Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-07-12

sislent denial Of Congress to raise by taxation
revenue sufficient to restore the failing credit OF
the Government, and thus, TO no small degree
lessen the burdens Of the war. The people have
cried out for taxation, the press has demanded it,
Secretary Chase has again and again called upon
Congress for revenue. But with blindness al
most besotted, Congress has refused continually
to raise a revenue that should be equal to one
haIfof the public expenditures. The consequence
has been, what any statesman Of the least sagac-
" could not have failed to see, that the credit Of
the Government has been, in fact, constantly dep
recaling, and two and one half dollars OF Govern
ment money are now required to buy the same
supplies for the army and navy that one dollar
would buy three years ago
Secretary Chase's resignation was unqueslon-
ably owing in great measure to this refusal Of
Congress to tax-tax everything from which rev.
enue could be derived, but especially the vices
and the luxuries Of the people, SO that those who
persist in evil habits might be made to pay some.
thing for the support Of the Government. Not
wthstanding this continual call for taxation, Con
gress has turned a deaf ear to it, aud shskey is
let off as lightly as possible.
The Travellers Washington correspondent,
Philip, under dae Of June %, writes as follows;
Mr.. Chase could not persuade the Conference
Committee on the Tax bill to lnterpose a tax OF
Two dollars per gallon nOW, but they have agreed
to put on an upward movement and will help
the Government 10 money by and by. 1t gives
the manufacturers < cd chince for speculation
too, for on all that can BE- Manufactured between
this and next year, only the tax LOO applies,
and after the first Of next February the tax will
be two dollars, leaving profit Of fifty cents per
gallon. If the tax had been instantly applied it
would have added largely to the income Of the
Government, but the fact that such a vast quan-
tity OF =" stock on hand is exempt would pre-
vent the Treasury from reapng an immed ate adj
vantage from the imposition oflhe tax.
The whiskey spectators are in high glee, and
they abound in all parts of the country. An hour
before the Conference Committee left its rooms
yesterday twenty or thirty agents Of whiskey
holders, from all parts oil the country, were 10
attendance waiting for the decision, and when at
last the doors we're opened the members comprIs-
/ Jog the Conference Committee and the clerks TO
the Finance and Ways and Means Committee
we're beseged. Some men are sharper than
others, and some doubtless have good friends in
Committee, ard it is well known fact that Ger
tain spsculators have been very successful 10
ascertaining what the action of the committee
would be.
That such things can be written with any truth
of the representatives of the people, who are en-
trusted with the power of providing revenue to
meet the current expenses of the Government
and whose refusal to Iaise that revenue beggar,
the treasury is humilatng enough What pos.
slble interest could have suffered by taxing whs-
key two dollars gallon None but that Of the
whiskey manufacturers and dealers, who would
thus have lost the chance Of making the money
which Government ought to have had TO replen-
ish lean and hungry exchequer and this is but
one instance on, of many where Congress has
refused to tax what could well enough have borne
the burden,
There can be no simpler or more evident truth
than that the nation that pays its debts in one
direction by borrowing in another, must very
soon ruin its credit; and this becomes still more
patent proposition, when its Indebtedness is in
ere sing at an alarming rate all the time, II Con.
gress had early acted on the suggestion that Sec.
rotary Chase 30 often made, that the revenues OF
the Government must be made at least equal to
half its expenses, gold could never have got
above fifty per cent premium, if indeed it could
ever have reached that figure. The public debt,
instead Of being now seventeen hundred millions
or more, would not have exceeded one half that
amount, and the expenses OF the Government
which are already nearly three millions day,
would have been much less than two millions day
and the country would have been more than a
thousand millions OF dollars richer to-day, aside
from this decrease in its indebtedness, in the
money individually saved, but which has now
gone to pay for the enhanced prices of all articles
Of commerce.
As we stated las, week, we regret exceedingly
the fact, which has been asserted, tina, Mr.. FEs-
SENDER, the new Secretary, is opposed to Mr.
CHAsE's scheme Of improving the national credit
by taxation. We are confident that such taxa.
ton j, the only SURF remedy for the depreciation
Of the government currency. A decisive victory
would, undoubtedly, send gold down, but victories
cannot be made sure, and taxation can. And il
we are defeated before Richmond, what then I
Where would gold stop after such an event
What folly is ii TO leave our currency where a
disaster in the field would be more fatal to the
finances Of the country than to the army itself.
The course Congress has taken on this question
of adequate revenue, has amazed, as well rs dis
appointed us, as well as it has the whole coun
try. It has really done as much damage to the
national cause, both al home and abroad, as would
have happened it Grant had bsen driven back
across the Rapidan. 1t has aided the rebellion
more than all that Vallandgham, aud Seymour,
and their whole crew could have accomplished in
HE time. |, has struck at the very heart of the
national credit and il The nation survives the blow
AS we believe it Wilt will be only because
the people will NJ sooner consent to suffer the re-
belliono succeed through the foolishne.s Of Con.
gress, than through the srm. of tniiors. The
nation will live, not because Of Congress, but in
spite Of it.
| .. -,
The President, in accordance with the Joint
resolution of Congress, has issued a proclamation
appointing The fret Thursday ct August next
es day Of humiliation and prayer ior the PEG