Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-03


The provisions OF the law, it may be expected to
do better still. Even now the revenue derived
from this source is, as was expected, more impor
tant TO he Treasury than that from lmposts, and
both together are nos equal to any scale of ordi.
nary expenditure in time Of peace, and the pay
ment Of interest on a debt Of much larger mag
nitude than all We have yet piled up in the huge
sums required to maintain an Army and Navy
whose va'tness is only surpassed by that of the
th. alter over which they are displayed. Thus far
We have proven 10 our own people, at least, that
The interest bearing securities OF the United States
are solid beyond peradventure. They TEST upon
the stout shoulders Of the American people whose
ceiseless activity brings forth morJ wealth in one
year than any other people in three and whose
decennal increase OF population is six times
greater than that OF any nation in Europe.
The uslincreased value Of the national wealth
as actually taxed for each year, between the cen.
sus of 1850 and 1860, was $S04 ,SS2 ,554, while
our public debt according TO The estimate Of the
Secretary Of the Treasury, will have been increased
! # the war lasts 30 long, tor tie year July l. 1864,
to Jaly /, 1861 only Sj44 ,97s,559, and from this
sum there must be deducted the great augmer ia
ton OF the revenue proposed by the present bill.
II We pass this measure, without curtailing its
dimensions think it will be the pleasure Of
the House rather to increase than dmnis 81 them
we shall furnish proof that we can not ouly pay
interest on our public debt, whatever it is likely
to be, and the ordinary expenses Of the Govern.
nent in time OF peace, but that we shall contribute
handsomely toward keeping our current expenses
within moderate lmts-such limits as will con-
vince the world at large, as well as The most wea.
sen faced doublef among our own people who has
any lawful money holtded, that the people OF the
United States not only have the means but the Diu
to pay every bond they now I'VE, Or ever will owe,
prin ipa and interest In con- uncipped ard I'M
dimmed by postponement for single hour. The
public faith will be maintained al all hazards At
this moment the Government is supplied with
more gold than is sufficient for these purposes, and
is absolutely begging its creditors to accept pay
ment long in advance in order that it may be re-
leyed Of plethora Of goli, which, locked up, is
not only idle, but, BY derausing values, deiimen.
ta to the commerce Of the country. Let il be
known and understood that should the war be
closed by 1880, our present proposed scale Of
taxation will support the Government and pay of
the entire national debt n but little more than
ten years Let il also be known and understood
that our present large annual expenditure is not
equal TO our annual increased wealth. II any
gentlemen doubt this, invite them to the test OF
arithmetic.
What our present condition. When this war
commenced We had bat small number of war
vessels, less than one hundred oil to d. Since that
time, We have built or purchased ships, steamers,
iron-ciads, monitors, and gun-bOas, 70 that We now
htve one Of the finest nayes in the world, or in
round numbers over six hundred ssels We have
made or bought rltled cannon and cannon OF i'm
mense caAber with other field equipige, so that
our ordnance and ordnance slo.es are now abso-
lutely immense. We have made or bought rifles
and muskel', wagons and horses, almost without
humber Our Annie, are the largest and finest
We have ever brought tito the field, surprising any
ever known under the greatest war-captalns OF
the worlj. They are in position. Oar officers,
Weeded o ( the incompetent and those who have
no stomach for the fight possess the ooniider oe OF
the soldiers aud OF the country. All this has been
achieved OF graf labor and great cost, but il !,
al paid for. All the enginery OF war is ready,
and the first outlay has not 10 be repeated. We
have but to supply the means 10 keep ii in motion
aud to make good the wear aud tear Of its mighty
operations. With only ordinary prudence upon
the part OF commanders, the very weight of our
columns must driie the rebel armies rearward, and
with the dash OF the general who never fails 10
"m arch on their works." we are not to ssnauine
in expecting more important and crushing results
than any hitherto ycuchsaied to our arms
But let US sci our house in order financially, T
and we can Withstand even heavy disasters 10 the /
field DO not look Tor them, but would take I
a bond Of fate. With sound credit and with mill |
lary success We shall be indeed
"o'er all the Ills Of life victorious"
Let uss.ow to our enemies and to the world /
that We are stripping for the fight, and that fail
Is not an American word.
Bui TO carry on this struggle TO triumphant
termination, 10 sustain our finances, (the only SPOT
sssaillble on the United States msp,) there ars
duties 10 be performed by Congress, The utmost
economy 10 all Departments Of The Government
must be rlgidy insisted upon or We perish. Con
gress holds the purse strings of the nation, and IL
appropriations shall be made layishly or for any
but immediate and most pressing necessities, II
will be held TO fe rfu responsibility. We mu.l
not caH extraVagance generosity, nor economy
meanness' we have no treasure TO squinder. II
there oe any Joos or Ouncombe measures supposed
10 be necessary to be carried through in order to
secure reflections, the eountycan better dispense
With the services OF the sponsors Of such measures
uust mere are none such, and that there is no
member on this floor who hss not the courage to
sacrifice himself rather than the greatest good Of
his country. 10 force the Treasury to issue legal
iender notes 10 any way beyond the present lin.
i's-though the wages Of labor, though the pay Of
salated men and of the soldier should be increa..
ed--wouid result in disappointment and dissster.
" hen the business Of the county requires only
siO0,OO0,O00 OF currency an increase OF the
W lume TO S600,000,000 will buy no more prop
erty than the Si000O0,OOO while 1t ursettles The
values OF many times that amount Of property BY
increasing The price fifty per cent, Let US have /
taxes, let US have oans something, at all events
which will redu.e the amount Of legal tenders
now outstanding, and increase the yslue of the
pay OF the soldier.
1t is TO be hoped that the internal revenue bill
and some increase of the tariff will enable the Sec
retary OF the Treasury to obtain from loans all
unds which may be required for future wants,
and also to retire some share Of oul redundant
egal.tender issues.
lhere is one topic, sometimes discussed in a /
lone oil encouragement, Of sufficient Importance
to Jdstiy word or two Of comment for the salts.
action OF those who are not unwilling to accept d
oil truth, come from where il may. I
lhe large number of freedmen TO whom the re- 4
belllon OF their masters has opened new world, a
With new tasks and new duties has been sometimes G
propheticilly announced as likely to add to the t
burdens OF our loyal people who patriotically sus.
Iin the Government 10 the day which tries the 8
modern seat Of the soul-by paying O
rheerfully all taxes demanded, and then layi.hng
untold thousands into all the blessed channels Of
charity pouring oil ard wine into the wounds oil
the soldier in the Geld, and not forgetting the ,
widow and the htherless left at home but
think The facts already developed show that freed.