Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-01-03

resolve, II would come 10 the conclusion, which he
hoped would be ratified by its determination at an
early day, that 1t is Indispensable the interest OF
the country, and to the security of the revenue to
have in all the principal seaports extensive ware
houses erected, by the United States. aud to be US
ed, under our revenue system exclusively for pub
lie account.
| MIR. Webster observed that he was sorry to have
TO say another word on this matter. But he could
not but think that ii would be better If the House
should not adopt this amendment. A knowledge
OF what steps had been taken to retrieve the loss
which had happened would not, so far ms he could
perceive, be OF any aid 10 the House 10 The
course II was to pursue. Various answers might
be received 10 such an inquiry. Perhaps it might
be that the Collector had resorted to an action of
trover-it mightbe, that he had seized the goods.
Perhaps 1t would be, that the Collector had not
been able to form an opinion TO which was the
legal remedy, Or finally, might turn out to be,
that there was no legal remedy. The only consi-
deraton tor Ibis House was, whether the officers of
Government had done their duty, and whether the
laws of the land had been executed. As to demo-
mlnstng the transaction - fraudulent he thought
that . collision" was better word than fraud, as
he had no idea that loss extensive had taken
place through the fraud OF any one Individual Ii
was much more probable that there had been
combination OF many.
MIR. Powell said, that he had no particular OBJ
lection TO modify his resolution as proposed by the
gentleman from New York. (Mr Cambreleng,)
but could agree in the view of the subject tax
by the gentleman from Massachusetts,. He thought
1t was very important that this House shou Id
know what steps had been taken TO recover so
| large an amount of public property, that the
| House might Judge whether adequate and proper
means had been employ ed for this purpose; tina,
they might also ascertain whether such means are
In possession of The public officer, and if not,
that the House may forthwith provide them He
| ipdp of
Tor recovering the property was quite as impor-
tant as a more accurate knowledge of the loss il
self
| Mr.. M'Lane of Delaware said he had no dis
position TO enbarrass the object of the mover OF
TINS resolution, or to cucumber it by superaddng
to 1t any clause OF any description, by way of
amendment. AT The same tine, as the gentleman
IRON Virginia adhered 10 the amendment which he
| had suggested, MIR. M'L. said he held himself
bound 10 vote for IT for, he thought was not on
ly the right but the duty of this House 10 get hold
OF all the information connected with this transact
ion and lift could not be elected by this resolution
to extract II in some other way For himself he
dIsclaimed the motive of calling for this informa
ton 10 implcate any officer of the Government ::
| ne would not, on vague rumor, now or at any
time, impeach the conduct OF any officer of the
Government, high or low. He presumed that the
Object OF the gentlemen, calling for this nforma
ton, was not 10 impeach the conduct of any OIL
/
there was any defect in the laws, or in the execu
ton OF the laws, which il would REQUIRE the inter
position OF the House 10 remedy With regard TO
the suggestion that the information be received
on this subject would lead the House to a concl,.
sion favorable to the extension OF the Warebousino
system, MIR NJ l.. said he of opinion that the
| recent transactions iii PHILADELPHIA afforded The
strongest comment that could have been Offered nj
the wisdom OF this House, in rejecting at the lar
session OF Congress, the proposed extension of the
WarehousIng system. Our object now is said he
10 know whether further legislation is necessary TO
the security OF the revenue arising from customs.
ihis we cannot do, until the defects of the system
! are ascef'aihed. we DO know, from public rumor,
that "A great quantity of teas have been removed
from the public warehouses of PHILADELPHIA. vihou,
ponds having been given therefor, in consequence
OF which the Government is likely 10 suffer TO a
great extent. fias this arisen from a defect in the
revenue SYSTEM or from irregularity in lis admins
ua'ion Inns was the point 10 be examined 1t
was very possible these teas might have been re-
moved without the knowledge OF the Collector i,
was very possible the Collector might have DIR
sued these teas, and brought them back But. n
tins Collector had been obliged 10 resort 10 an ac
ton 8 trover, or bad been in any manner embsr
rassed TO recover this property. Mr.. NIL said he
was perfectly willing 10 resort 10 any means
deemed necessary to prevent The future recurrence
OF such difficulty. If this resolution did mn, nro
] N.
himself follow 1t up by another call-ieeline him,
sell bound, by his peculiar situation, on the Com
Tnitee oil Ways and Means TO whom the suI,i.,1
naturally refers ITSELF to prosecute the inourv
the merits or defects OF lac present collection sys
TEN, as far as practicable, Sc
| MI tambreleDg SAID, ne was sorry TO trouble the
! House again onthis occasion and he should moi
have done 1t, had the gentleman from Delaware
understood his proposition touching the warehous-
Ing system. He agreed perfectly with the GENTLE
man from delaware, that ii should not be the OBJ
Ject oil this government to extend the W arenousiog
system Oh the plan heretofore pted by this GOV
eminent The object OF The gentleman from Del
aware, said Mr.. Z. is identicaIly the same with
mine Tor, II The gentleman will reflect be will
see that mine is 10 restrict and limit the ,yarebous
ing system TO stores in the custody, and under the
lock and key OF the government. The gentleman
appeared not to be aware OF the practice of con
verlIng private warehouses into public yya,ehouses
That Is practice Tor which wish TO see a remedy
provided, and, that we may no longer be under
the necessity Of resoriIng TO private yyarehouse.
my object Is to have established, in the principsl
commercial ports, public warehouses; which would
| am Satished,produce an income 10 the government
whlch wlll more than indemnify the Treasury for
the cost OF erecting them. And if this course had
been adopted some years ago, said MIR. c. these err
rors, collisions, or frauds, Of which we are now
speaking, would never have happened. Under
sueh system, all the Teas, in this case spoken Of
Wouiu nave Deen IN one warehouse, SUBJECT TO the
daily inspection OF the officers But what was tide
fact These Teas were scattered in manv s,o,e-
or warehouses. lie knew not how il was in Phil
adelphia, but in New York there were forty or 6f
| y pr vate warehouses employed in this way. for
the want OF public ones. When, then he desired
to substitute public for private warehouses. MIR. q
sald ne dId not want TO extend the warehousing