue of improved land from $91,000,000 to $40,000,000,- a loss of more than onehalf. Figures are tirosome I know. But do you not think such robbery and devastat ion must bo to the tax payers and land owuers inflnitely more tiresome 't And yet, after all these blesiings, the disloyal people of these States positively-efuse to vote the llepublican ticket! How strango it is that they will not lovo the paternal and beneficont governmeuts we have givou them ! 11 ut it will be said that these losses, frightful as they are, may be due to tho ebaage in the system of labor and to the devastations cl war. Let us see ' War raged longer and more nercely in Virginia, Knntucky, Tenuessee and Missouri than ïu any other States. It involved thure vastly gioator devusttition and loss. Yot in euch of these States except Virginia, the area of improved farms has increased siuce 1860, and in Virginia the decrease was only from 11,400000 to 10,700,000. In these tour States whero the war raged longest and deetroyed most, there wero in 18(50, .'12, 121,237 acres ii farms improved, and iu 1870, 34,823,087 acres. But iu the car pet bag States, where the war raged less, but loynl Republicauisin far more, the aggreg;.te quantity of improved land in farms was 38,598,776 acres in 18(50, and only 31,978,900 iu 1870, a loss of 6,600,000 acres, then productiva and profitable, tesming with industry, and adding to the national wealth, but how desolate, silent and tenanted only by a people who must be supported by the industry of others. In the four States which wero the rnain theater of war the value of improved lands in 180 was $1,165,249,727, and in 1870 it was $1,237,515,936, an iucrease in valuo as well as iu quantity But the remaining States, where Eepublican misrule bogan its devastation when the war ceased, the value of improved farms in 1860 was $1,207,587,857, and in 1870 it was only $545,377,915 - a loss of more than half of tho entiro value of real estáte ! Was there over in any land a more terrible prostration 't The aggregate local taxes in these States increased from eleven to tweuty-six milliong, while the assessed valuation decreased from $3,294, 000,000 to $1,404,000,000, so that the ratio increased from 30 cents to $1 .80 on the $1 00. While the States which the war devastatated most severely have actually gained both in area and valuo of farms, the States left to the tender mercies of Kepublican rule have lost 6,000,000 acres óf cultivated land and $662,000,000 in the value of farms alone ! ï.ocul Tiiv.-n. Assessed Valuation. 18M. 18iO. 1800. 18711. Alnbama 351,171 2,982,932 432,198,762 155,582,595 Arknniut .. 635,3113 2.866,8110 180,211,330 94,528 843 Florida ... 159,121 496, 1UC 68,929 6S5 82,480,843 lieorgia . .. 797,885 2,627,029 618 232,387 227,21!,.Ma I,iuiiinnn .4,!iU,TSli 7,O(iii,722 435 787,265 253,371.890 illssisaippi.. 954,806 3,736 432 50J, 472, 9 2 17,278,8lO N". Carolina 1 044,732 tfi 2, MM ;K.',L".J7,W)2 130,378,622 S. Carolina 1,280,380 2 767,675 489,319,122 183,913.337 Texas... .... 533,365 1,129,577 267,792,335 139,732 929 Total .11,217,539 26,020,232 3.291,241 .4081,404,487,468 CAKrKT-KAi; HL'LI:. Acres improved. Vulne improved limds. 1860. 1S70. ISO ■. 1870. Alnbama .6,385,724 5,062 204 175,824,622 67,739,035 Arfcin u ...1,983,818 1,159,821 91,649,773 4U.O2'),G98 Florida 654,213 736,72 ltr,435 737 9,947,920 Oum-gia .. 8,0112,75 8,881,866 1.17,O7'A803 04,659,438 r.ouisiaiwi.. 2,707, 108 2,044,640 204,789,662 68.285,421 MiS3lsippi..5,065,7M 4,209,146 190,760,867 Hl 716,976 S. l iruliuaO,517,2M 3,758,749 143,30 , 65 78,211,083 S. Carolina .4,674,060 3,00,699 180,053,908 41,808,7C8 Texas . 2,650,781 2,1)64,836 88,101,320 60,149,156 Tétal.... 38,598,996 31,078,966 1 207,587,857 546,377,914 THKATKll OF WAlt. Kentucky.." 644,208 8,103 8.30 291,496)55 311,238,916 Tcniuüsee. 6,795,.'t3" 6 843,278 271.358,985 218,743,747 Missouri... .6,146,871 9,130,615 230,(32,126 392,908,047 Virginia. .11,437,821 10,746,294 871,781,681 314,625,226 Total. 32,124,237 34,823,037 1,195,249,727 1,237,515,936 ln thU table, us in tbe precediug coinmeuls, Virginia und "Vrest Virginia are treated uu one, ior the sake of comparison with 1860. EFFECTS OF CAKPET-BAa RULE. , Do not all i ■ that this frightful prostration of industry, thisstagnationof enterpri8e, this destruction of values must affect the whole country 't We are driving iadustry from our richest región, because industry there can not pay its tases. Will capital ever seek a land whdre local government is little better than a machine for wholosale confiscation 't Can a people so hopeless and impoverishedl buy and sell ? Strip from the people of any state nearly all their personal property by war, and theri ry misgovernnient impose taxes which eat up all possiblo gains of industry, anud rob real estáte of half its value, and can you oxpect them to thrive and maintain profitable intercourse with others 't It is no light thing that tho country suffers a loss of productivo power measured by a decrease of 6,000,000 in acres, and $662,000,000 in value of improved farms - a sum one third as large as our whole bonded debt '. Ask Eastern manufacturers, ask the merchants of our great commercial cities, whether it enriches thom to have the people of nine great States iinpoverishod and their industry gtrangled 't To us in the Northwest this is a iuattor of serious personal concern. Along the great river, the main artery of our continent, thoro should be maintained tho most profitable interchange of producís. Noithwest and Southwest, fitted by nature tosupp'euie.it and benefit each other by mutual x chango of fruits of industry, togethor pray that no plunderer cotne betweon them, comsuming by taxes and robbery the substance of either, and separating those whom God had joined. But how can States so iinpoverished and prostrated bear their part in this natural and benef ioent commerco 't Does your wheat wandor far across the ocean seekiug a purchaser ? Do your grain and cattle fall in price ? An emancipated South would ncither lack immigration nor capital, ability to consume nor moans to purchase. Not only justice, but even personal selfinterest impels us us to dosiro that reconciliation, that revival of local self-governmeut, that return of genuino peaeo which may free the South of oruol burdens, invite industry and wealth, and revive betweon North and South a conimoroo greater and more bouuficent tliau ever These are the rosnlt.i of Grantism in those Status where the peculiar poace which ho gives us has boen most firmly cstablished. It' the picture is black, it is becauso the faets are black. But yoü will ask how such Governruents as these oaine to be cstablishud, iu the name of peace and iu thu nauiu of Republieanism, auywhero on tho American territory. Tliank Hoaven, such growths have uut been i.idigeuous to our sou. Hitherto, we bave muintained Govoriiments republican in tona. Whence carne theso poisonous and fatal weed 'i Where did wc get the seod of these Govermnents, uot of the peoplu, for the pcople, nor uy the people 't Did we briug it from the shadow oí personal goyernuietit in Frailee 'i Already, whuii Gen. Qrant camo into powur attempts to inaiuttün local govwiimentii by foroe had begnn to bear I frui'. Tbe people oaw it. They el liini üec;.use he proiuisod, instead oí wur and iï8 methcdí, peoe ai.d ils dom; ingtead oí' íjC', recouciliation, But bu lacked knowledgo und experienco. He (iiil nut knuw that the Republican party of the South was oontrolled by men who neitbar possessed nor deserved tho conride.iej of good citizeus. Iguurant of public uff.iirs, ho did not see thal siuh d party DMtet resort tot-xtreine meaaviros to hokt it3 power, uud, it' ïuaintained against popular censure by forte from without, wouid inuvitub.y become irresponsible and corrupt. Strango that a President should not know that ths riglits of Bepublicans ai of all good oitizcus ure gafer i:i the end ander local self-government. But he vvus a soldier only. btrange that any Kepubiican should bave tanend that the party could afford to sustain a ininority in power. But he Bever was posseEüed of a Kepublican idea . To him these Southern miserean ts were only leader of a party which had elect a him. To him their continued supremacy was bis only hope of re electiou. What happened? Tho knavos fcuud a President behiud them. What cared they then for the interests and wishes of tho peoplo r Pushed then to ïaeasures inore olEeusive and prácticos more corrupt, the party lost those who hud led it by intelligenco or oharactor, and retaiued those who lud it by knavery or official power. Corrupt and desperate uien pushed stiitesinen to tho rear, bec.uso place and power depended upon a President who loved sycophants and rewardcdsatellite:'. Whatfollows in any deoent comtnuuity wiien the party in power becomes rotten 'i Tuu people turn against it. " Horrible ! That is reviving rebeliam! The Kepublican party must be sustained. Give us laws moro severo, measures more desperate," ory the creatures who sti al the Republioan flag to hide their vilUiny. "What a glorious occusion for a brave far-seeing statjsman '. Had Grant been ono, had he remembered his plodges, had Ue denianded conciliation, and denounced robbers and their moasures of force - but Grant 't Just thon he was spurning the laws and msulting our bost statesmon in efforts to carry out his San Domingo job. To the best Kepublicans he must hive appealed for support in a policy of peace, and to them he would not appeal. The oarpet-bag Senators had stomachs for his job ; Schurz and Trumbull refused. To sustain his party at the South wj,s to win their votes for his renomination. To suffer them to be overpowered was to lose their votes in tho Sonate and electoral votes for his re election. A Rppublican statesmen v.'ould havo thought of the peac; of his country. A wooden iinitation of Louis Napoleon cared only for personal support. Thus uu Adminiatration, chosen becauso it proniised ] used its power to embitter citizens of the South towards Federal authevity, to deprive them of local self-governinent, and to sustain creatures who robbed them ■mder the shelter of the Republican name and the Union flag. Thus it is that organized pillago at the South has beconio the corner-stone of Republican policy. What is the superstructuro f A system of personal government and cenfralization which threatens all our libertios.