Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-02-21


facts previously admitted, or previously known Il
exist.
Had this rule been observed, the authors of tbi'
report might have remembered that the oppressive
tax on the cotton growerpaid in the shape Of duties
was in some measure repaid him by market fol
| $4,000 bales Of his cotton in this country every
! year, which market he could not have without the
tax. 1t might have occurred TO them, that the
grower of grain, who paid his proportion Of the duty
on protected articles was not badly off, since lac
found in those "princoly establishments" spoken Of
| a market for his flour, pork, and beef, which with
out those establishments furnishing market, might
| have rotted on his hands. They might have
/ thought that the immense emigration to, and vast
Improvement Of the West facts worth atten-
ton in asceraining whether the West was oprfes-
scd by the tariff in way too grevous TO be borne.
Far be 1t from me to assert sir, that these facts
would have puzzled the gentlemen. only mean
to say, sir that vulgar and coarse minds would have
been beler-satisfed with the report, had sohe no.
tico been taken ofthem
Before lake leave Of the subject wish to notice
few other difficulties which oppose the considers
alton Of this bill at tins time, and which spring from
source that will not be dlsregardcd by the maDr-
~ Of this House. II will be sren that the b II pro-
poses reduction Of our income, within the next
eighteen months Of seven millions. a very consid-
cradle portion Of tbs reduction falls on th1 receipts
Of the present year. Tho question | ask here is
this Can the treasury bear this curiailmcnt Of its
resources now! To answer this | appeal to an
authority which for these last two years has never
been questioned or doubted by the gentlemen who
present this bill TO the House. alude to the an
uual report of the Secretary Of the Treasury made
on the 9Th Of December last
The receipts into the Treasury from all sources,
during 1887, estimated at 100000 dollars /
quote the very language of the report. Gentlemen
will find am right, by reference to Document No
9 of this session, page 4. Alter enumeranp the
various sources (srch customs, public lands, &c.
from which this amount is derived, the Secretary
proceeds to compute the amount of expenditures
for the present year. / shall give his own language
from the present document, pages:
"The expenditures for all objects, ordinary and
extraordinary in 1887, including the contingent of
only 100000 for usual exccsses in appropriations
beyond the estimates, arc computed at S26, 100 S3i
provided the untXpended appropriation at the end
Of this and tie next year remain about equal.n
Here gentlemen VIII see that, instead of reducing
the revenue doua to the wants of tho Government,
our income, from all sources, in 1887 fails short Of
our oXpenui uros, as estimated, nearly S3000OOO
If the Secretary is right, (and wall the gentlemen of
the majority be so bold as to say he is wrongly then
The effort should be made to increase the taxes TO
raise the up to the actual wants Of the gov
ernmont And, sir if it were not for the FIVE mil
lions, which are kept in reserve for extraordinary
demands on the Treasury by the Depositc bill Of
last year, according TO the calculations IF Mr.
Woodbury., we should be compelled now io in
crease the duties foreign merchandise duriu1 the
present year, or borrow money TO meet The de-
mands on the treasury. Let us see what the Sec
rotary further says on page Of the same report.
again quote his own words:
"From these calculations ii will be seen that if
the outsta nding appropriations unexpended at the
close of 1887 be as large as at the close of 1856 and
the Other expenditures should agree with the above
estimates they would exceed the computed revenue
accriUng from all sources nearly S30000O0 or stf-
fcien to absorb Than half Of that part Of the
present surplus which is not deposited with the
several states. But if these outstanding appropla-
tons at the close of 1887 should be much less than
l,u. CHI IL
receipts be much less, or the appropriations made
fol 1897 much larger than the estimates, call will
become necessary for portion Of the surplus depo-
slled with the Suites, though it will not probably
become necessary, except in one of those events"
In the extract ! have read the Secretary has
quite distinctly told us that the probability is we
shall not only absorb all the accrung revenue and
the five millions not deposited with the States, by
The expenditures of 1887, but that the States will be
called on 10 repay portion Of tie money deposited
with them, TO meet the wants Of the Government
during the present year. How, SIR, does the policy
OF reducing the revenue as proposed IN this bill,
agree with this state Of things? Pass the bill. sir
and IN eighteen months, it is said, you will in
the pockets of the people seven millions, which
would otherwise be drawn from them by the laws
now in force. And in the same time, you place
any confidence in the Secretary Of the Treasury,
you will be compelled to take from the people of the
States (who are to have the use Of the money de-
posted with them,) an equal amount If not more.
W nat u pltCe OIL DuHhlInp lugglery would
this be You simply take seven millions out of
one pocket OF the people and put ii into the other,
and grayey tell them you have saved 10 them seven
millions Of money by the process. Sir, the people
OF the States are not to be thus deceived Let them
look to tins measure and ats results. 1t is de-
signed to bring about state Of things which will
compel call on them for the surplus revenue de-
posted with them, and which l happy TO see
their legislatures are using 10 the general advantage
Of their constituents.
he &c III c
will tell me his con lectures and calculations are
not to be relied on. Shall l receive that answer
from the gentlemen composing the majority heie?
Whose authority Is 1t that Is thus TO be condemned?
The very man whose behests have been laws to the
committee OF Ways and Means ever since have
had the honor TO 30 one of them. Sir have OBJ
served that II has been thought by that committee,
not only unwlse, but even conlumacious factious
rebelllous TO oppose any demand, TO doubt any
view taken by the Secretary Of the Treasury -
Nay, sir, have thought sometimes that his friends
on that committee considered II conclusive evidence
OF essential Vulsariiy 1t was proof with them that
4 man had not seen good society,"" If he presumed
10 question the proprlety of any estimate or any
rcquisitiOn coming from that high and responsible
source. So prevalent were these opinions, that
fear that have sometimes yielded my assent 10
appropriations merely to preserve my character
for "gentiity" with the "hGnt ton" who compose the
majority here, as they DO IN the committee Of
which am member.
How is 1t, then, that we arc now to dismiss all re-
gard to The suggestions OF this officer? Has not the
President certified you that nc has discharged his
duty with great ability and great fidelity DO We
not hear his friends every where oxtolling HIM TO
the skies for prodigy Of financial wisdom? Did
not the President select hu, for hi great and CON-
prohensvc knowledge Of ihal most perplexng Of all
sciences-?olitcal economy for his large and &C.
curate acquaintance wirh the channels Of ,rade and
The sources ofnatonal wealth Surely no one Of
the majority viii doubt this Now, sir, what res
poot is paid TO his opinions, his Official opinions
by the bill and report your table! True, il can
moi be denied for the President has said it is SUI
that he has dischal ged his duty with fidelity! Is
not unkjnd, then, IN MS own friends his "mlnisternr
servants Of the Ways and Means, TO treat his la
bors with such cruel indifference? See him day
and night watching the various currents Of trade,
that bring Wuah 10 the peonlp aud rev.p,,c IN tl