Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-12-11
THE ORACLE ADVISES.
SPIRIT OF THE SAGE OF GREYSTONE
SORE OPPRESSED.
The Nudity of our seaport Defences
Alarms Him-A Long Letter to Mr..
Carlisle-Good Advice for the
Administration.
NEW YORK. Dec. 4.-Mr. Tilden has
written the following letter:

written the following letter:
GREYsToNE, YoNKERs, n. Y,
Dec. /, 1885,
Dear Mr.. Carlisle:
As public opinion points to you as
speaker of the next House of Representa-
tiyes, desire to submit a suggestion as to
one of the public objects to which appro-
priation ought to be prompt and liberal.
Considering the state and management OF
public revenues Il subject that involves
questions as to whether we shall eXtln-
guish the surplus by reducing the revenue
or whether we shall apply the surplus to
payments on the public debt, or whether
we shall seize the occasion to provide for
our sea coast defenceS, which have been
long neglected, | am of the opionion that
the latter is the paramount necessity
which ought to precede reduction of rev
enue, and ought also to precede excessive
rapidity in the payment of the public
debt.
The property exposed to destruction in
the twelve seaports Portland, Ports
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Charleston, Sa-
vannah, New Orleans, Galveston and san
Francisco can not be less in value than
five thousand million of dollars. TO this
must be added Il vast amount of property
dependent for its use on these seapOrts.
They are centres not only of foreign
commerce, but of most of the internal
trade and domestic productions. In
terruptiOn of currents of traffic by the
occupation of one or more of our princi
pal seaports by IA foreign enemy or the in
StructIOn of them by commandment, or
holding over them the menace of destruc-
ton for the purpose of eNacting cOntribu-
ton or ransom would iniliCt upon the
property and business of country an IN
jury which can neither be foreseen or
measured.
To provide effectual defenses would be
tl,t, Il
could be eXtemporized in the presence of
urgent danger. \ million of the sol
diers with the best equipments on the
heights surrounding the harbOr of New
York, in our present total want of prepar-
alton would be pOWerlesS to resist small
squadron of river steamers. While we
may afford to he deficient in means of
offence, we can't afford TO be defencelesS.
Our government has firmly adhered to the
Monroe doctrine aud even so late as 1865
it warned Napoleon out of Mexico. 1t Is
impossible to fOreSee in the recent Scram-
BILE of European powers for the acquisition
of colonies how soon an occasion may
arise for our putting into practice the
Monroe doctrine. 1t Is clear there ought
to be some regulations between our aSser-
ton of the Monroe doctrine and our prep
aration to maintain it.
If we do not make the expenditure nee
essary to provide for our seacoaSt de
fences when we have surplus and have
no need to levy new taxes we certainly
will not make those expenditures whel
we no longer have a surplus in the treas
ury. The present is peculiarly favorable
for providing this great natural necessity
too long neglected. The surplus in the
treasury is ample to meet this want ant
the work can now be done at much lower
cost than has ever before been possible
l endeavored to impress these ideas upol
Mr.. Randall the last time ] had the pleas
ure of seeing him. With the highest re
CARDS, | remain,
Very truly yours,
5. j. TILDEN.