Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1844-08-02
HE WIGS AND THEIR MEASURES

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. end it to all:
HE WIGS AND THEIR MEASURES
l. Wiz % the knowledge of every intelligent
= llt when the Wing President, Gen. 1arr
% INTO Office, he found m empty Treasury
"ou1try burdened besides, by his predeces
nice, with debts, for the payment of which
-, ,arc had been taken, and revenue less thar
the cGrrent expenses of the Government, which
ALSO the " Democratic" administration had left I'm.
provided for.
An extra session of Congress- at the earliest
practical moment became inevitable, and proca-
nation to that effect was issued by President Har-
rison, soon as the state Of the finances came to
be with any certainty ascertaned.
Soon after issuing this proclamation, President
Harrison died; but his proclamation held good
and Congress having assembled, went to work to
provide temporarily for the necessities of the Gov
ernment by authorizing loans and the emission OF
Treasury notes, to amount sufficient to keep the
Government agoing until more permanent reve-
nue. could be devised.
At the regular session of Congress following. the
Wings went steadily to work to establish reve-
nue. for the support Of government. In this effort
they encountered the hostility of all the elements
of bold and confident minority, and received no
aid or countenance from the few friends the Presi.
dent had in Congress. The Government was in
the mean time becoming more and more involved
and its credit grow NJ daily less until it had hard
ly a dollar in the Treasury and its credit was so
far reduced, that an agent sent abroad.to Make a
loan, could find trace of it. after a dpent
search, but was laughed at by all Europe for his
pains.
In the face of every difficulty, the Whips laid
themselves out upon the work, and surmountinr all
impedinents, passed Tariff bill which the Pre-
sdent put his veto upon for reasons more excep-
tonable than even the exercise of the veto in such
a case.
Discouraged but not disheartened- upon
discharging their duty in the face of every obsta-
cle-thc Wings again put their shoulders to the
wheels Of the car of Government, by this time set
fast IN slough and at the TEN, orary sacrifice of a
cherished feature of their plan Of Government pas
sed another Tariff bill, which received the SIGMA
ture of the President became the tariff act of 1912
and at once set the Government machine again in
motion.
This is the only part of the ground plan of Wing
administration, which the Wings, whilst they had
a majority in both Houses of Congress, were able
to carry into elfect and they carried it against the
almost unanimous vote Of the ocofoco party, who
began, from the very day Of its passage, to threat
en- its repeal, ana have attempted to repeal it at
every opportunity they have since had.
The best commentary upon the policy of the
Wings, so far as it is embodied in this act, is
comparison between the condition of the Govern
ment and country when that law passed, and their
condition now.
THEN the Government was unable to borrow
money upon any terms. Now, six per cent stock of
the United States is selling at fourteen per cent.
advance on It's par value, and the Government could
without difficulty, borrow hundred millions of
do lars at less than 6 per cent. interest
Then, without dollar in the Treasury, the gov
ernment was dependent on fresh issues of Treasu-
ry Notes, (beow par IN the market) for meeting its
engaE ementS Now, there is an amount of eight
millions of dollars actually in the Treasury, which
will probably be increased by the first of January
next to surplus of Twelve Millions of dollars,
almost enough to eXtingush the whole debt created
by the last administration
Then, in every vocation in life, and in every
branch of industry and trade, visible stagna-
ton, dependency and dismay. Now, in all branch
es of industry, agriculture, commerce and manu-.
features, there is comparative activity enterprise
and prosperity.
1t is the policy which has brought about these
blessings that the Locofocos are bent upon destroy.
ing. 1t was against this policy that all the efforts
OF the leaders Of that party bent at the last
session Of Congress. 1t is against this policy that
they are wagng the most deadly warfare in sup
porting the election of Mr.. Polk, known to be op-
POSED to it, against Henry Clay, its earliest, steadl-
4 and most Jealous advocate.
Choose ye, People OF the United States between
Sc opposing candidates, and the antagonist prn
es which they represent