Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-04

it seems to me only just to place my share
where to some extent it will tend to dimin-
! ish the taxes of the State"
Let us see whether this will stand the
test of strict equity and Justice or not, and
whether it imposes any stigma upon my
judgment or character.
Some shelter might be found under very
distinguished names, outside of the State,
of those who. have personally expressed to
me in the fullest manner their approval OF
my course but do not seek to shirk from
responsibility for acts exclusively my own.
Senators, it is true, are Senators of the ma
ton, and as such accountable for their OH
eial conduct but the question of their
back pay" is a personal matter, with
which the nation has no concern, beyond
the fact as to whether they honestly and
squarely voted for it or against 1t. That
closes their national accountability. Its re-
| ceptiOn and final disposal concerns only
| themselves and their immediate constituent
| cy. The nation has no recognizable claim
| to call Senators TO account for their acts, not
being immoral, rs private citizens, or outside
| Of their functions as senators. Asa senator
no unfaithfulness to duty has been charged,
| and as a citizen Of Vermont | must stall he
permitted to think that | have not fallen be
low my duty to the State Of which there IS
50 much reason to be proud, nor sacrificed
in any respect personal honor.
At the outset it was apparent that all
those in Congress- Especially the outgoing
D H1a nov
would necessarily accept Of it, and 1t was
soon equally apparent that a majority OF
| those who voted against it would find no
overwhelming reasons to decline its advan-
taccs. Ii Is not improbable that three
fourths of the whole sum appropriated has
been or viii be forever withdrawn from the
! Treasury. The PEOPLE Of each State will
contribute their fall proportion Of all ma
! tiOnal taxes whether Senators and Repre-
! sentatiyc> of the state draw their share of
! this money from the Treasury or not. If
| the Senators of one State give their back
pay to the Uni-cd States Treasury, while
/ a majority of other Senator's do not. then
/ that Stately its taxes and the contributions
/ Of its Senators. pays twice the amount Of
! its equitable share. and makes q donation
] 10 all the States, including those whose
/ Senator's have not restored the respective
amounts 10 tho national Treasury. a much
as to their own State. Manifestly
/ this cannot be equitable. 1t Is putting
l he De,r,le ola state arainst Who's Sena7
/ tors there Is no complaint. not merely on
/ level but at disadvantage with those
/ whose Senator's occunv the other side ofthe
one.tion and who NAV have been the chief
I authors If the whole cause of COMPLAINT
The pe.ple Of Nirrinia may think their Sen
ators fairly merit all they have received. If
50. why should Vermont. or its Senators he
called upon for anvthinr bv VIRGINIA .
Who knows whether Georria. North Caro-
lima. Nebraska. Illinois and other State.
approve of the action OF their Senator's or
uOt9 Their Senators claim that they do
Even II they do NOT ,rould r. moi he enouob
Cor those States 10 ask for a reflpdinr from
their own Senators before they demand any
thing from Vermont? The nnlikelibood Of
securing anvthinea home Is nor an excuse
for importantly elsewhere. Is there any
thing In the character of service rendered
which should induce Vermont Senator's TO
rate themselves below the value accorded
bv the pe1ple of other States to their soma
tors? These questions point TO the mainte-
nance of egualitv nj WASHINGTON without
reference to position at home and
State pride might he expectel nj
least To answer them in the NEGATIVE
If the idea is tenable for Senator'S who
neither seek personal profit nor favor bv
back nav. to restore it to the rockers Of the
taxpayers. they ought Certainly 10
he PRIVILEGED 10 IDOL, over the Who'll :ronrS
and. studying who are most entitled II con-
sderation. render Justice between the
people of their own state and the nation
They have right 10 Mace il where il will
not be 50 greatly diifIsed a. 10 falsifv the
main purpose. Having failed. by heinz
out-yoted. to protect the nation from the
passage of the measure. they sbouId have
The right personally, ifthev can and choose.
to shield the people of their own STATE from
any of its consequences. 50 LONG as rbey
purge themselves Of self,hnesS7 and do
not trench upon the LEGAL or egpitable
claims of any other STATE. freely admit
my responsibility to the people of ali the
States. a. well a. of nv own. for NV Official
conduct ana To the people OF my own State