Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-18
Congress OF the V. States

lREPoRrBp ron TRB n. IsrELLIGEScER.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
DECEMBER IL.
ReDeQ{ of IliferunI TIRES

Mr.. WALKER, of N. G. said he had no
doubt of the passage of the bill; but, as
the House was about to take leave of AN
old acquaintance, the internal taxes, which
this bill proposes 10 repeal--on which he
cheeriully congratulated his fellow citi-
zens-he called for the yeas and nays on
the passage IT.
The question having been stated, "Shall
the bill pass q
Mr.. HoPKINsoN ofPenn. rose.-To OPP
pose measure which had been recon-
mended by the President, and would pro-
badly be moe ioyiully received by great
majority ofthe people, lie said, would be
an effort so utterly hopeless of success,
| as almost 10 amount TO all absurdity
| He should not attempt it; but at the same
time ii seemed to him TO be both AN Off
| cial and conscientious duty to express and
| act upon the opinion he really possessed
! upon every important question of legisla-
| ton upon which he was called upon to
vote. In the performance of this duty,
| said he, but without troubling the House
with an unnecessary and useless discus
sion, 1 must give my voice against the
| total repeal and extinction of our system
of internal taxation. | hold il to be un-
wise i'll any nation, particularly in nation
now mingllng largely, and somewhat keen
| ly, too, IN the great national concerns of
| lie world, and of course exposed 10 all
the dangers resulting from such connec-
lions, TO deprive itself of the only sources
OF revenue whlchlt can command and re-
~ upon at all times and in all seasons,
whether the political atmosphere be dis
turbed and shaken by the storms of war,
! or reposes IN the tranquility ofpeace. We
| are not withouta SAD and calamitous eXpe-
| rience on this subject, and have seen and
| feit now ruInous II is to wait until the enc
my lines our coast, aud cuts of the posi-
blliy OF receiving supplies TO our treasu-
| ~ from external sources, before we set a
| bout TO organize a system for producing
revenue from within. Ii the people are
ever so willing to bear the burden when
| necessary, the time required 10 raise the
revenue will bea period of embarrassment
TO the government, OF distress 10 the pub
lic credit, and disreputable loans, allow
ing heavy discount to the lender.
| would avoid such calamltieS by keepin.
up reasonable and moderate system OF
| internal taxation on objects properly Sc
lected and judlciously collected have
no fondness for depressing the people
Why should have ? | must expect TO
bear my share Of the burden. But If is
| IlOtl
them IN the time of their prosperity, than
TO come down upon them with pinch
ing oppression i'll the day of difficulty. :.
The honorable chairman of lIIe commit
tee OF ways and means, with the discre-
ton and reflection which belong TO him,
admits the proposed repeal is founded on
Our slate Of peace, and It's probable CON
flDuance with all the world, and frankly
declares, that our foreign relations were
otherwise, he would oppose the repeal.
are we not trusting too much to this If?
Yes, Sir, II we could be assured of perpct-
ual peace, we might de many excellent
things, and avoid many evils. Do we not
Keep up our armies and navy because war
may come; and should we not. for the
same reason, keep up tile means. and the
only means by which we can maintain
tins army and navy when their aid shall
be required? We are TO expend a million
year 10 augment the navy, and much
more than this TO support the army. both
of which will be useless if we are never
again 10 be troubled with war. Besides.
Sir, If | do not Risjudge some indications
already exhibited. we are about entering
a path, which, If pursued. may lead lis TO
tread down the powerful hypothesis rest
ing OH tins moihentOus if; and bring us
again TO The field of slaughter. If we re-
ally have too much money, (Which bv
The bye, Is story we heard once before \
why not remove the impOst from salt ?
reduce tn tonnage reduce tbe duties
OH sugar, coffee, tea, and other articles,
no longer luXuries, but necesSa-ies oflife
tor the poor as well as the rich wlIy moi
expend the surplus in tie internal i'm
provement Of Our country, 80 loudly call
tn - II "a, 4 D 4
bic the House no further on this subiert
imam 10 say, that while oppose the gen
erdl destruction Of all the internal taxes
there are some of them / would GLADLY
dispense with.
Mr.. BALDWIN, ofPenn. said, il appear-
ed TO him TO be a singular thing that
whilst, only three years ago, Congress
were ieglsiallhg these tdxesinto existence
ana paying premium of 80 per cent. to
Inc us!rers tor money, they should nov
be legislatlng on what was called a sur-
plus revenue; not surplus in fact but in
anticipation. lie knew, I've SAID, that il
was not permitted 10 bin, and io Other
young members, to take finc TO giv,, =
due examination to tile subieci-lte had
requested IT yesterday, and been refused
and lie was therefore obliged 10 90 into
the subject without much constellation
referring to the estimate of the Treasury.
OF the expenditures Tor The ensuj,i1
year, he found variation between
nose Tor the present year and for Tie
next, Tor which lie could not account
Ihe estimate for the army, for instance.
was two millions less this year than i,e
iast--on what data formed, he did not
know; Nothing had appeared which Sa-
tished lim that Congress could do Justice
to HE country, in taking OH The taxes ~,
estimates Of this kind, when there Was no
certainty that they we're correct. II we
have this surplus revenue, wty not. as
| tdl been Justly rgta.trkod 80. ia 80