Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-09-27
"a FINANCIAL ARGUMENT AGAINST
RAISING MORE TROOPS BY THE
STATEu

mus tho Freeman chafactefizes an article
Of ours, and makes IL tho text for long SER
mon. The freeman scurns the financial ar
gumcnt. As a matter Of feeling this is per-
feotly correct Patriotism is better than
pence. Our country, at whatever cost, must
be preserved. We, too, soorn the financial
argument whenever il comes against a thor
ough prosecution Of the war; we respect it
against every expenditure tina, is uncalled for
by those who have the responsibility Of con-
duciing the war, and against every improyi-
dent or extravagsnt expenditure. As mat
ter Of feeling, we repeat, this scorn Of the f.
nancial argument is excellent. We have
scornod il, scorn il now, and intend to scorn
II to the last - not by words merely but by
deeds. We will tell the Freeman how we
have scorned it: it is by putting all Of our
disposable personal property into the State
and National loans. When the State called
for the loan Of million Of dollars, we gave
the Treasurer every dollar we could raise
Within the past week we had little more to
dispose Of, and our frat step was to inquire
whether Vermont wanted IL the Treasurer
did not want IL now. and so we invested in
the National loan. Our own rule is to take
the State an in preference to all Others and
at par. We have urged the people to do so,
even in preference to the United States bonds
which pay higher interest and we do it
because in our judgment it is Of the highest
importance to maintain the credit of Vermont
and retain its capital within the State. five
do not do that. onr bonds will run below par,
and he Taxpayers toiH hrrc 10 suffer the shave.
Now let the editor OF the Frccman show his
scorn Of tho financial argument in that way
let the people do it and then they will be
able to see the financial argument in our
point Of view matter Of judgment, and
not OF more feeling. Feel as we will about
il, our judgment and our pockets have got to
meet the financial argument. We fancy our
neighbor Of the Freeman will have to meet it
in that way, officially perhaps at any rate
the taxpayers have got to meet it. SO let us
exercise ltle judgment as well as feeling
little prudence as well as patriotism. Or
rather, put them both together and harmo-
nize 'hem in judicious and efficient action.
1t was the action Of the Governor which
gave rise to this discussion. Our opinion is
that the Governor should promptly have plcdg-
cd Vermont to the Union for every man and
every dollar it could raisc--as we think he
has done and then VIC think he should have
redeemed that pledge promptly and Efficient
y, responding to every demand Of the FEEDER
al Government 10 its fullest extent We
hold the Federal Government responsible for
the conducting Of the war and we suppose
Gen Scott and the Secretary Of War to be
the very men to know how many troops are
wanted and when they are wanted therefore
we think the Governor should act in subordi-
nation to the Federal Government. And SO
we suppose be has done. hut beyond that,
the Governor is responsible to the State. lie
was authorized to raise SIX regiments only /;
and he has done so. or rather is now raising
the sixth. Perhaps, as the time Of the first
las expired he may raise another to take its
place We would not qubble about his au-
thority: IL the Federal Government wonts
another regiment, by all means let the Gov
crnor raise tho seventh. Hut our opinion is
that hc ought not TO step unnecessarily in adj
vance Of both the demands Of the Federal
Go, ernmcni and the authority Of law. That
is the opinion the F.e1na" is objccting to-
We have raised the financial argument against
it. TO wit: that every regiment costs the State
$4,000 per annum, which is TO come out OF
the people Of the State 10 nd idion 10 HcirfuH
gnoti Which Usg ioH hprr 10 pay 10 the fc}er-
al 7rerut,y f,r This ,r1r. The Freeman objects
to this argument "Oh We nave money e.
nuugh ---l-t us pour il out. The State has
furnished The means; let the Governor make
haste to spend it," That is the argument Of
the F,cepan Well, II tae premises were
true, wc think the money should be expended
wisely We think it need not and ought not
to be spent unnecessarily or foolishly. But
/ the premises are not true. The State has net
furnished the means. IL has authorized the
borrowing Of a million Of money but that
does not produce the money. We saw the
list Of subscribers to the million loan after
the time for subscription had expired, and Of
the flty and odd thousand voters OF Vermont
we found that less than fifty had subscribed
taken. we found only one-ffth of that sum
The Treasurer has got little more since, and
with tho aid Of money refunded by the Fcde-