Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1865-12-08
s..l. mor. s,ronrlr thap nnr roris of nine

able at the pleasure Of the Government
Our debt Is doubly secure-hrst IN the actual 1
wealth and still greater unlevsloped resources
Of the country and next in the character OF
our Institutions. The most intelligent observers
among political economists have no: failed to
remark, that the public debt Of country 10 SAFE I
in proportion as its people are free that tue /
debt Of a republic is the safest Of all. Our his
tory confirms and establishes the theory, ami IS,
frmly believe, destined TO give It a still more
signal illustration The seoret Of this supeTlori-
ty springs rot merely from the fact that IN
republicans national obligation are Distributed
more widely through countless numbers IN all
classes Of society il has its root in the charac-
ter of our laws. Here all men contribute 10 the
public welfare, and bear their far shares OF the
public burdens During the war, under the
impulses Of patriotism, the men Of the great
body of the peoples without regard to their own
comparative want Of; wealth, thronged 70 our
armies and flled our fleets Of war, and held
themselves ready to offer their lives for the pup
he good. Nov, ia their turn, the property AMI
income Of the country should bear their just
proportion Of the burden Of taxation, while IN
cur impost system. through means OF which
increased vitality is incidentally impaired to
all the industrial interests Of ths nation, the
duties should be so adjusted 10 tall most
heavily on articles OF luxury, leaving neccss liies
Of life as free from taxation as the absolute
wants OF the Government, economically admin
stered. viii justify. No favored class should
demand freedom from assessment, and the taxes
should be 50 distributed as not to tall unduiy on
the Door, but rather on the accumulated wealth
I Of the country We should look at the national
debt lust as i is-not as a national blessing, but
as a heavy burden on the industry OF the coun-
| try, TO be discharged without unnecessary delay
Ii 10 estimated by the Secret8ry Of the IreasU-
( ~ that the expenditures for the fiscal year end
| in- the 3Oth Of June 1866, will exceed the re-
! ceipts l2.19I,9i7 II is gratifying, however,
To state that IL Is also estimated that the revenue
| for the year eniing the 3Olh Of June, 1861, viii
| exceed the expenditures in the sum Of SILL
| tSJ.SIS The amount. or 50 much as may be
| deemed sufficient for the purpose, may be ap-
Piled 10 the reduction Of the public debt, which.
/ on the 3lst day OF October. 1860. was s., 10
| SD, 740. Every reduction will diminish the
| total amount Of interest TO be paid, and so en-
large the means Of still further reductions, until
/ the whole shall be liQuidated and this, as will
be seen from the estimates Of the Secretary Of
| the Treasury. may be accomplished by annual
/ PAYMENTS even within period not exceeding
/ thirty wears. | have faith tat We shall do all
| this within q reasonable time; that. as &c nave
amazed the world By the suppression Of civil
! var which vas thought 10 be beyond the control
( oFauv Government, so we shall equally shyw
the superiority Of our institutions by the prompt
and faithful discharge Of our national obligs-
;ions.
The Department Of Agriculture, under It's
| present direction, Is accomplishing much IN de-
yelopug for utilizing the vast agricultural ca
/ liabilities o. the country. and the Information
! respecting the details of is management refer
! ence Is made to the annual report Of the Com
I missioner.
have dwelt thu. fully on our domestic affairs
because Of their transcendaut importance IN
der any circumstances, our great extent Of terri
tory and variety Of climate, producing almost
I everything that IS necessary for the wants, and
I eveu the comforts Of NAV, make Is siugulariy
independent @, the varying policy OF foreign
Powers, and protect Us against every temPil-
ton 70 b. entan ling alliances while At the
present moment the REIMBURSEMENT Of harmo-
ny, aud the strength that cones from harmony,
will be cur best securiiy against " nations VINO
feel power aud forget right" For myself. II
has been and il will be my constant ain % pro
mote peace AMI amity with all foreign nations
and Powers and have every reason TO believe
that they al, without exception, are animated
by the same disposition Our relations jl the
Emperor Of China, so recent IN their 0rIgI-, arr
most friendly Our commerce with his d0ri-
nious s receiving new Developments ard 1t l.
very pleasing 90 ind that the Government OF
that grslt Empire maaifssts satisfaction with cur
policy. AMI replses just cont ieuce in the fair
mes, which marks our intercourse The uubrOk
en- harmony between the United States and the
Emperor Of Russia is receiving new support
from an enterprise designed TO carry tSlegraphic
lines across the continent Of Asia, through his
domiuilHs. aud So to connect Us with al Europe
by a new channel Of intercourse.
Our commerce with South AmCri,1 Il about
70 receive encouragement by direct line Of
mail steamships 10 the rising Empire Of Brazil
The distinguished party Of men OF science who
have recently len our country TO make a scien-
tifc exploration Of tie natural history and rivers
and m0uutaiu ranges Of that region, have re-
ceiyed fcom the Emperor that generous welcome
which was u have been expected rom his
constant friendship TOR the Unitei states, and
his well known zeal in promoting the advance
ment Of knowledge \ hope Is entertained that
our commerce with the rich and popu.Ous coun-
tries that border the Ms1iterrean sea may be
largely increased. Nothing Will be wanting, on
the part ofthis Government, 20 extend the pro
lection OF cur lag over the enterprise Of our tel-
low-citizens We receive from the Powers IN
that region assurances " good viii AMI 1t 5
worthy Of note that special envoy has brought
US messages of condolence on the death Of our
late Chief Magistrate from the Boy Of Tunis.
whose rule includes the old d0minions Of Car-
thage, on the African coast.
Our domestic contest now happily ended, has
left some traces IN cur relations, with one az
least Of the great maritime Powers The formal
accordance OF belligerent rights TO the Insurgent
States was unprecedented, and has not been
justified by the issue. Blu; in the systems Of
neutrality pursed by the Powers which made that
concession, there was marked difference The
materials Of war for the insGr.ent States were
furr shn1 in a --n44 measure from
shop, Of Great Britain and British ships,
manned by British subjects, aud prepared for
receiving British ornaments, sailed from the
ports OF Great Britain 10 make war on American
commerce, under the shelter Of commission
from the insurgent States These ships, having
once escaped from British ports, ever afterward
entered them in every part cfthe world, to reft.
and so 20 renew their depredati0ns. The con-
sequences Of this conduct were most disastrous
to the States then in rebellion, increasing their
desoation and misery by the prolongation Of
our civil contest. Ii had, moreover, the effect,
to great extent, to drive the American flag
from the sea. and to transfer much Of our ship
ping aud our commerce to the very Power whose
| subjects had created the necessity for such a
change. These events took place before was
called 10 the administration Of the Govern ment
The sincere desire for peace by which am AMI
mated led me to approve the proposal, already
made, TO submit the questions which had III
arisen between the countries TO arbitration
These questirons are Of such moment that they
I must have commanded the attention Of the great
Powers, and are so interviewer with the peace
| and interest Of every one ofthem as to have en-
sured an impartial decision. | regret 20 inform
you that Great Britain declined the arbitrament
| but, on the other hand, invited US to the forma
ton Of joint commission to settle mutual
claims between the two countries, from which
those for the depredaiions before mentioned
should be excluded. The proposition, in that
very unsatisfactory form, has been declined
The United States dill not present the sub
1 Jet as an impeachment Of the good faith of a
Power which was protesting the most friendly
dispositions, but as involving questions Of pub
lie law, Of which the settlement is essential to
the peace Of nations; and, though pecunisry re-
paration to their injured citizens would have
followed incidentally on a decision against Great
Britain, such compensation was not their prima-
ry object. They had higher motive. and it
tho IF MI