The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-03-10
CONGRESS-.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
TUESDAY MARCH 1872


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
TUESDAY, MARCH 5, 1872
The House proceeded to the consideration
OF the order OF the day, viz. the report Of the
committee OF ways and means on the
;. WAR TAXES.
Mr. MAim.s motion to re- commit to a
committee of the WHOLE the resolution en-
bracing {; tax on whiskey, for the purpose of
amending it, being still under consideration.
Messrs. Grundy and Wndley opposed,
and Messrs. MRiaa, Wriglt, Fisk. and
Wtdscry, supported the motion.
The arguments for and against the motion
to day. as we'll as yesterday, were grounded
on the expe diency OF inexpedency of an ex-
Csc tax on whiskey. On the one hand it was
SAID that ii the proposed tax of IS or 20 cents
per gallon on distilled spirits were to take
effect, 1t would produce revenue of five or
six millions of dollars. and preclude the ne
cessIty OF other taxes that it would eventu-
ally be paid by the consumer, and would
therefore operate equally that domestic
spirits ought to be taxed a little when the
outy OH foreign spirits was about to be dou-
nied, as there is no reason why man who
drinks brandy or rum and water should be
mace to pay double price, while the whiskey
orinker paid nothing; that the excise sys-
TEN was already proposed as to fine sugar,
anh might be extended to whiskey with
much less inconvenience than would result
from the collection of the variety of small
taxes proposed by the Committee of ways
and means
On the other hand remarks we've made on
the severity with which this tax would oper-
ATE on those who already have to bear the
chiet burden with the least ability to pay
NJ OF the land tax, viz. the people of the
western country that considering the pau
city OF their saleablc productionsin the west
ern country, tax on whiskey which would
put stop to its distillation, would wholly
eisabie them from paying the land tax that
1t was besides gr1evously heavy, partial and
unequal. he evils OF an excise system
were depicted in vivid colors ; and it was
SAID that although any tax on whiskey was
UNJUST and somewhat oppressive, they were
willing to iucur the responsibility of a tax on
stiils rather than defeat the great work in
which the nation was engaged.
MIR. RandoLhh moved a recommitment of
the whole report to a committee of the
whole. =,
This motion was supported by the mover
at considerable length, and opposed by
Messrs. Aston, ChevcS, Calhoun, and Ma
cor. * Hr
This debate occupied the whole of the re-
mander of this days session, and shall
hereafter appear together with what prece-
ded it. g.ii
The recommitmcnt was supported on the
ground that the budget of taxes reported
was OF the most oppressive character; that
moreover they were unnecessary and mpo-
lite, because Congress had only 10 repeal
their own restrictive law, and a revenue
would accrue to the u States to a much
greater amount than was contemplated to
DC provided by the taxes under 'considera-
tion. : Other considerations were introdu-
"a INF. ftfl,o
dlate'y to the question before the House,
will be better understood when the debate
shall be published at length.
In reply it was urged that the gentleman's
project was peace project, and not calcu-
iaied Tor the eSigency /; that besides it would
not produce the effect he anticipated, be-
cause commerce WAS destroyed by the or
ders OF @. Britain, and by the municipal re-
guiatlons. OF France that all taxes are dis
agreeable, and though the committee had
exercised much dcliberation on the subject
of,their report, it might be expected there
would be Il difference of opinion on some
items. But that now to recnmmit the re-
port, as proposed, would be shrinking from
the pressure OF the crisis, and would stamp
indeliDie disgrace on the Hose and ma
ton.
The question on re-committing the report
was taken about O'Clock, aAd decided as
follows
YEAS.-Messfs Baker, isiselnW ,Bseeck-
err breckenridge, Brigham, Chlmpion, Chit
tenden, Ely, Emott, Fitch, Cod, Goidsbo-
rough, Gray, Jackson, Key, Law, Lewis,
Livingston, NJ 'Bryde, Minor, Moselcy, Pear
son, pitkin, Quincy, Randolpli, Reed, Ridge
~, Shelby, Stuart, Starses, Tal.niilge,
wheaton, Whi;v, Wilson 81
MA iS.--.nessrs. Alston, Anderson, Ar
cher, Bacon, Bard, Basset, Bib, Black
ledge, Boyd, Brown, Burwell, Butler, Cal
hoan, Cheves Clay, Cochran, Condit, Craw-
ford, Davis, Dawson, Desha, Dinsmoog, Earle,
Findiey, Franklin, Ghoison, GOOD win. 6 reen,
Grdndy, .. Hall, Harper, HAYES, Hufty,
Hyneman, Johnson, Kent, King, Lacock,
betever, Lictle, Lowndes, Lyle, Macon,
Maxwell, M 3ore, M'Coy, NJ Kee, M'Kim,
Metcaf, Mitchill, Morgan, Morrow, Nelson,
New, Newton, Ofmsby, Pickens, Piper,
Peasants, Pond, Richardson, Rhea, Roanc.
Roberts. Rodman, Sage, Summons, Sewer.
Sewer, Seybert, Shaw, Smile, &. Smith, j.
Smith, Stanford, Strong, TYliaierro, Tracy,
Iroup, Tarner,Whitehih, VIM, Wright
80.
So Mr. Ran1o,hh's mo.ion was neeatived
And the House adjourned.
80, Wedaesday, 1fqrch 4.
The House resumed the consideration of
the order Of the DAY. -
Ihr. 14Rini said as his motion to recom-
mlt the NTH resolution had given rise 10 some
dIfilcuity, aud he had no disposition to en-
Dsrrdss, he would withdraw it, rese.yjn,- to