Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-18

any appropriation for improvements here,
and thought in that way to help on their
cause, which they knew was too weak for
square test vote. In the Senate, an amend
ment to the Executive appropriation bill was
offered, giving S5OO.O0O for the building of
State Department, and also 100000 for
the completion of the Capitol grounds. Here
was a chance for trial of strength, and it
resulted in the defeat of the Westerners-
Al to Is
The tariff bill still consumes the time of the
House. They have got safely through the
iron question, and we may now hope for
more rapid work. On cattle, Mr.. Smith and
Mr.. Willard succeeded in getting the rate
raised from twenty to thirty per cent There
did not seem to be willingness to allow this
protection on the part of the Committee, but
Mr. Willard showed so clearly the injustice
and want of craftsmanship in protecting one
class of articles at the expense of others, in
demanding the highest protection for the
product of labor in Massachusetts, and Penn
sylvania, and denying it in Vermont, that
the increase met with very little opposition.
He very correctly said that you heard much
less of the farmers interests than of that of
the manufacturers, because they did not
keep lobbyists here, and he might have cor
rectly added, that, put what protection you
might on agricultural products, there was
not, as in manufactures. such a fortune in
every one as to make the farmers able to pay
lobby. We must rejoice to see the true
principle of protection acknowledged, for if
it is right and justifable at all, it is only
right and just when protecting all interests
proportionately. In the Senate, the other
day, Mr. Morrill, made powerful speech on
the tariff, which every one is praising. Mr..
Morrill, is recognized rightly as one of the
post clear headed. correct, practical politi-
cal economists in the country. he has very
few equals, no superior. He does not make
such an impression as Mr. Edmunds by be-
ing always ready to talk on constitu tional
law, but when he does venture any assertion,
or offer any advice, it is always sure to be
true and sound, and in the end proves to
have been the wisest advice to follow
Though not gifted with the eloquence of
some of his peers, when we strip their
speeches of their disguise, pluck the g po-
! sizes and reject the wordy CAB, their
speeches seem fat and stale beside his. and
their notions crude and unsatisfactory
Vermont could never be better represented
in the Senate than by such fnancier, and
such lawyer Edmunds-one of each. far
better than that both should be either law
yers or fnanciers.
l see that Mr.. Edmunds was among those
who had the courage to report against the
pension of So 900 to Mrs. Lincoln. Only
imagine her coming to Congress and asking
such a pension to enable her to live as be-
comes the widow of the late Chief Magistrate
of the nation, when she had left to her at
Mr.. Lincoln's death over SIS, 600, in sddi-
] ton to all that she received from private
subscriptions Such impudence is truly
worthy of none but her who was perpetual
thorn in the side of her noble husband
| One would think that the income from the
SIS, 900 alone might support her as became
the wife of our most loved and honored
President, and we can't help being glad that
the case is so disposed Of.
| | was astonished to see by a communication
from the Secretary of War, that on all the
principal Notifications Of the country, and
for which an appropriation is this year
asked, there has only been little over S3+,-
10000 expended 80 the present time. |
had thought that the amount was much
larger Putting this amount and the cost of
all our iron clads together, and We only have
n total of n little less ti'-+-
4 All this for the defense of the whole coun-
try. while Eugland and all other European
nations pay thar for a single harbOr- Why,
our iron elads-only built since lS62-have
cost US more than all our Notifications !;
some of them, as Fort Monroe, commenced
as early 1917. And though this has
seemed great deal, none of our iron-clads
cost over $4,000 900, while double that
price has been freely paid by foreign govern
ments. This country is too close to protect
itself, and some day we may see the folly Of
our course. L.