The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1804-05-19

there is not = member on this floor that
will give them a more cordial fupport. we
are all interefted in protecting L trade
and in obtaining relief to our fuferine
citizens. This relief, l truft, will be obtain
ed by the vigorous meaiiireS of our govern
Inent.
Mr.. NICHOLSON regretted that it wa.
not in his power to furnih the informant
! on deiired by the gentleman from Connec
ticut- Had he been folicitous to learn ths
: extent of the armament about TO be fitted
| out, he would moi have sone TO the navy
|; yard for information ; bat TO a highrrau
! thority, equally accefible to the gentleman
! as to him!elf. Ie had not hirpfrlf foug5,t
| this information, becaule he knew that
! the Preiident, having conided to him a
| discretionary power &c 70 the armed force
OF the nation, would uie it in fuch a man
! ner as would be mott efc6tual. His only
object, therefore, was to give him the pow
er of uGng means Of the United States with
energy ; leaving the diicretion in him, as il
neceitarily NUT be TO ufe it as he iheuld
think proper. 1t we were about to raife an
army to commence hottjlities againit a 70
reign nation, it would not be the province
OF the Houfe to enquire how it hould be
directed. Having authorized the rating and
coupling it, it would forthwith come folelv
under the power of the Executive depart-
ment ourpower being confined to fupply-
ing the means by which itmay be RATED.
In introducing this bill, Mr.. n. faid he
had thought it proper, when the govern
ment were about to incur 4 VERY heavy
expencc, that means fhould be provided by
which it ihould be betrayed. The gentle
man from Connecticut who has moved TO
ftrike out this ~ieGtion, feems extremely will
ling to incur the eXpence, on condition
that no means ihan be provided by which
II ihall be betrayed. Eli. II. faid he held
it 4 found doctrine in politics, and more
particularly applicable to a government
like ours, when proviiion was made for i'll
curing eXpences, to provide lkewife the
means of meeting them. This was the
doctrine by which the Legislature ought to
be governed. They ought not to autho-
Tiic any eXpenCe, without ut the fame time
providing the means, unlefS on great emer-
gencieS when the means are not in their
power. There may be fuch emergencies,
when It is proper to authorize the Execu-
tive to loan comfortable fiImS, when no
other means can be retorted to by the go
yernncnt.
We az nov about 20 authorifs---
expence than ufual, and the Legislature are
called upon-to provide means for its dif-
charge. For one, faid Mr.. N. I can never
content 70 addto the public debt, while the
~refources to the country are adequate to its
wants. Theie are my ideas and | feel
.omevilat fiIrprifcd at the calculation OF
the gentleman from Connecticut, on the ex-
pence about to be incurred. He climates
this eYpence al 3S8,oO0 dolls. though yef-
terday when this fuhje6t was laid befor the
committee of ways and means, and it was.
contemplated to provide 10000 dollars,
he moved to ftrike ont 10000, and infert
a million. And yet he now cells rs that on
" $4,000 dollars are required. AS to the
specie in the treafury, the gentleman ftates
that OIL the iirit of October there were five
millions. But with what difburfcments is
this ~chatgeable Out of it there are to be
paid American citizens for French fpolia-
tons, the fun OF 3,75O,Ooc dollars in cain.
which mutt remain in the t%reaiiIry that iuG
claims may be paid as iocn as preientcd.
Unberthe Pritih convention there is TO be
paid 100000 dollars; and there is lisewiCe
to.be paid the intcreit on Louifana hoci,
amount ne to CG5,OOO dollars the acrre-
gate of which hms is 5,235,oOo dollars.
Not having made this calculation until the
gentleman made his obfervations, it is pof-
fbIe that it may not be perfectly correct.
When the lois of the Philadelphia was
announced, my frf enquiry of the Secreta-
ry Of the Trcaiury vas what money could
he feared from tie t~reafiIry for the proit-
cution of vigorous meaiures. His anf,ver
was, tha1the greateit fun which could be
fpared would not exceed 10000 dollars.
j did not, like TIE gentleman, go to the
clerks or to the navy yard but / got the
beitinfOrnation | could.
The gentleman from Connecticut, who
appears wiling to incur an expenSc OF Il
million of dollars, while he is unwilling to
provide the means Of meeting it, objects to
the mode of rafting revenue propo.ed by
the committee of ways and means, with
out propolinC any other. He obj IS to
the laying additional duties on imported
goods. In his remarks he has made an err
roneous fatement ofthe quantity of goods
on which ad-vaiorem duties are paid. His
error has arifen ron not deauGting the a.
mount c drawbacks. BY an official fate
ment, made this i%eiiion, it will be found
that during the year 1909 goods paying ID
valorcm duties were as follows:
Rasc. InuoW7t. DUR.
! u l-2 p. c. 23,J77,717 2,922,2l4
Is 7,s3S,fl4 l,lsa,292
90 139,S8o 1896
Amounting to 5~I,706,16l 4,l93,qT2