Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-12-16
riE RUTLAND HERALD.
THURSDAY DECEMBER ., 1869.
the Iresident,s Message.

The fret annual message Of Presiden
Grant H. bsfdre the country, and shows IL
its tenor ntd composition that u IL n doc
nmient rnau1tins from Au honest, clea
hoAdvi. practical man, pnd q businea
mrs-sx~. Conveying good news 70 tho peo
ole of thc nation, nnd a'ill meet tbs
hearty approval y the American people
Hs addresses Congress aud the people ~
M earnest man endeuvoriug 10 do hb
Iuty. -prking % honor higher than tbs
welfare of tbc nation over which he ii
aalied ta preside. fully inspired with tn,
grandeur mud destiny Of the country
One ot its ohicf merits, il ifs distinctnes:
Il statement, and II j. a document alike
try
He opens with brief paragraph in
-hlch l. stated in succiuct language the
General aspect Of our condition AZ ma
t,on. in oil it, varied relations, aud iudi.
r,te- his sense of responsibility and that
Il Congress ia view ~ the growth pros
p.fty ana extent of the interests com.
ultrted e. their keeping He weighs
,rrfnlly the cost OF the rebellion and
,ghtly appreciate. the effect ol the war
"a changing The relations of the capitalist
60 the laDorer The position Of recon
stEuetiun ia the : nth han passing
uotlee, and the illegal acts of Georgia are
.i1drd 10, aui ore legislation ther-e
upon recommended, with passing notice
ro the Industry Of he freedmen
The finance questions are discussed IN
a ir ,hit aud confident manner, that iudi-
uate- thai the troublesome problems OF the
public debt aud lis e%tinguishmcnt ~ i.gye
neeu matters 81 aerion- and intelligent
fonsideration a hittering view OF
the ability of he government 10
pay its obligations i7 presented
ind no commend4 to Congress our suffer
ny commerce The evils OF an irredeem-
.oie currency are suggested, that me-
lium OF fixed an. apvarying nature
may be established a return u apacie
payment is consistently presented as
proper 10 be accomplished u. the earliest
practicable momant, yet he wisely does
aot deem an immediate resumption prac.
ticabie or desirable. at the expe.sso OF
bringing bankruptcy and ruin in its train,
and very properly denoupces speculation
IN values as gambling To secure a
gradual return to specie payment, he very
wisely, in onr judgment, suggests the
~
its own paper at n fixed price when pre-
sented and to withhold from circulation
all currency so redeemed until il is sold
again for gold An unbounded faith is
oppressed i'll the public credit, based upon
the resources of the nation both developed
and undeveloped. and that ten years
would suffice to pay the entire indebted
usss of the eonntry, although it is not
desirable that the people should be
taxed 20 pay ii within that period.
The reduction OF interest upon the public
debt and the payment OF interest IN
Europ are practical views of m eeonom-
loal man, who ats upon the same princi-
pie for the government IA individuals do
IN tn management Of their own private
affairs. The postponement, for the pres
sut. of the question of the tariff aud in
srnal taxation, is undoubtedly with at
view to see what Congress may do in the
matter of funding the public debt, that
Just and an equitable scale of tariff duties
may be arranged, and discriminating
rpI. ~ tn.r l..,. n Na
are not prepared to endorse the recon-
mendatiou of the renewal of the income
tax, unless more effectual measures be
provided for honest returns, and the men
u wealth pay their fair proportion. For
it is lamentable fact. in Vermont. that
the men OF the largest wealth, ard who
are known to be adding to their large
accumulations year after year, pay no
income tax at all. The law, as it has been
enforced in our State, is practicle
failure and farce. A publication Of the
rich poor men in Vermont, would be
surprising and startling document for the
people to read. To convince the people
Of the justice Of our remarks, it would be
only necessary to publish the names OF
some of the most prosperous men in Yer
mont who do not pay an income tax, side
BY side with those who do pay an income
lax.
The President has forcibly urged his
views Of the financial situation upon
Congress. While the country, as whole,
uil cpota.. liz -. h;a v,0a;<.a., yat
fear the members from the Middle and
Western States are hardly prepared to
adopt the course suggested, and il will
give rise to earnest financial discussions,
and, without doubt, strong arguments
will be brought to bear upon both sides
Of this important issne. But, however
much the passage may be dreaded, there
are probably but few people who do not
heartily wish that tho plunge were taken,
snd that the country were we'll over those
straits that separate . sound from an over
due and irredeemable currency.
The general survey of our foreign rela-
tions in the main are satisfactory, but No
confess surprise at the extremely csnssfva-
tive position taken upon the Cnban
question. II was hoped that . nodi-
fed view Of orr xsla1i1ns with sspAial
would be taksu, idrsfsrsnns n H. QubAn1
question, bat undoubtedly ~ aDonsmsar
tive visx isthe DastAa ~ s - psrs ~
haps they have not, in accordM6U f6ooa
the law Of nationA assumed IN attitude
70 entitle them to recognition a. bellig-