Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-02-10

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counts Il for &c.
MIR. RANDOLPH said lie would readily
agree 10 mntidy his motion in the manner
winch the gentleman from South Carolina
or any other gentlemen, should deem ex-
peiilent 10 ehcCiuate the object ci
the gentleman would prepare such an
amendment, he would adopt il with plea
sure The resolution, he said, must speak
for itself. While up, he would observe,
that, with regard Ia The Banks of this
| District, while he had mentioned one or
two by name, he did moi know that there
was pin 10 choose between them. He
had no idea, he said, of selling off the
public lands, INCREASING the balances al
ready due for them, aud making. up the
present deficit by taxes on the people,
when II could be made up merely nv
making these iee-hes dsgorge.. The
honorable gentleman has mistaken me.
SAID Mr.. X. n he supposes have any hos.
tiiiiy Ia the Secretary OF The Treasury.
have none but, Mr.. Speaker. YOU know
very well--no man ought 10 know better
what II is 10 disturb Il hornets nest ::
The Secretary OF the Treasury is not going
10 array hiHselt against these individuals
without call from this house. The pre-
sent system. Mr.. II. said, would not work
and, il II would moi, We must either 90
on with il as ii is, aud continue TO en-
crease the public burihens, or we must
cndeavor To get rid oft. He wished tina,
III" present Secretary Of the Treasury, or
The former Secretary of the Trcasury-of
whose intended return 10 this country
rumors were afloat--or some one, of
equal capacity with either, would devote
himself TO rec,ityihg The disorders in the
public expenditures. The disorder i'm
haI
government perhaps could go on with IL
but when TO this was added The disorders
in the expenditures, Cresus himselfcouId
not sustain il. The English, Mr.. r.. said.
were remarkable for having brought their
system of collection TO the least possible
expence- he would not say to perfection,
but certainly much nearer II than we
have attained. France, though her reve-
nue be mol so cheaply collected as that
oi Engia Nd, yet, as far as his information
extended, in the economy Of its exprndi>
lures greatly surpassed her. The English
are proiuSe IN their expenditure-he
spoke not oil the gross AMOUNT, or o The
OBJECT, whether great armies, the navy,
&c. but OF The dollar for dollars worth.
But, he said, we are more proiusc I'm the
eNpencc OF The collection OF revenue than
either of these powers, aud we Guido the
o''u lngs OF every former generation in
The protuson OF expenditure aud total
want OF responsibility in public agents.
Now, said he, me0 pcricuto, | undertake
to say, fyou vii! call III the balances due
10 The government from individuals If
you Viii make the great corporations and
men who pass for rich with public monies
IN their hands-If you will make these
ieecbes dissorge-it YOU will make them
pay lie people, II will cure your deficit:
u VIII make II unnecessary To Law taxes.
hey DO not pay interest on the money
they hold; aud very likely if YOU au,I,o-
rlze loan They will lake it--and who are
better able than men who have both Their
pockets stuffed with public money MIR.
X. said he ECped the Secretary of the
Treasury ould consider it part of his
duty, IN suggesting remedy, to give the
house some ll'iie history OF the azure of
the disease. II, however, II should be
thought necessary specially 10 require il,
he had no objection So 10 modify the re-
solution.
Mr.. I,Tmbie said he should moi oppose
the resolution. although special com.
miitee of The House had the subject IN
charge hc should vote for il, because il
would unquestionably relieve linn as one
OF that committee from portion of the
duties lie had 10 perform. All the same
time, he begged leave 10 say, that the
committee OF which lie was one had moi
been Idle and that, as TO The reference
10 the Secretary of the Treasury for
facts, all The information required had
been, or was III the way Of bcing furnish.
ed TO the committee, of which he happen.
ed 10 be chairman. In The course OF the
examination which he had had an oppor-
tunity OF making into this subject, he had
the satisfaction Of finding that not a sin.
gle dollar had been applied in malversa-
ton OF the public moneys. That there
were sums OF money iii the hands of pay
masters and qudriermasters, and other
public agents, tO large amount, was GER
tainiy true. Many OF their accounts had
not yet been settled, for The wait of fine.
Large sums might he lost TO tie govern
nient by some of these agents, not from
the want OF means or of disposition 10
enforce Tie payment Of them, but from
the insolvency OF the individuals. But.
with respect 10 aHy moneys III the hands
Of public agents, Mr. I. sand il must be
evident HEY constituted no available
fund. Whether mode of enforcing a
more speedy collection of The pubic
debts could not be devised, was n cues
lion worthy of consideration. But he
begged leave 10 say, that he believed
every thing had been done by the lrea-
sury which the law allowed the officer al
The head Of that Department 10 do aud
tina, he had moi been ablcto find, nor had
he any reason 10 suppose, there existed,
any negligence. on this point, on the parI
OF any OF the heads Of Departments.
Mr.. RANDOLPH said he had no ipfen-
ton o irespass or the department Of the
gentleman from Kentucky, or Of the
tao
the existing provisions of law vere duly
executed Inasmn1h &c II ,rar liz ;,,.IE