The Portland daily press., 1872-01-09

ADDRESS OF SECRETARY BOUTWELL,. Satur-
day, on the occasion of the Presidents reception
at the commercial exchange in Philadelphia,
Secretary Boutwell, being called on spoke as
follows:
Under the present circumstances you will not
expect me to speak at any length upon any
| subject this morning, however interesting or
| lmportaqt that subject may be either to you or
10 me- Everything whatever that concerns the
pnslness OF the nnances of the country must al
ways be important to the whole people If
is his fortune in time of war, and Consequent
ly his fortune in time of peace following great
war, that whoever is charged with the financial
management OF the country must not expect to
escape from that condition to which
Burke referred to when he said, ''To
tax and to please are not common to
men" L never have yet made explanations,
and do not propose often in my life to make
explanations as to matters of public concern
with which am connected; but have felt it
my duty in the place 1 now occupy to present
to the people, as often as officially it has been
my duty to address them, the importance and
necessity OF maintaining such system of taxa
ton as will materially and constantly
work out the reduction of the public debt. I
look upon it that it is Just to the extent
that the capital of the country by which
the payment of the public debt is transferred
from the public securities to the banks and
safes of our capitalists, just to that extent
you have the means for the construction of
railroads for the improvements of all your
means of communication between one part of
the country and another, for the establishment
of manufactures, and for the development of
your Agriculture. The $780, O000 900 of the pub
lie debt or nearly that amount which has been
paid within the last three years. have been just
so many dollars transferred from the public Sc
cur1tles in which they were locked up to the
channels of business, and become the great
means of developing the resources of the
entire country. Now, then, while it is not nee
essary to continue to the same extent the liuui-
dation of the public debit believe that we shall
be false to the good faith thas has been pledged
to public creditors, we shall be false to the best
interests of the country, and we shall disre-
gard the experience we have had that this pol
icy contributes to the public prosperity, if we
do not furnish means to pay at least $50, 100000
OF the public debt each year, until that debt is
so much reduced that if in any exigency which
may come upon our nation at any moment we
shall be called upon to ask the country or the
world Uo for loan of 800, 100000, of 100000
600, or $1,000, 600, 900, the capital of the
world will leap from the vaults of Its owners in
to the treasury of the United States. While
am disposed to regard, while / would look in
to the writings of learned men for the ideas and
for the experience which other nations and 9TH
ergenerations have had, l still believe that the
best security in regard to the ideas of policy
and power is to be found in the examination Of
existing facts, and trust in the Judgment of
living men, [Applause,l Excuse me for
what have said. l desire the prosperity of
your city, of your State and of your country:
ask nothing Of you personally but that YOU adj
Vocate and maintain that policy which upon Sc
rious examination of the public affairs shall
commend itself to your best Judgment.
WASHINGTON MATTERs-A resolution has
been prepared and will be offered at an early
day calling upon Secretary Robson for all in
formation in possession of the Navy Depart
mr. ma ra1n 10 ~. e.
Co. for monitors. This will be followed up by |
charges that the firm named received large |
sums OF money in violation of law, and that |
Mr.. Robson has paid bills which were disal-
lowed by his predecessor, Mr.. Welles. The
resolutions are intended to make temporary
furry, for the Democrats who offer them do
not expect to prove what they assert In their
premises and speeches. They are all for politi-
cal effect
1t is predicted that the Amnesty bill will
pass both branches of Congress at an early
day.
An earnest attempt will be made at an early
day to postpone action on the sections of the
Washington treaty relating to the fisheries and
the navigation of the st. Lawrence canal until
the Colonial Parliament shall have ratified
them. Thees sections, it will be remembered,
are eliminated from the remainder of the treaty
and were in no wise affected by it's ratification
by the Senate
1t is reported that paid Provincial agents are
now in Washington advocating reciprocity
treaty.
The rumors of war with Spain so industri-
'usly circulated few days since have died
lway. 1t Is, however, certain that the change
# the Spanish Minister here has not been
brought about by the reported change of our
Secretary of State, as Mr. Fish is to remain
While Mr. Lopez Roberts is to be rotated.
The Washington Chronicle of Monday morn
ng announces that efforts will be made to Sc
ure the nomination of Secretary Boutwell, for
he Vice Presidency and that the movement
meets the appreciation of the President
THE DAILY PRESS will be furnished for 81
or the session of the Legislature,