Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-06-05

IL Will De remembered that Senator
Conkling was not referring to customs
revenue especially, and it will be con-
cedcd by the fair minded everywhere
that by including the Western States
which Mr.. Hill believes pay little OF
no customs duties, Mr.. Conkling
made an entirely fair statement of the
case.
The following figures taken from a
statement which has just been pre-
pared at the treasury department in
compliance with call from the Senate
is Of interest in connection with this
matter. The internal revenue tax
from the eleven seeding states from
June 80. 1866 to June 80, 1873 was
S201, OO6, 0O6.15; from the state of
Ohio for the same time S215, O1O, go
81; from Illinois, S211, 187,312. So !;
and from New York, 1884, 400, 49,
%. For the fiscal year ending June
30, 1878, the seeding states paid
$1I142,042.45; Ohio, S14, 762, go
o.; Illinois, $19,651,732.21, and
New York $14, 963. 899.62.
From speech made in Georgia nj
opposition to the secession of that
state I quote the following:
"But again, gentlemen, what have
we to gain by this proposed change of
our relations to the General Govern
ment? We have always had the con-
tol Of it, and can yet if we remain in
it and are as united as we have been.
We have had majority of the Presi-
dents chosen from the South, as we'll
rs the control and management Of most
of those chosen from the North. We
have had sixty years Of Southern
Presidents to their twenty four, thus
controlling the executive department.
So of the Judges Of the Supreme
Court, we have had eighteen from the
South and but eleven from the North.
This we have required so as to guard
against any Interpretation Of the Con-
stitution unfavorable to us. In like
manner we have been equally watchful
to guard our interests in the legislative
branch Of the Government. In choos-
ing the presiding Presidents, pro tenn,
of the Senate we have had twenty-four
to their eleven. Speakers of the
House we have had twenty-three and
they twelve. While the majority of
the Representatives, from their greater
population, have always been from the
North, yet We have SO generally secur-
ed the Speaker, because he, to great
extent, controls the legislation Of the
country. Ner have we had less con-
troll in every other department Of the
Government. Acknowledgements we
have had fourteen, while the North
has had but five. Foreign ministers
we have had eighty-six, and they but
ffty-four. While -fourths of the
business which demands diplomatic
agents abroad is clearly from the free
States, from their greater commercial
interests, yet we have had the princi-
pal embassies SO as to secure the world
market for our cotton, tobacco, and
sugar On the best possible terms. We
have had a vast majority of the high
er officers of both army and navy,
while larger proportion of soldiers
and sailors were drawn from the North.
Equally SO of clerks, auditors, and
cOmptrollers filing the executive de-
partment. The records show for the
last fifty years that Of the 5000 thus
employed, we have had more than two
thirds of the same, while we have had
but one-third Of the white population
of the Republic.
Again, look at another item, and one,
be assured, in which we have a great
and vital interest it is that Of reye-
nue. or means of supporting govern
ment. From official documents we
learn that fraction over threc-fourths
of the revenue collected for the sup
port Of Government has uniformly
been raised from. the North. * x <
The expense for the transportation of
the mail in the free States was, by
the report of the Postmaster General
for the year 1860, a little over S13,-
600, 900, while the income was S19,-
100000 But in the slave States the
transportation of the mail cost $14,-
$4,000 while the revenue from the
same was S8.001,026 leaving a deficit
of $6,7O4, 974 to be supplied by the
North for our accommodation, and
without it we must have been entirely
cut off from this most essential branch
of government.
To the regret of her numerous
friends in this city, Mrs, Chas. G.
Williams leaves for her Wisconsin
home this evening. Her kind and
gentle appearance will be missed in
Washington society.
X. X. X.