Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-02-26
Mr.. DaWes's Speech.


Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts,, has
just made another speech in the Ma
tional House of Representatives, upon
the extravagant expenses of the Coy
crnment of the United States. We
well remember that about two or three
years ago. Mr.. Dawes, made Il similar
speech. in the same place, but in OF
der to save the reputation of the Grant
Republican party, and to preserve his
own status in that party, he was
Obliged to retract and whitewaSh over
the statements made therein relative
to the national expenditures. As we
believe that Mr.. Dawes has told the
truth relative to the matter in the
speech Just delivered, and that his
statements in regard to those expenses
are well authenticated by the records
of the country and free from partisan
prejudices; we trust they will be treat
ed as disg'aceful facts and that our
people will strive soon as possible to
be relieved from such dishonest swind-
ling by complete and radical change
of those in official places of trust and
honor, at Washington and elsewhere.
Mr.. Dawes in the speech under
consideration, deals with actual figures
that are the rightful property of the
country, and not be held back for
longer partisan mani ulation. 1t is
due to the people, loaded down as
they have been for more than a decade
with the weight of taxation which has
been borne unmnrmuringly while the
country seemed to require the effort,
to be apprised of the fact that when
the current fiscal year began there
were $6O,O0O,OO0 and more in the
Treasury, and that at the end of it
there will not be left above $4,000,
900; that there has been habit of
proAigacy in the public expenditures
which no nation could endure without
final bankruptcy; that ogrolling
among members of Congress is a
practice as common as it is shameful,
pursued for the very purpose of de-
pletirg the Treasury and accomplish
ING selfish ends; that so wasteful has
been the extravaganza it is found
necessary to propose additional taxa
ton in order to meet current eXpend-
ltures and that grants, monopolies,
rings, sinecures, secret contracts, cor
rupt combinations, District jobbery,
and other similar drafts on the public
Treasury from brood of evils that
must be resolutely routed from their
stronghold if the nation would live.
1t is not at all strange that the pub,
lie man whose plain duty requires Of
him a statement of which the fore
going is the substance, should be met
with the jeers Of the party which is
thus overpoweringly condemned. Not
even the poor sop thrown to its hatred
by an irrelevant reference to the
Democrats under Buchanan's Admin
istration is capable OF weakening
fibre Of its truth by comparison. Here
is a showing that has nothing to do
with party except as it touches the
question of responsibility. 1t signifies
the absolute and entire hollowness of
the political organization that legis-
lates for the country at Washington.
The party of annual deficits, secreting
facts which belong to the people, con-
tinually asking for appropriations,
forming one conspiracy after another
against the Treasury, incapable of re-
storing the currency to soundness,
feeling syndicates for vain efforts to
reduce the interest on the public debt,
roissuing Treasury notes once with.
drawn and ordered to be cancelled,
increasing its salaries and forming
pools for chances in the grand prize of
profigate expenditure-what and how
can it answer to this terrible series of
charges brought by its own leader on
the floor of the House of Representa-.
tives, from whom they are too evil
IDENTIFY extorted by pressure of cir
cumstances that neither he nor his
party can successfully resist?
This speech we trust will be widely
distributed among the people, and