Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1821-12-22
WAsHINcros, DEC. 10.


WAsHIEGroN, DEC. 10.
The business before Congress cannot be
expected TO be as interesting for the first few
weeks of the Session as at a later period of
il. The committees are yet scarcely ap.
pointed; and no business il likely to come Sc.
riousy before either House until it has first
passed the ordeal of the committees. The
resolutions, directing committees to enquire
into the expediency of enacting this or that,
are agreed TO as matters in course, unless they
contain suggestions altogether inadmissibe.
1t is q courtesy which the house yields to q.
ny and every of its members, to allow an in.
vestigation Of any matter which in his opinion
the public interest requires to be examined,
unless il be SO offensive that il canno, even
be allowed to be q subject of enquiry or dis
cussion. 1t lie ibIs custom which cause. much
OF the time of Congress to be occupied on
questions which are ultimately decided in the
negative. It is nevertheless salutary prac.
tice, the abolition of which would be to mar.
row, the range Of free enquiry, and substitute
the pleasure of a majority of the House for tile
rights of the, individual members. There
are some persons who seem to think that
Congress ought TO work By the hour-assem.
BILE, like the Iahorets at the Capitol. when the
bell sounds, and, like them. dispsrse when it
rings again. In the opinion of such. no
doubt, the early part of the session is waited,
because it is not fertile OF laws. But the
truth is, that no part of the Session of Con-
gress is more usefully employed than that
month or six weeks which is consumed by
| every new Congress in enquiries and consul.
/ tatious necessary to enable its members 10
| discharge the trust conlided to them ,atjsfac.
! toriIy TO themselves, or advaatageously TO
their country In the present Congress there
J are upwards Of ninety new members, of whom
! at least twenty-five have never been in Con-
/ gress before. The very best informed among
these has to learn the routine of business In
| Congress, before he can become an efficient
| member; and there are not few of them
| whose habits Of thought and modes Of action
F, have been SO identified with the practice I'M
| der orr stats governments, and so graduated
| to the scale and nature of the objects of their
! legislation, as to require some time to adapt
| apd famiiisrizs themselves to tkeir new sta
| ton. For these and other reasons it appear.
to US not only allowable, but desirable, thst
| no business of Importance should be pressed
| to a conclusion during the first week or two
| of the first session OF each Congress. If this
J be correct as general position, it is particu.
larry so when spilled to a Congress IN which
there 10 so greet proportion of new mem
| bers as In the present.
| Of the proceedings of Congress for the
last week, our readers have had a regular &C
count. What viii be the nature of the bust.
| ness for this week, is wholly matter Of con.
/ lecture. Few reports Can be expected from
the committees. In the course OF the week,
| the President mny transmit to Congress O
ther documents connected with The topics Of
his Message, or one or the other House may
| call for them. Reports may also be made
| hu If he O.,
| These will extend the field of deIiberaiion o..
yer which the committees ba We TO travel
| - Nat Int.
| DECEMBER 10.
| The Treasury Report, now before ns and
| our readers, is document which has been
| looked for with unusual interest, readily &C.
| counted for by the consideration that on its
complexion depended the question, whether,
| in order 10 make both ends meet. it would
be necessary for Congress to curiai! greatly
the national expenditure, or to resort to di.
rect taxation. We are very glad TO find,
from perusal Of ibis honest and perspicu-
Gus exposition Of the state Of the Treasury,
| that both alternatives usy be avoided, with.
out resorting to loans Not that we are q,
verse to any reductions Of the national expen
! diture, which can be made without deroga.
ting from the efficiency Of the several de.
| paftments OF the government On the con
trary, had the resources fallen short, we
should have been disposed to ,,ran point
in this particular, in preference to laying di,
rect impositions, at time when every body
knows that there is not, in some Of The States
money enough (of specie value to allow III,
people conveniently TO pay even their posta
ges in it. We rejoice. therefore, TO learr
from the Report, that there is very little APP
parent probability of deficiency In The rev.
nue. for the ordinGTy purpose, Of govern
ment, up to the year 1925. by our csIcula
ton, that il is about the time, when come.
thing like heslthfu currency will! be resto
red in nearly every Stale in the Union.
The State of Tennessee has, With fore
cast which appears 10 us com mepdable, FIXED
a day in the year 1924, beyond which speci,
payments by the Banks in tha, state shat
not be delayed. We msy reasonably enter
tain The hope that other states similarly sit
uated will initiate her example. The day il
long one, it is true, but it is day fixed
and we are assured tbs, the determination i
not likely to be revoked If, then, in II,
year 1925, direct taxes should be found Il
be necessary, there is at least possibility 0
their beng collected if laid.