Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-11
MOrtester Daily Spp.
Massachusetts and the War Burdens.
SPEECH OF
HON. ALEXANDER H. BULLOCK, SPEAKER
u, tho Ho,,eo Of Psnresonto,;,,e, A nrJ 10
In the House Of Rep


quently painful alterations OF hope and doubt,
at one time darkened by general depression,
but OF late become luminous by series OF
achievements which promise the happiest re-
suits, it has been our duty throughout the
whole to attend patiently to the interests of
our own commonwealth. That duty, need
not say, has been discharged with an unusual
degree OF harmony among ourselves. One of
the last of our public acts is now under con-
sideratiOn, and upon that we are all agreed
which is to, levy the tax. All the other assur.
ances of war have been spread out so long
and so wildly, that our senses have become
accustomed to the scenes passing around us.
Without conditions we have urged the general
government to furnish appliances for the con-
hct and upon the able, patriotic, and ener-
getc chief magistrate OF Massachusetts we
have conferred full authority for every form
of expenditure which the service might re-
qure. We have met the eXigency without
reservation. But now il is that another evi.
denee of state of war cOnirons us, and de.
mands our recognition and action. The bills
are coming in; the debt is to be provided for.
The bills are many, and the debt will be large;
but they are upon us, and must be met
And here let me appeal to the representa-.
tives, and through them to the people OF the
state, not to overlook one consideration which
may well furnish ii sOlace amid the public bur
dens. Since war has been forced upon u.s.
war of such dimensions that in comparison
with il all our previous experience passes into
an eclipse,-we ought to regard it as some
compensation for The sacrifices required of u.s.
that the conflict is removed from our own
doors. In the commencement OF the contest
and in one of his last public addresses, Mr..
Douglas justly eXhorted the government to
act with such vigor, that it should be var in
the cotton fields OF the south, and not i'll the
corn fields OF the north. That has been ac.
complished And when the people OF Massa.
chusetts look about them aud contemplate
their own condition,-ther fields and marls
and workshops comparatively undisturbed,
the ordinary channel and current of their life
if impeded not closed up, their institutions
under free and fall progress, their domestic
tranquility not mOlested and compare all this
with the waste and dcs0laIion which have
swept the field of operations in the states upon
the border,-certainly they cannot fail to ap-
preciate the beneficent providence which has
tempered the severity OF their burdens with n
mercy CT divine economy. The war produces
embarrassments here; but there are states
where it makes solitudes.
In our discussions concerning the public
debt and taxation, whether here or in the
country, | deem it OF high importance that we
should avoid all extremes OF sensation, Some
there are who speak Of national bankruptcy
while others treat our uneXampled expendi
lures as a light matter, not likely to produce
any apprecable Inconvenience TO the people
Both classes of persons are i'll my judgment
equally unsafe guides. The accumulation OF
debt which is now unavoidable, is uuprece-
dented in its magnitude but it will be met,
and we shall not become bankrupt
We ought not to attempt any disguise of the
magnitude Of the present expenditures. They
fnt n1,,
pie of which we have historical information
War, at all times expensive, has been rendered
doubiy eXtravagant in our case, by the sur
prise and the eXigency which demanded I'M
mediate OUTLAWS, without the benefit OF that
order and system which can only be realized
when there is time for deliberation aud prcpa.
ration. Waste and fraud also, have doubtless
done their full share to swell the amount. At
this moment no man in the country can have
any exact idea of the rate at which we arc
massing the debt There is a discrepancy be.
tween the secretary OF the treasury and the
gentlemen OF the ways and means, and doubt
if any two Of the latter would state the matter
in the same figures. Averaging these author
tiles, we might find that our expenditure will
amount to S900,000 600 or 5000, 900 600 by
January next, and to 1920, 100000 by July
following. | see it stated by Il member OF the
senate that we are expanding at the rate of
thirty dollars a head in loyal population of
twenty three millions while England at the
height of her war with Napoleon did not 20
beyond twenty dollars per head | do not
know how such statements in detail may cor
respond with the actual facts but it is Ger
tam that tile accumulation OF our disbIrse
ments is without a parallel. The greatest
stride that was ever made in the British
debt was from 1903 to 1915, period of
twelve years, during which England con
Quoted the battles Of tile nationalities of
Europe, increasing her debt in that time q
little more than 81 500000,000. And who of
us all would not be willin'; to-day to close in
advance the final account OF the pre- sent
war, by estimating the cost OF the sub
jugaton OF the rebellion and tie recovery of
Tie public liberties, from April, 1861, to April,
1868, to be no more after the lapse OF two
years, than that of Great Britain at the ex-
piration OF twelve years Such rapidty and
extent OF Indebtedness as this would have
baffled the powers of any European govern
ment recorded in the annals OF time. IT mt
the commencement OF this century the British
ministry had promulgated its intention to ex
pend thousand five hundred millions in
resisting for two years the arch foe of The
peace and stability OF the Island, solemn
and profound was the sense OF danger
and OF duty which pervaded the minds of
EnglishmeD, verify believe the keys OF office
would have fallen from the hands OF admins.
tration in thirty days. The American people
and the American people alone could be called
upon to cope with the grand problem which
in the lorelluowledge Of God has been reserved
for our time ard our country, Believe not
that we are to sustain these burdens, and not
have care aud thought engraved upon our
faces. The day Of severe fact is before u.s.
Nevertheless, the analOgles OF our experience
the miracles OF our history, the conhguIation
of our land richest OF the earth and made for
empire, the knit and compacted character of
our people, built up on Teulonic foundations
yet flexible with the capacities OF all choicest
nationalities, the gloom and despair of our IA
theirs turned to hope aud frullion before they
slept, move us forward with inspiring belief
that what would have discouraged other ma
tons is in our case Il praeticality which sin
gle generation can crown with performance
We are entering then upon an era of ma
tional debt. Great wars always bequealh
such legacy to succeeding peace. This gov
eminent is running an account which cannot
be liqudatcd in ten years, perhaps not in
twenty and it is right that it should be So
We are struggling for the patriniony OF our
children, aud some portion OF the cost will
Justly descend TO them with the blessings of
the purchase. hear it sometimes said in the
street that public debt is public good but
such remarks always appear to me Us tile i'm
pulse Of unredectng minds. It was never
clear to my comprehension how debt could
be a benefit In his opinions upon that sub
ject Hamilton in his youth possessed at least
the wisdom Of Burke in his age Aud vet
the history OF Great Britain, and of our coun.
try ms we'll has shown that national debt if