Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-05-11


the honorary rewards OF gold medals, &c. to Cape
| tains Stewart and Bddics, and their crews for
their gallantry in naval actions since the last ad.
JournInent OF Congress.
The measures which relate to the revenue of
tie country, ON which essentially depended
IT'S capacity to pursue course of lbe-
raj policy and of wise preparation for the fls
| ture, were as follow First in magnitude view
cd IN respect TO its effect rnanufsc lures, and
on foreign intercourse, stands he bill To regulate
the duties on imports and tonnage, generally CALI
| ed the New Tariff THIS bill was largely dis
1 cussed IN both Houses, with the advantage of
the best lights afforded BY the experience of
past times and the intelligence and practical
knowledge of the present dsy The prime ipal eff
feet OF the bill after THAR OF placing our revenue
on consistent and stable footing, viii be +, sns
tam and encourage those manufactures IN This
countr,, on which, when imported from abroad.
| high duties are laid by the new act THIS u,-s
question on which here was much dlffereacg
| OF opinion, and Which was al last only adi,ste5
by compromise o. opnion-very dssatlfacto-
ry, however, to large proportion of TIE landed
interest IN Congress with What rea ,os, we do not
| now propose 10 examine The effec' of The new
regulation of duties on imports Will be, 10 lessen
| the revenue from that object, which had, howe-
yer, been disproportIonsiy great during the
last year The demands for the public service,
(includ'ng an adequate provision the interest.
and gradual butrapld redemption of the public.
debt) required the retention of considerable
amount OF internal taxes, On those objects which
would best bear 1t, and the collection of dutes
on which would be The least oppressive and en.
pensiye-wh,lst a just regard 20 the conven.eucs
and comfort of the people demanded repeal
OK tho'e duties least productiy and most obnoE-
ious Acts were therefore passed, 10 continue the
existing double du,ies Ill June next to ems
tinue the duty on salt to Con niue the dutiespn
stamps and on the refining Of sugar ; to corti<
e, a..
ensuing 10 continue the tax on di;uIlatio1s
changing The mole of collecting it TO repeal
the increased duties on postage to repeal the
duties on certain manufactures o repeal the
tax on household furniture ; reduce the due
ties on Licenses to retailers, &C. Besides these;
acts respecting revenue and commerce, there
were passed laws to regulate the commerce be-
tween the United States and Great Britain ac,
cording 70 the Convention on that subject, fan
act which gave rise to much unnecessary discuss
sion) 10 allow a drawback of duties on spirits
distilled and sugar refined within the United
States to regulate the currency of the gold
coins OF fereign countries, and several acts for
establishing, repairing and and perfecting lightg
houses.
We come now TO the measure most discussed.
most wished on the one hand, most dreaded on
the other-'he act to establish National Bank,
ms measure has never assumed that magnitude
| an our view, in which il has been regarded by o.
| theirs who viewed it through diffeDen. medinm,
We hope from IT good effects we have littIe
fear OF bad Twenty years ago, the establishs
ment OF such Bank would have been Justly de-
precated as monstrous instrument of power.
Which improperly used, would be fatal TO our lie
berries. But, the times ave changed: banc
atmosphere, If the expression be allowed, is creas
ted since that time, A. the mids, of which tn
operations OF this institution will he AZ innOxi-
GUS and we hope sslutary add rev,ving, as
& aSl - In,ist ed i,t, , A.
'ane ele nent The sct in question wa adApted by
Congress. with two.f1ld view TO foil ta,e the
fiscal operations of the government and To re-.
tore soundn"ss and uniformity of lue to the
present crculating medium Essentially cons
nected with the later obiect was the resolutions
passed at the close of the session, TO facilitate
the collect on Of the revenue ofthe United States
n the lawful money hereof by authorizing the
treasury Department 10 resort 10 such measures
within ltspower, rs, with the aid of a Nat onal
Bank, will best contribute TO the restoration of
specie payments, that great dies deratrIm IN our
political system. Tine IS the est BY WHICH
wisdom and efficacy of these measures will be
best tried
The provision for future events. IN pursuance
~ he maxim, cnnsecrated by the wisdom of
ages, which teaches us in peace to prepare for
war, has been such as 70 shew that the disss-
irous experience Of the wear ofthe late war has
not been iostuDon us. Among the measures or
this character, we have pleasure in mentioning
fhe acts TO appropriate million Of dollars for
ordnance stores, repairing and completing
Notifications, &c. for organizing the genereJ
staff Of the army, and making further provision
for the army for the gradual but ample in.
crease of the navy for more efficiently aDp1vA
ing the annual sum for procuring arms for the
milita for regulating the proportion of militia
field officers to regiment au hOrizinE the ems
pioynent OF skilf1l assistant to the corps of en-.
crfna Al
relation to remuneration, gratuities and paw
ments for services in the late war, cannot fail to
be felt in due time, in the increased eficienco
OF our army and navy, whenever the time are
rives when we shall again have occasion for their
services.
Various acts Of a miscellaneous nature vera
passed during the session, highly important to
our general interests. Prominent among these
may be reckoned the actto admit new 4. = n in.
to the Union, to he rned Of the present terrific.
~ Of Indiana. On this measure, an extraordinary
and gratifying unanmitv pervaded Congress.
particularly the popular branch Of IL, i'm which
there we're only three dissen, en- votes ON the
question. There were also passed acts relative
to evidence in cases Of naturalization, and direct
ing all the laws on the subjec' Of naturalization
20 by printed, aud distributed to public aoents
throughout the United States for general i6for.
nation Among other acts ola miscellaneous
Character, NAV be reckoned the several annual
appropriation laws, the act supplementary to the
act Regulating the trade with the Indian tribes
the act for regulating the Post Office establish
ment, &c.
The acts respecting the public lands Of 4 pub.
lie as well as Of private nature we're mum erous.
and honorable TO the zeal Of the comm tees who
had charge Of that subject They are too many
to be particularly named, five except that res.
meeting the settlers on the lands of The tinted
States, 60 exempt IN degree the unauthorized