Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1874-05-19


sentative Of the people of the UntcI
States TO do in these prcmiscsP All sir,
there is but one door open for mo. ! say
a failure would be deplorable; moi only
that. it would be dishonorablc. II would
dishonor this great nation in the eyes OF
whole world, and we should admit the
dishoror was beyond our power to avert.
There may be ono other reply, one
other door open. intimated by the gentle.
man from Massachusetts (Mr Err. lloar)
in his inquiry to tho gentleman from
Now York (Mr. Tremain y intimated by
my colleague from Maine (Mr. Hale) from
the Committee on Appropriations; inli-
mated by the gentleman who last spoke
(Mr. Smith of Ohio.) and intimated. too,
by the gentleman from Kansas Mr. Cobb
and that is, that this nation of ours is
bankrupt. Bankrupt. is il The New
York Tribune, Of last Saturday contains
the following:
1.-The national revenue since the begin
ming Of the calendar year has been several
millions less than it was in the cores.
ponding months Of last year, yet the
public debt has been reduced nearly one
million more in The first lour months Of
1874 than it was in the same months Of
1873"
And our 5 per cent. bonds are quoted
both in London and in New York at from
TO , per cent. above par in gold. excu-
sive OF accrued interest. What COM
mcntary on bankruptcy We arc n
bankrupt nation, they intimate and where
would the money como from? they ask.
Why, gentlemen. do you fail to remember
that when you required 81 600 900 day
the money came from the people? Do
lal 10 remember, too. that the strong
men who fought your battles came from
tho people-lrom The same place your
money lid-and that il was to sustain the
country? If you 60 to The same people,
To the same men, the men who labor day
by day to support their families. and ask
them where the money will come from
to save tho honor OF our great Republic.
they will tell you where ii will come from
from their hard earnings. where il did
before. d.ct the gentleman from Maine
(Mr Ilale) 90 down into his own district.
and let him ask the poorest fisherman
who plies his craft between Old Sam
Patch's and the eastward shore, and ask
MIN where The money will come from 10
save the faith OF the nation, and he will
tell him, 81 will give 10 dly's catch, and
If that IL not enough will throw my
boat into tho bargain"
Mr. HALE, Of Maine. | think they
would rather pay the national debt, from
wh1, know Of these fishermen.
Mr.. FRYE. They would lite rather
the Ways and Means Committee would
provide some way 5y which the four or
five million dollars of taxes due from
rich corporations in this country, and
which from the day they we've assessed
down TO now they have kept in their
pockets, should be collected to go toward
the payment OF the national debt.
but, sir. rs | said. soc no escape for
me but to support this ILL, unless it is true
that we are bankrupt. We have forty
millions of people. with measureless sea-
coast, with rivers and lakes and canals.
with network of railways. manufactures.
fertile prairics Of The West; mines Of
iron, coal, copper. silver and gold; com.
merce and ship building just springihg
into new life and activity; with these and
all the other boundless resources OF
great nation, and yet We arc told the na-
ton is bankrupt, and cannot pay 50, 900.
900 TO save itself from disgrace in the
eyes of the world. Can il be so That
kind OF talk may commend itself 10 the
Committee on Appropriations. but they
will have hard work TO convince the
people that We are bankrupt when they
pass appropriation bills 10 provide for
paying boy 10 brush your coats at sixty
dollars month. man 10 open the door,
eighteen hAndred dollars for every five
months work, and man 10 kick his heels
against the marble floors below from six.
teen 10 nineteen hundred dollars q year
hard work to convince The people that We
are bankrupt when only year ago they
were appropliating millions Of dollars for
a public building in Chicago, whose rep.
resentativcs here to day will not vote for
an appropriation OF s3.00O.00 10 save
the country from discrcdit; and millions
in New York, and millions in Boston, and
millions all over the country, only year
ago. If we are bankrupt to day, these
two committees arc wise. and they must,
10y looking into the future have seen it
then, as well as now.
The door of bankruptcy. then. sir. in
my judgment. is not opcd TO me to march
through. | have to step back 10 the only
door that is open. sec on the one hand
disgrace to my country, and on the other
hand see my country clothed with new
power and new glory among the nations
of The earth, by celebrating this anniver'
sary as it has been provided Tor.
Now, sir, am aware that when man
talks about The country or the flag. gen.
llemen sitting around him say, 80, he has
started the American eagle" When my
eloquent friend from New York (Mr.
r.o,,,;,N p,,kcs n rounded pcriod and