Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1814-12-26

out method more ccnformable to the
principles of our contribution, by which
that BODY can effect correction of I'm
proper difpolal of the public money, :han
by refuiipg to vote fupplies until the cohs
ititutiona. organ for the purpolc fhall
make enquiry where the fault relts, and
take meafures for its correction, This
rcfuiai to lanstion the fupplies by the
Senate, impo!es upon the houie OF Rep
reientatives to whom the contribution
commits the importanrtrut of enqpiring
into. and correcting abules. the neceflis
y of performing their duty in that refpett.
II was npon this ground alone tina, l
voted agaiua the tax bills in the fummer
|tefsion of 1873 was fully fa,is6ed by
Inflammation received from the higheit
authority, that moli unnecefary and
psodisal waite of public money exitted in
the expenditures of the war department !;
and was either ianctioned or not corrected
by thofe whofe duty it was to correct it.
| voted, therefore, for the loan bill to
iupply the prefent exigencies Of The gov
|ernmens, cui againtt he tax bills which
it wac contemplated lhould not come iato
operation for fix months, with the hope,
If iuceessiui in my opPohtion, that the
abufe W Md in he mean time be enqui-
red into and corrected The dctermina-
tion OF the fena;e was againlt me. The
tax bills patled. But in little more than
~ months after we became bankrupt |;
that is, the war department has been for
a considerable timc without dollar fub
jed 10 its difpo(al, and at a time too
when the public lunctionaries declare the
fcIources OF the country to be ample.
See the report of the lasc fccretary of
the treafury to the prefent feflion of Con-
gre(s the letter of the prefent fecretary
to the chairman of The committee of
ways and means, dated / 9TH OG. 1914,
and the fpeeches of the latter gentleman.
This refuIt does not certainly prove that
my conviction OF the waite OF public mons
ey was i'll founded, nor thar the nsceiIi,y
did not exit, to enquire into anc correct
the abufc. An individual who borrows
money upon mortgage of his eftate. if
ne lays on; the money judiciouAy in i'm
provemeats, will thereby ipcreaie his
ability to atrain fuppl,es ON the fame ie-
curity. But il on the other hand he cons
fumes the money thus obtained, in rcat,,
entertainments and preients to ,hofe who
will fupport himfe.f and friends at an
election, he will obtain every freth iupply
with encrealed difficulty until his couae
is entirely Roppeo.
The political atmofpheye Of our country
is 70 loaded with clouds and ,hreataing
in lis afl ect that ihould cers ainiy remain
at the poa aligned me, if conceived
that by remaining could be Of any iers
vice, whatever facriliee i, might csit me.
Bu:my opinions and views differ 70 radio.
ally from thole OF the, perions who cons
duct the affairs of the patton, and who
appear to be frongIy iupported by the
public icntiment of the nation,i and as
am contcious | pof-fs very faliable judgs
menr, but which, iuch as it is, mu/4 be
my guide in the performance ofmy public
duty, entirely independent Of and uncons
frouied by party, therefore conclude it
is belt for me to Withdraw fromthc fccne.
l have rhe honor to be, with the high.
eft confederation and efteen, your hum
bic fervant DAVID STONE.
His Exccllency Gov HAWKINS.