Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-05-04
Our Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, d. c., !
April 30, 1870. (

tinued to absorb all interest, and IRON has
been the only subject touched this week.
The prospect of passing this bill during this
session can be well imagined when it is known
that less than two pages have been gone over
this week, and if no greater expedition is
shown in any other part of the bill, it will
last about twenty weeks longer, or till the
middle of September. 1t has been the gen
eral impression that no tariff bill not involv-
ing decided reduction could be passed, but
the friends of this measure seem to have be-
come more hopeful 1t is noticed that the
Pennsylvanians are feeling moro certain of
success, whether from majority found from
the counting of noses, or from some recent
wonderful convert, | am not prepared to say
1t is very certain that if the Pennsylvania
delegation find that the House is determined
to keep the duty on pig iron at five dollars
per ton, as it has been fixed by the Commit
tee of the Whole, they will be only too glad
to assist in defeating the bill. 1t is very fine
for them to talk of the lofty craftsmanship
shown in supporting all our struggling IN
terests, but when it comes home to them,
they care for no reform unless it fills their
pockets, and if by any chance, iron and coal
are not protected far above everything else,
they will allow no one to reap any benefit
from proper legislation. / believe the ma
jority of the people care nothing whether
JnIs Dill passes or not, and were 1t not for
the outrageous rates on some few articles,
which are a source of disgust to every one
not enriched by them, it would meet with
very little opposition. The leaders, however,
are bound to make tariff the great issue in
the coming campaign, and that is the sole
reason for the slowness with which it is be-
ing pushed. Free-trade organizations are
springing up everywhere, and gaining
strength daily. In these men of all parties
join, and money, which protectionists delight
A writer to the Philadelphia Press-ultra-
neutrality-suspicious. that the tariff men
are very mean,-that where one of them
spends hundreds the free-traders spend tens
of thousands. l do not doubt that the free
traders are more liberal in their disburse-
ments, but it is my experience that high
tariff men lose no opportunity to spread
their doctrines. Mr.. Stevenson of Ohio
showed very curious state of facts in re-
gard to Pennsylvania interest in the tariff,
viz that while she only paid little oser
fifteen millions into the treasury, the protec-
ton on her iron and coal alone paid her over
fourteen millions. Such are the men who
come here and ask for more, and this the
reason why they adopt the broad statesman
like policy of full protection to every inter
est, whether struggling into existence or al
ready full grown.
Mr. Sargent of California, adopting the
idea of Mr.. Paine, has introduced bill for
the percentage reduction of taxes, but to it
be has attached a provision for the abolition
of the income tax and all the special taxes OF
licenses. In his argument do not believe.
He maintains that we have done our part IN
preserving the Union, and that we should
leave the debt to our children to be paid. II
is very plausible argument, but calculated
to load us with a permanent debt. l believe
that as the tariff is reduced,-say fifteen PEI
, cent, the revenue theEsS-p viii increase
--''n,n
ternal revenue, and thSxfore believe in tbs
reduction, because the dissatisfied would
think that they had been greatly relieved
though the difference in prices would hardly
be appreciable. Still, if this bigoted clamol
can be abated by so small sacrifice as this
we would gain enough to more than pay ut
for it.
: Reorganization and revision being the or.
der of the day, it is now proposed to revise
the laws relating to the Post Office Depart
; ment. / notice that, as the bill is now pro.
posed, it retains the Thanking privilege
Would not this be a good place to show how
much in earnest the House was in voting to
.. abolish the Thanking privilege? 1t certainly
is a very valuable thing to have these laws
revised, and the movement in that direction
is one of the redeeming features of this
d" private bill " Congress. This single post
Office bill takes the place of and repeats l22
laws now on our statute books.
The Committee on Revolutionary Claims,
that committee to which John Morssey was
assigned in accordance with his own request
because it never had any business to do. and
to which are referred all the old standing
S,>ims that are never expected to be heard
Of, has, wonderful to relate, made a report.
Had not Mr.. Willard been the chairman of
this committee, doubt if it would ever have
been heard of except a receptacle for worn
out claims and lazy Congressman. Mr.. Will
lard is certainly entitled to our thanks for
resurrecting an almost lost committee, and
more for his determination that our revolu-
bo
later wars, prior to-as the laws have it
the war of 1861, should not be entirely for
gotten, but have that justice which they
have SO long demanded in vain.
The bill providing for new apportionmeni
of Representatives limits the number to 275
aud provides that if the number of Repre-
sentatives in any State shall be decreased
under the new census such decrease shall
not take place till after the Forty-Second
. Congress. Vermont under this apportion.
ment will lose one member, but will have
) its present number during the next Congress
Mr.. Garfield, from the Committee OF
Banking and Currency, reported an impor.
tant bill g TO increase banking facilities, and
for other purposes" which authorizes the
issue of ninety-hve millions OF national banl
notes to banking associations in the States
and Territories having less than their JUS
proportion. Three per cent. certificates shall
be withdrawn to equal amount and can
celed. give you the third section in full
as it is of interest and Importance to bank
ers:
That in order to secure the additional crculatin,
hereinbefo provided for, and to establish tn
national banking associations the basis of
form security a lower rate of interest, the Secre
. farv of Treasury De and he hereby author