Mr. MYERS.R. Chairman, I do not de sire to make any speech on this question. The puestion is very plain and the claim very just. t has come to be a custom here when debate is exhausted upon any subject and a gentleman wishes to get in a speech, to move that some sensible part of the proposition pending be struck out or to amend it by inserting some exceptional words, and having made the speech, to withdraw the amendment. I was half in clined to think that my friendfrom Maine meant to do that thing. What is this proposition of my friend? It is, among other sums to other States, to pay Pennsylvania $14, 715, 600, when at present she only asks $700,000. Now, sir, I do not wish to be misunderstood. When this subject comes before the House as an original proposition and in a fair way, I may perhaps vote with the Gentfrom Maine. but I assert now that this is an attempt to in graft a general law upon a."pecial act. It is an attempt to get a bill in out of its place. Perhaps I may favor some of the Views which have been urged by the Gentfrom Maine. He has been citing Alexander Hamilton and I call to mind the language of that great man in his report as SecyTreasury, to which the gentleman has referred, that the debt of the Revolution“ was the price of liberty.” I say still further now, that the war debt of the Union today is the price of the salvation of the country, 2nd only to the precious blood shed to attain it. When Hamilton proposed to consolidate the State war debts into a federal one the debt of the U.S. was but $54,000,000, and its population 3 millions. Now the population is over 30 millions and the debt over $2, 700,000,000, or 5 times as greataburden proportioned to the population as then. YetI have always held that parsimon in a nation is the poorest political economy. Let us do exact justice to all). I believe we can and will hear our great debt cheerfully, adding to it as much.as is required to equalize the beauties to our soldiers, and paying it OH in time by a judicioussystem of taxation. Perhaps it may be well, also, when the question comes up legitimately, to see whether the loyal States which have debts contracted on be half of the Union should not be relieved so as to put them on an equality with the disloyal ones whose debts we have caused to be rendiated, and which at no distant day, I hope, “ii laws and the Constitution embody the great ien their results of the war, may be represented on this floor. At this time I am opposed to the proposition, and, if it is offered as an inducementto give up a just claim, will only add that Pennsylvania spurns it. The Gentfrom Maine will understand me as speaking on this matter in all kindness, but he is attempting to append to this bill a proposition which he knows cannot, at this time, be acted on favorably. Before I proceed further, I will ask him whetherthis assessment which has been made in favor of the several States, so far as it relates to Pennsylvania, includes the troops provided for in this bill, which we furnishc in the year 1863 at the time of the battle of Gettysburg.