Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-13
ALEXANDRIA:
S.GTCRD.4F, DECEMBER Is, 1917.
EROsI OUR CORRESPONDENT AT WASH
INGTON.
Priday, December IL, 1917.

representatives. yesterday, directing the
Committee OH Roads and Canals to en-
quire into the eypediency of making a
canal to connect Lake Michigan with the
river Mississippi, and another to connect
Tennessee river with the Tombigbee.-
After. which, Mr.. Mercer proposed the
following resolution:
Resolved, That the President Of the
United States be requested to lay before
the House of Representatives return of
the present strength of the army OF the
United States, with the distribution there
of among the several military posts which
it is designed to protect, together with
any information which he may be able TO
afford respecting the competency of such
force to preserve and defend the fortifca-
tUns among which it is distributed, and
tn aid in constructing and to defend such
other military works, if any, as it may
be IN the contemplation of government to
erect for the security of the United States
aad of the territories thereof"
This resolution was agreed to, and MIR.
Mercer intimated his intention to move
on future day for the reduction OF the
army.
ABOLITION OF THE INTERNAL TAXES.
The bill abolshins the internal duties
was read third time, and, on the Speak
er's putting the question that it do pass,
Mr. Hopkinson rose, and said, that he
knew it was hopeless to oppose a mea-
sure at once popular in itself and recon-
mended by the President; he, therefore,
did not mean to attempt any opposition,
but merely to deliver his opinions on Tie
subject with sincerity, and to say, that
impressed with those opinions, he must
vote against the repeal Of that whole sJs-
TEN of taxation. AT q time when we were
mingIing pretty keenly in the affairs Of The
world, to throw out OF our hands the on
Iy revenue that we could at all times Sc
curely rely upon, was, as he thought, ex-
tremely imprOvident. OF this the house
had had calamitous experience in the
commencement of the last war. Should
similar exigency occur again, though
the people might be willing TO bear the
burthcn Of taxes, it would require much
time again 10 organize a system OF taxa
ton, and we should again find ourselves
in danger and distress, aid be driven TO
the necessity of dishOnorsbe leans. We
talked OF peace as reason for repeating
our taxes, and yet we were keeping up
an army and increasing our navy, because
war may come-ard Why, on tie same
ground Of reasoning, ought not these tax
es 20 be kept up too--and if there was
too much money in the treasury, might it
hot be applied 10 public improvements,
and 10 reduce the taxes on thugs that
had become to the poor, the necessaries
of life. air. Baldwin took the same
ground with Mr.. Hopkirson, and Observ-
ed, Row odd it must appear that 5 years
ago our government was soliciting loans at
ten pc: cent, and were now legisla-
ting on Che suPpositon Of surplus in
the treasury; but he very much doubted
whether there was any real surplus to
Justify this wilfuI dedication.
In short speech Of this kind it is i'm
possible for Us to follow Mr. Hopkinson
and Mr.. Baldwin, On the one hand, in
their many AID vigorous points OF sb-
lection to the repeal, or the advocates Of
the repeal, on the other, through the able
and acute remarks and neat eloquence
OF MIR. Sergeant, Mr.. Holmes and slr.
Barbour-nOthing short OF the whole
could be called a satisfactory report OF
the talents displayed On this OCCASION
The question was at length taken by
ayes aud noes, when there we're
Ayes 16l
Noes 5