Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1875-08-18
A Man with a Purpose.

he is going TO win his battle As SUCH Hleh
,I,rays do sooner OF latter. Mr.. Samuel
Plimsou, the member for Derby, has been
known for some years rs an earnest work
cr in the cause Of saving the life of sea-
fuinc men. He had become terror to
mcrcenarv ship owners who buy old hulks
for 4 song and getting them insured. use
them until they 20 down with the sailors
who man them.
But although Mr.. Plimsol was known to
the men who. pockets his humanitarian
s,ba,ne. threatened and to those who keep
close watch of the events of the day, he
only introduced himself to the world one
rioht about three weeks ago in the House
ofCommons. Heretofore he has been a
uloddin", earnest man, intent on reaching
hi- ends, but pursuing the orderly and
beaten paths of English Legislative work.
1t WI, when he became angry and sinned
not. that he rose to the place OF master 1t
WAS when Nj. Disraci announced the
shipping bill would have to 90 over until
next winter for want Of time, postponinS
this imD0rtant measure forthc sake of some
tinkrring political bill that WIS a pet Of the
ministry that Mr.. Plimsoll shocked AL
the honorable members by letting his man
hood break loose in wrath. He said the
POSITION, ment would take thousands of
lives and that he would . unmaSk the vii
lanS. some of whom sit in this House.
L. 1 w ,thp
certain vessels lately wrecked with loss of
life did not belong to Mr. Bates" the
member from Plymouth. He charged
that the government WIS in league with
martini" murlcrers in and out of the
YIoll,e and protested against the abandon
mcnt Of the bill. Finally Mr.. Plim,oll, to
the amlZcmcnt of the House, exclaimed
" Failing in this, | lay upon the heads of
the Premier and his colleagues the blood
of all who perish next winter from pre-
vcntlblc causes" and pronounced against
him and them the wrath of God.
This wa, shocking, indeed, to the trtdi-
tons of the honorable members whose
study is how not to do it, and Mr.. Disraell
moved that the House cenaure the member
from Derby, and Mr.. Plimsoll, amid great
uprolr. had the aulacity to shake his fist
ut his opponents and then departed still in
a rare. The marquis of Washington, the
liberal leader, made a lame excuse for Mr..
Pim5oll and was evidently troubled in
stead of clad ut his proceedings. The
4. E = Il
at hi, suggestion. The next evening, Nh
Plim,olI came in and apologized to the
House for Iii, unparliamentary language,
but closed by saying that he would with
draw no statement of facts. The Premier
then move,! to dismiss the resolution of
ccnsurc and it was done.
But the country had heard what Plim
soil sud and its statement of facts vas all
it paid attention to, The supplementary
lln,rrIlrc it did not care about except on
the whole to be Of the opinion tlllt Z linn
soil was not to be blamed for telling the
truth Il fnrcibly rs he pleased. The
ministry found he had the people of Eng
land ut his back, and at once promised
that before Parliament was prorogued
something should be done.
\ bill WAS taken up and passed. which
will answer very well until .Parliament:has
time for maturing a better measure, and
which will prevent the sailing of many I'M
selworthv slips this fall Mr.. DiSraeli,
with his accustomed GOODNESS explains that
l,J-t bl l..
but aided and enabled by them to pass
thi, useful measure. The truth was thlt
Plimsolr, blaze of anger set the feelings O.
the nation on fire, and the ministry could
not refuse the enactment asked for.
Friday, Parliament was prorogued by
the Queen until October 10Th. Her Majes
" made this reference to the bill passe,
since the Plmsoll scene:
The state thu public husiness and the difference
onIon ITay aF7i W y'T,I aI lnn fr1
completing III" ,rn- Iteration 81" tht Merchant lShI
temporary lctnl,.it t. diminish ,nsidrrably tn
danger To- winch my selfarln1 subjects are exposed
Plimsoll will have fresh store Of fact
and figures whercwith to carry on hi
crusade against the ship-owners whel
Parliament again assemblies. The vantage
ground which he gained by losing his ten
per will never be lost to him and the caus
for which he has labored for many year
will not only succeed. but its success wi
be an enduring monument to another ma
of one idea. And when Il man centerin
his whole life on Il great and worthy III
drrtahing, pounds with brain, and heart
will and passion, against some tower
wrong. it /, n good thing to see the ma
win AMI the tower fall.
TIE NATIONAL FINANCES.-Thc Trea
ury accounting officers have Just complete
the national balance sheet for the fisc
year ending June 30. Six weeks tin
after the expiration of the fiscal year a
ALWAYS required To receive the returns fro
the Pacific col>t. This statement viii |
Il gratifying exhibit for those who labor,
for economy in the last Congress, and vi
be 4 corresponding disappointment to Il
croaker~ There is no deficit, rs was pr
dictcd in some of the speeches on Il
budget, vet the receipts exceeded the G
pcnditurc> 10y the relatively small marg
of Sl3.576,6 ,JS. 1t is manifest that but f
the practice of the rigid economy adoptC
ut the last two sessions Of Congress 4
predicted deficit would have been made.
The balance yet shows that the revcnr
of the Government were $3,GSl ,761 great
than the estimates made by the Treasu
in November last. and that the cxpen>
were SG92.o?6 les, than the cstimat,
Nor, cncourH ing than the excess of
cyipt~ i, til" fact hat the expenditures
I'll" last year We're less than for any lis,
year since tho first war wear, 1851.
The following is 4 comprehensive su