The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-01-30

.-EtS WeiiipcI, respecting the secretary
the treasury, ihe financial department, ant
the administration as conneol ed wt.i it, lie
iuired and shouio receive an answer. MIR
\. sad, he considered himself peculiarly
bound 60 support the secretary, as he had
oeen the innocent Cause, b. Introducing him
into the debate, IN the course or the observa-
ions he had made. in support OF mis- motion,
ana thereby bringing upon him the aninsd-
versions, which the hon. member had taken
occasion to make. His attack upon the Sc
crerary is OF singular Kind ; he does not
tinpeach single Official act OF that officer,
Dut throws out vague inSinuations IN so un-
tangible a shape, as almost to defy an cnqui-
ry into their truth. The official acts Of q
pnbuc oicer are always free subjects of in
vestigatom and discussion but, does it GEM
port it'll the dignity of member of this
body. to asperse without proof, not his acts,
out ms supposed opinions. The honorable
member presumes the secretary gave his as
sent to the repeal OF the salt taX--Upon
MAT authority does he found this opinion OF
the secretary 2 Noproof can be given of it,
Mr.. n. said, he had always understood that
the secretary was opposed to the repeal of
mat tax. His numerous reports prove the
TACT, in all Of which, If they are examined,
1t will be found, that he considered that duty
as one of the branches OF revente upon
nina!ty, if we we're TO suppose that the Sc
rretdr! md joined III the general opinion s.
SVEN his assent TO the repeal, as well as the
It'nCrabe member has done; Tie fact, how
ever, Mir y. averred to be otherwise. That
'ailcer must be Supposed more alive to every
ming connected with the treasury, than o.
her nem0ers of tire government. So far
40 the secre AIRY carried this feeling tow
ara the treasury, hat he was not only op-
yoNed t. me repeal of the salt tax ; but Mr.
y. mad ;iNs avs IN lcratnol tnat he was op-
posed to the repeal OF Inc internal taxes at
onc time t!tcy took place with view no
lou9t NO, only to I've a3te 60 meet all the de-
mIncs that could be legally made upon the
ieAsaTy, but 20 procure surplus, to meet
any contingency I thc peculiar state of our
torrign rc.auo.s might demand. How then
.ie ii nora nc member can charge the secrc-
AIRY vita Che deficiency whch the Sa t tax
wod.d have. prevented, according To the
gentle mdns calculation, Mr. y. said he was
~ less To know. The honorable member
oL6ht more properly IT, charge his own com
piaisance with the great defcit which he
seems 50 anxious to change TO the secretary
HE secretary was opposed to the repeal of
the salt tax from his opinion OF the correct
ness of i. The honorable member was also
opposed toit, Tor the same reason but from
ccmpialsdncc, he himself tells US, he ycted
Tor the repeal. He then, and net the secre-
tary, IS answerable to the treasury Tor the
great loss sustained by the repeal of that
tax; for he has told us, that it's repeal de-
pended upon his single vote and that
vote he gave from complaisance, not from
CONVICTION OF It's correctness.
4 he hon. member charges the treasury
department with recession from the diff
culties OF the nation during the last three
yParS--anI rho 6
cretary to afford the usefulness OF his talents
to government.-Mr. A. said he could not
well understand the meaning of this charge,
as the honorable member acknowledges that
government had not called on the secretary
for greater exertiOns. Mr.. A. said he would
ask the hon. rlember---in what Go that recess
sion and unwiltngness consist Have not
all the duties of the Office been performed /?
Has the secretary ever shrunk from respon-
&iD!lty upon any occasion, or declined an
swcting To the fullest extent, any of the
calls made upon him l3y congress, either for
Information OF opinion Has he not carried
,he tindnci.i bark safely to this moment,
notwith standing Tie difficulties OF the times /!
Rave not all the pub. engagements been
iatH.ied al the increased expenses been de-
trayed Notwithstanding the decrease of re-
VeHic, &C tsioBed by the state Of our foreign
relations Wnit is then meant by rece ssion /!
tSue> thc hon. member mean to Say, that it
was the duty Of the secretary to point out
lew branches ~ revenue while those al
ready existing were sufficient to dcfray the
Sieascs authorised hy law At ths mo-
re"t, whilst we are acting on the subject Of
ne army, Whch viii (grcatly) more than
iouDie the public expenses, the hon. mem
DER does not dcign 10 enquire into the was
and means. He scouts the very idea, and
iiDds great fault with him. (AGr. A. because
lie pre- umed to make some enquiry into the
present state of the natioili treasury.----
whether we now vote SIX ~ ten Regiments
II infantry, With the addition of those ;of AZ.
iillery end horse, the expense will be great !;
eut we think 1t necessary some additional
troops snail be raised, and will vote accord
inely. After they shall have been authorI-
scd, and not before, tie treasury depart
ment may properly he called upon, to point
o"t the resources and present them 20 our
consideration. The hon. member, not Salts
Led with his vague charge Of what he calls
a recession OF the treasury dcpartment, eX-
tends the charge in a most extraordinary
manner, to the late and present administra-
tiors. To their indisposition to press on the
treasury, and 70 disturb the repose aud DO
puiality of the secretary of the treasury
the honorable member ascTibcs the mea-
sures, which in his opinion had dishcnored
tho nation, the last three years. Can this bc
correct, Mr President Can this house be-
lieve tina; the la;s and present admiuistrau-
ms would DC capable Of acting upon such
principles! The honorable member has