Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-05-13
The Centennial Appropriation.

We give abstracts Of the leading speeches ior anu
against the biill
MIR. Dawes opposed the bill. After taunt-
ing Mr.. Frye, Of Maine, on his high tlown
patriotism, he invited him to come down
from his soarings and discuss stubborn facts.
Even the eagle soaring with his eye in the
sun was compelled sometimes to alight
lie asked him TO look at the national bal
snoe sheet. Here wasa proposition to take
from the treasury $4,000, 600 if it was not
there where was it TO come from ? In the
concluding line Of the balance sheet was
this Increase Of the public debt since
June, 1873, sl,9O6,5G3." Up to the be.
ginning of the eleventh month Of the fiscal
year the treasury was not able to bring the
two ends Of expenditures and receipts to-
gether Last year these two ends had not
only been brought together, but $4,000
900 of the public debt had been paid not
one dollar Of the public debt had been paid
this year.
He would take at their words the gentle
men from Maine and New York Frye and
Tremain, as to the way in which $1,000
600 should be raised. That was the way
10 which three or four millions a day had
been raised during the war. How had
that been2 1t had been by taxation or by
borrowing at discount Of from forty to one
hundred per cent. He reminded his friend
from Maine that the tax gatherer had gone
into his district, and that the east wind had
not been more searching in the bone and
marrow Of every man than the tax gatherer
had been. II tax gatherer should now
take his eagle in the one hand and tax
bill in the other and 60 down to Maine, the
tears and the jubilant halleujahs, inter-
mingled, of his friend Frye would all be
required to satisfy the people Of his district
that it was quite proper to 60 back to the
days Of the war in order to supply means
for having a grand exhibition in Philsdel-
phia.
At the commencement Of the session the
President had called on Congress to in
crease taxation to the amount Of forty mil
lion dollars to meet the current expenses
One Of the bills reported for that purpose
proposes to impose tax of fifteen cents q
pound on tea and thirteen cents on coffee
The gentleman from Maine Frye had yes.
terday taken the wings Of the eagle and
scared out Of sight Of his constituents, but
the exigency had not passed away.
Only last week the President in his veto
message, had again called the attention Of
Congress to the subject of taxation, and in-
formed the country that, before there coult
be free banking, or before the nationa
promises could be redeemed, there must b'
more taxation; and yet his friend from
Maine Frye had gone into spasms Of in
dignation at the idea that the national honoi
was to be furnished because he said th'
President had invited foreign nations t.
come to the exhibition, and, rather thai
tarnish the honor Of the nation, he frye
would bring himself and all his energies anC
those of the whole people in renewed taxa
tions and in renewed debt, no matter l.
what depth.
But the President, through the secretar.
of Estate, had told Congress that the procla
nation which had so alarmed the gentleman
Frye had not the slightest invitation i
it. There was, however, another pledge o
the government to all who held its obliga
tions, which pledge was now unredcemet
and that pledge was to pay before the frs
of July next $40, 100000 into the Sinkin
Fund, not dollar of which has been paid
and not a dollar Of it could be paid. ii
Dawes invited the gentlemen who were 5
troubled about the national honor, involve
in a note Of invitation, to turn their atten
ton to the fact that the governments pledg
stood unredeemed, and could not be re
deemed, but stood broken before the nation
Of the earth.
The debate was closed by Mr., Hawle,
Of Connecticut, president Of the Centennia
Commissioners. He said he occupied h
position from circumstances not within b
own control. The commission had bee
sent to him by the President, and it was III
habit of his life to follow his flag and q
his duty. He wished that he could do
better, but when ho had done as well as |
could he should be acquitted of his col
science, whatever might become Of the caus
He reviewed the action Of Congress al
the Executive to prove that the Cover
ment was fully committed to the nation
character of the celebration. If Congre
should forbid this exhibition to go on
would congratulate the secretary OF Stat
and would take sardonie pleasure IN looki
over his shoulder to see how he would
cuse the Yankee Congress Tor backing OF
lie wanted the chairman oil the ways a
Means Committee to go and tell the secl
tary Of State how to do it.
The House has Just been told that t
Government was s29'ooo,ooo behind
obligations, while Massachusetts man b
been chairman of the Committee OF Wa
and Means for years, and while anoth
Massachusetts man had been secretary
the treasury Tor years, and yet the gent
man Dawes had not dared to come bei'
the people with tax bill required to rede
the solemn obligations OF the Governme
administrations OF encouragement') lie v
tired and weary OF the talk about bar
rupt nation and a bankrupt Government
Ii the treasury was s29,OOO,OO0 behil
he wanted somebody to bring In a taxi
and let Congress vote Tor 1t, but he did
want financial oihcer OF the Governm'
to be pointing to dlshonorable deh'
while he had allowed SIX months OF the
sion to pass by without daring 10 repor
new tax-blll. The question with the P
pie would not be so much what the tal