Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-03-02
Words Worth Reading.

some wees nee MIR. Dawes OF MasSachu-
sets made most telling speech in favor of
economy in the public expenditures, and
criticised sharply the policy Of The Admins
tration in allowing any approach to extrava-
gance any Of the departments. Mr.. Butler
Of Massachusetts, undertook to read his col
league out of the party for daring to make
such a speech, and denied the correctness OF
many Of Mr. Dawes statements In reply
that gentleman quite fully substantated his
original declarations, and then in closing,
made useof the following telling and eloquent
words:
- shall now move that the Committee
rise; but before doing SO | desire to say that
when the Committee is again in session
shall ask its attention while ! state the &C
casion that had for making the speech, to
when my colleague has responded, as to the
truth OF that spec en-, and 70 the pToprIety oi
making that speech, and shall endeavOr, ae
well a. | am able, to cUnfine myself t. those
three points. | am not u be verted from
them by any remarks that have fallen from
tie liTs Of my coll aLue. This is not per
.,nal matter, and | do not propose in dis
cuss ng 1t t. take notice OF anything personal
that has fallen from any lips in cUnnectIu n
with it. Before | sit down however tonight,
may | be allowed to say to my colleague that
although it may be true that | have little to
boast of in the years | have served here, it
may, hope, be proper for me TO say that
have also little t. repent of. The people of
Massachusetts may know my colleague and
myself very well. They do not need either
my colleague to tell them what | am or me
to tell them what my colleague is. They
desire to know whether | told the truth the
I
that question, as Of more ImI ortance to the
country than the other. newspaper in
tins city, whose praise and censure are alike
made to order and for pay, and which never
fails to lick the hand that feeds it, whether
its pay be in gold or in the currency Of the
country, has notified me that am no longer
wanted in the Republican party. My col
league with the image of Ahab in his mind
Gays to me that | am unworthy the support
of the Republican party, but he loves me
sill. The time that have served here goes
back Of the time when these galleries were
filled with armed men frowning down on the
free lon of debate in these halls beyond the
time when, with revOlvers in hand, it was
expected to crush the freedom of expression
in these halls. l was here when, under the
auspices of the Republican party, the thir-
teenth amendment, to which my colleague
has alluded, was adopted when the shackles
were knocked off from three or four million
slaves, and when they were lifted up to the
plane of manhood and | believe that the
day Is dawning when, under the fifteenth
amendment, they are to be clothed with the
franchise of a citizen. The partiality of those
among whom L was born has permitted me
to contribute my little of influence and pow
er and my vote to all three of these meas
ures. L do not know that there is any better
time for me than now to retire from associ.
alton with the party which love so well
and whose principles to the utmost measure
of my ability | have sustained. have beer
here for fourteen years, and probably it MAY
b as vel vel that retire now as at any othel
people should settle that question. l only
crave the opportunity of seeing this Repub
lican party finish up its great work and &C
cOmplish the mission whereunto it is sent
and crave the opportunity, if / may b.
permitted, to contribute my little aid. Il
may have been that have erred in confinins
my speech SO exclusively to matters which
the House has entrusted to me and that
have not so often, perhaps, as l ought, jun %
ed into everybody business. But, Sir,
want to see the patty bring down the expen
ses of the Government from the plane of wa
to that of peace-dOwn from the expense.
that were POURED out like the blood Of pat
riotism, for the Ovation of the country-t,
the expenses OF time of peace. Whether
OF lot am to labor longer with that part,
here, the past at least is sale and IN tina
fourteen years of retrospect | make no com
pnrison with anybody While | acknowI
edge many short cOmings, and that hav,
done nothing to boast OF ON this floor. bav
as little to repent of in my action here as
should have had, had / followed other Iigh
and other teaching. am ready, and con
template voluntarily to submit III, self to tn
judgment OF my constituents whether
have been faithful do not however. il
view OF the duty of the hour, which if t
call attention to the expenditures, propos
10 be diverted from that grave duty by an
petty debate here with any live man on mis-
cradle and unimportant questions of my owl
wisdom or folly. l trouble not myself abou
my record of posterity. Cast look at. |
will vindIcate itself. If it does not, it vii
not make any difference, and now move tn
Committee rise