East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1866-01-31

true theory of gevernmrnI No nation should
prevent W. citizens ffvm hnying wherever their
hard earnings will buy must anil 70 iurfhcrest =
II llotten,ot ran make and sell a bolt " cloth
orof muslin. on Of calico, cheaper tLana New
EnglandcSenator. who a few days since, asked for
Increased protection 10 his manufactures, Mr.
sprague Il u tho right OF any laborer In this
broad land to pass by the civilized but rapacious
Senator, and obtain from the barbarian a better
return f,r the sweat OF his brow. For revenue 1
would look 10 the actual wealth OF the country,
and make II contribute accordingly. But this
just and true phiIosophie system of trade and
J government Is not nov within cur reach and |
am content 10 accept the Recommendation OF the
President TO adjust the present impst system TO
the basis Of revenue alone and not OF protection.
il 10 step IN the direction Of true and practical
refcrm-a reform in favor of that mighty branch
81 industry ON which all nations depend for their
wealth and power II isa manly and honest
blow aimed at a monopoly Ms arrogant. avariri-
cious and deaf to justice a. the British East India
corporation under Hastings OF Give. Nor Is II
any new ooctris. The people will hail II ms a
familiar friend Of their former and happier days
and iu,lorse IL us they did then.
In close and Immediate connection, however,
with this branch OF the message, the President
has uttered another sentence on which the eye Of
and gratefully. At the close Of tho weary day,
ms bo counts up his feeble gains. looks into the
heavy exp, rises Of his family, and bis farming
under high protective tariff prices, and shudders
mt the thought of the appronchins ax-gatherer,
knowing that for him and his hard eurned sub
stance there Is no escape, he will In his heart
thank the man, Who as president wrote the fol-
lowing lines fs
No favored cln.s should demand freedom from
assessment, and the iaNcs should be distributed
ms to not fall unduIy IN the poor, hut rather on
the accumulated weaih Of the country"
Sir is there a favored class in midst that
| demands freedom from assessment Are there
those who, Mt such time, demand that their
property shall DO exempted from the burdens Of
taxation Are there American citizens who
boast lOudcst Of their love Of country who will
pay nothing to relieve il from debit Is there
an honest man ia America who wishes his neigh
Dor 10 pay his taxes ms we'll ms his ownl Where
u the "accumulated wealth Of the country"
which shirks its just responsibility and suffers the
taxes te ''iall unduly ON the poor ~ Where Is
this criminal delinquent which grinls tho face Of
poverty and absorbs the widows mite in order
that II may escape its own just dues and increase
its boarded gains
here the hammer fell
Mr. SMITH move that the gentleman from
Indiana, Mr. Voorhees,, have bis time extended to
conclude his remarks.
No objection was made.
Mr. Voorhees--T return to the House my nc
know ledginent for the favor they have extended
To me.
Sir, more than one tenth Of the taxable proper
ty Of the United States demands and has obtain
cd in the hDnds OF favored class, freedom from
assessment The enormous capitalist who has in
vested all his means in the bonds Of the Govern.
ment thus relieves the principal of his vast estate
from In xnfion lie feels no concern for the move
,nents of the tax-gaiherer except ms he goes
forth and returns To him with the interest on his
bonds, which the hands Of honest toll pour into
his Golfers Is this ''cqual and exact justice 10 all
men, AMI exclusive privileges to none !" II is
claimed, however, by tho friends of this money
cd monopoly that the bonds Of the Government
are n sacred u ligaton and must not be touched;
that they w"rc purchased by the present holders
Out 81 pure patriotism, and that their Freedom
from assessment is tut proper token Of the ma
tion's gratitude Patriotism was said by the
great Dr johnson to be the last refuge Of q
scoundrol. 1t is now made tho refuge Of wealthy
non tax payers who convert their taxable property
into Government SC urics in order TO cvadc their
honest obligations The idea that they have
made these purchases from other than ordinary
motive Of pccuniasy profit only provokes con-
tempt. They bought them at heavy discount,
owing to the condition Of the currency, they paid
about ifty cents on the dollar, aud now hold them
at par. and receive interest NJ their face
Bur il is said when these bonds were thrown
upon the market there was guarantee that they
should not he taxed Is an act OF Congress at
the last session guarantee that another and n
different one on the stAie subject will not be
passed at this Ia we live in the days Of the
MeLes and Persians when u was an ofense pun
ishabie with death 10 propose to change y law
once enacted Does any man Of sense predicate
his business transactions on such theory Did
.ltasy h.. h. rts
licved FROM taxation make their in, estIncnis In
nocenty, surprising TINT everlasting perpetui-
~ attached to the legislation 81 this most versa
tile fuctuating and cborgalle tody IL they
dill il is very wonderful how men Of SO little Ia
tclligcnce could have ~ much money No. sir,
they calculated pll the risks of profit aud loss,
aud every contingency o. the future M closely ms
Shylock did on tho Rato assured in any event
that their ventures would come home 10 them like
richly freightoi argosies after prosperous voy
age at sci; still better pleased however NJ they
could have judgment forever on the inhuman
bond which gives them freedom from assessment
and cxacis in their favor the pound Of flesh near
est to the nenrt Of the toiling multitude
| have listened to appeals in favor Of this class
on account Of their timely and self-sacriheng
services. until have almost imagined that We
dwclt In u new Arcadia, who're such thing as
self-inic crest was unknown.
They loaned moneys on good securities md high
rates OF usance, and therefore the dusty, weary
plowman in the field must pay their taxes fnr
them and be thankful 10 God for so sweet priv
ilcgc Yes. AMI oven the soldier, crippled in
the shock Of battle, with toe old hig over his
head returning home to find poverty and want
at his hearth-stoDc. must hear these speoulators
OF Wall street hailed Ms tho sayors Of the eoun-
try; and likewise. without n murmur, scufie harl
with the world, perhaps on crutches, io pny their
debts ms well NJ his own The nations gratitude
takes a strange turn Mt this point II lnvishes
its gins, its garlands, aud its favors, the mon
ey-changers Of the temple, and causes the drfen-
ders OF the Government ut the cannon's mouth
to pay tribute 10 their monstrous greed Sir
there are few parallels in the wide annals Of all
the nations OF the earth TO such frghtful injustice
and inequality; and wherever they nrc ionnd the
people have been at least avenged upon their ex
tortionatc opprcssors Tho patricians Of Rome,
an aristocracy founded upon wealth ut different
periods ground the plebians, who labored ut home
and horc arms in the field, with debt and unequal
taxation but there was always point at which
the elements Of revolution darkcned the sky, AMI
the privileged CLASSES were compelled to yield to
the untitled millions, State aud Church in
France had for ages loaded their favorites and
parasites with riches and hOnors, and the peasan-
try with burdens until the frenzicd ins nifty Of
1890 burst forth, aud the whole fabric Of govern.
ment and Of human society was involved in one
cotnulDn tOuINUIhtiVn Hnu rum Sif. tucft W put
one pathway Of safety and honor for Governments
10 pursue 10 their domestic policy. They must
administer Justice to their citizens in the spirit
and the letter OF equality; and there is no instance
IN the history Of nations where class legislation
and legized monopolies have not overthrow
the prosperity Of overy interest, and destroyed
public liberty I therefore ind,'rsc the policy Of
the Presidents annualme'sngc on this great and
vital question Sprung from the loins Of the peo
pie they will greet him rs their champion. His
life has boon battle in their behalf against
privilege and oppression, and he has shown that
in bis proud emin.nce he has not lost for them
his ancient love and care. Defamation on tho
dignity Of labor in tho abstract is n cheap indul
gcncc. We listened to il few evenings since in
this hall, from tho eloquent lips Of one whose soft
hand never did an hours toll, and who breaches
fashionable gospel mt ten thousand. n year -
But labor finds is true dignity when its rights
and interests are defended in high places by one
who hns felt all its privations and suferings, and
knows by experience the simple annals Of the
poor 4" Let the public debt lie paid, but let il he