Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-08-04

| So,OO,OO,00O, sum 10 vast IA 10 rurpass all our
efforts TO comprehend IL. Three-quarters OF this
sum has been paid by the north, az the north pays
more than nine-tenths Of all the taxes Nothing
pays in the end but work. Every dollar Of gold
Is nothing but work boiled down-work has paid
Tor 1t, Now the money to pay this debt has come
out OF the labor OF the north and all that remains
TO be paid or Is assumed to be paid must be paid
by work, and by work Of northern men II there
Is now no difference between former loyalty and
disloyalty pensioning the rebel soldiers repeal Of
the cotton tax, payment Of claims for damages,
against which there Il no constitutional amend
| fnenti must be right, and all Of these demands
we must pay II we once say there Is no right OF
wrong side. The only bar to the payment Of
| these southern claims " the law that requires
claimants to prove their loyalty. There Is now
pending In congress bill IN wipe out the dis
tincton between loyalty and disloyaty, as affect
| ing all claims against the government. Senator
| Beck once arraigned me, when chairman Of the
Judiciary committee, for not reporting this bill to
the senate, and boosted that they would have
| committee at the next session that would report
the bill, characterizing az stigma the require
ment Of an oath Of loyalty. This same bill Is
pending yet At the last session. by way OF
| having little Yankee revenge on them, tried
To get the Democratic committee TO takeeip this
BILL but they were silent as a mouse. They
want 1t TO stay in the hands Of the committee till
after the November election, then, II they win,
| you Democrats of Vermont will find yourselves
"a little after the fair"
Referring to the subject OF taxation he said the
only taxes the Democrats have reduced were those
on whiskey and tobacco, two great staple products
Of the south. They have had chance for four
years to make better laws-ony two have they
touched
Referring TO the currency question, he spoke Of
our upside down way of speaking OF the COM
parative values Of gold and currency. We speak
| of the premium gold while the value Of the
gold dollar never changes-the premium on 1t be.
| ing in fact corresponding discount on the green
back. He reviewed the differences that prevailed
between eastern and western Republicans up TO
| 1874 on this subject In the debates and compar-
isons OF views preceding this PERIOD those differ
| ences had become harmonized, and the period OF
| waiting to take decisive measures TO secure the
| resumption OF specie payments ended in the de-
| csion To go ahead, and the Resumption Act,
| placing the event four years in the future was
| passed Every Democrat In congress voted against
this and every other measure looking to the res
toration of our depressed currency to a par value
| with gold The men that suffer most from a de-
pressed currency are the working men. Rich men
can endure it, and by taking advantage OF the de-
preston improperly, purchasing and waiting for
| it to appreciate in value, often grow richer The
Democratic party is not the friend OF the working
men Its whole history on this currency question
is against the working man.
Turning to the coming state election, Senator
Edmunds said Vermont sounds the KEY note in
| this campaign. An increased Republican ma
jority in September is necessary to carry with it
| the force of victory. A reduction Of this ma
| jority is Democratic victory. Vermont is re-
| garded throughout the nation as a sort of model
republic. There here few rich men and
very few poor men Wealth is more equally
distributed here. and there is a more equal dis
trbuton of schools and church spires. There
fore the Judgment Of this state going upor down,
is regarded ~ determining which way Republican
sentiment is setting Vermont in the coming state
election will have much to do in deciding the ma
tional contest in November lie believed this
| flag hung out tonight will be illumned with the
| light Of victory, and in their hearts northern
| Dem 'crats will be glad; for peace, justice and
| equal rights will then prevail all over this land
Senator Edmunds' speech commanded the closest
attention of his hearers, and received their ear
nest, thoughtful consideration His arguments,
clear the sunlight had the force OF judicial de-
cisions They have already borne fruit, and
widely disseminated through the surrounding
towns as they will be by his many hearers will
show goody harvest of votes in September.