Year: 1864




sen ATF.-Mr. LOWRY. Mr. Speaker, we
have had two bills before us this session, which,
when they first came up, were denominated re-
seectively as sisters think SIR, that those Sis
ters at the time they were introduced IN this cham
Der, came in with very bad characters indeed /.


Now, sir, | am opposed to the bill under con-
sideration because il is hot, In my judgment, an
honest bill. 1t does an outrageous injustice to
many districts In this Commonwealth giving a
premium to those who stay at home, and taxing
those who have already put their hands into their
pockets and paid their neighbois for going to the
war.


We have heard dissertation from the Senator
from IToga as to what We should do / am not
prepared to answer his speech fully; but say upon
general principles that the whole system of boun-
ties has been pernicions TO the successful prosecu-
ton of this war The matter should hays been
left entirely to the General Government; and if
she had prohibited the giving of local hounties
everywhere, and given areasonable bounty herself,
l am inclined to think that that would have been
the wisest thing.


The Senator on my right fMr. Wilson) is desir-
Gus Of shifting the load from OF his own shoulders
to those Of his posterity; but when We come to
look for bis posterity they are nowhere to be
found Laughter


Mr. HOUSEHOLDER. Mr.. Speaker, | had
not intended to say word on this subject but the
manner IN which this bill is evidently about to be
treated precludes the necessity Of my making any
lengthy remarks


The Senator from Erie, singularly enough, wish
es to XIII this bill by an indefinite postponement.
He does not desire this bill to come before u.s. and
be considered properly upon its merits. He APP
pears to assume that it is unfair and unjust to the
Commonwealth Of Pennsylvania and that her peo-
pie would not tolerate the assumption of this In
debtedness BY the State. hold, sil, that the con-
trary is the fact | contend that this bill eontem-



act justice TO all sections of this glorious Common
wealth. and | think that if the Senate viii grant
me their attention for moment, | can show from
authentieal calculation that such is the fact


would ask the Senator from Erie and other
Senators who have spoken upon this bill, If we
do not propose not only to assume the reimburse
ment of these moneys, but also TO make those
bounties exactly equal in all sections of the State,
so that the wealthy together with the poorer coun-
ties will be enabled by the aid and assistance of the
State to fl their quotas, and avoid the eonscrip-
ton throughout the entire State Is that injustice?
Do you wish to utterly and entirely depopulate
certain sections of this State, as you would GER
tainly do if such superior inducements were held
out by the more wealthy counties / conclude,
sir, that this would be the necessary result and il
the Senator from Erie win but consider, he can
come TO no other reasonable conclusion | think,
sir, that if the Senator had consulted his eonsttu-
euts generally, rather than the single one who call
ed upon him. as he says, he would have found
that they were in favor of this bill Inmy opinion,
six it is for the best inte ests of his constituents
and those Of other Senator'S who have spoken ii
opposition to it.


/ have made few calculations on this subject,
which viii offer to the Senate for their careful
consideration 1t viii fully demonstrate the great
disparity between the several sections of this Com
monwealtb, and the unjust discrimination in favor
Of the more wealthy counties. / have arranged
the counties alphabetically. with their respective
number Of taxables, and the assessed valuation
according to the report Of the revenue commits
sioners of last summer, and the average assessed
wealth of each taxable in the respective counties