Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1828-04-12
From the National Intelligencer.
CONGRESSIONAL

ton on Monday last, the proceedings were Tor
time suspended bv the following discussion
report of W hich promised 10 our readers.
Mr.. Mc'Duffe said, that he rose for the pur-
pose Of discharging duty which he owed to
himself, and 10 the Committee OF Ways and
means, aud he hoped the s'enographers would
report, what he was abou, to say, with as much
precision as was practicable. As it was his,
purpose To repeI certain ISLANDERS, which had
been arttuIly, and insidionsly propaga,ed, he
was desrous thai the antidote should speedily
follow the poison, and have circulation CO.
extensive with L.. have reference, sir, said
Mr. MD. 10 certain statements which have
found their way from Washington, to the news
pagers al distance, in relation 10 the report
made BY the Committee of Ways Means on
the $. att Of The finances, in which the effect Of
the proposed measure upon the public revenue
is examined. These statements aIlege, know
not upon what authority, that the report in
ques ion was never submitted TO the committee
as body, and adopted BY it. Now, sir, feel
myself called upon TO say, explicitly, that these
statements, whatever NAV be the source whence
they emanatsd are utterly false and unfoundcd,
whether they are also malicious, or noi, am
incapable OF forming an opinion, as do not
know their authority. The truth Of the mat
ter is, that nj one OF The regular, periodical
meetings Of the commitse-ihe very first that
took place after the Chairman has prepared,
the report Oh the state nj the hnances-he sub
mitted it to the committee, without any pre-
Vious arrangement or concert as to the time OF
submitting II, and without having previously
shewn il to ANY member Of The committee.
1ha' the three members Of the committee who
are friendly TO the Administration, should have
all been absent, though very singular ooinci-
dence, was purely accidental This is the true
history Of an oocurrt nee, that has been distart-
ed into 4 disFeputahle trick on the part OF he
Chairman, TO smugYle through the committee,
views which were not stamped with lis sane
So. SIR, the impula1ion Is, upon the very
face fii-.. c->-l.-A- sa sIIrrcce are
opposed TO what is called the iariff policy: and
even II the minority had been present, they
could not have prevented the adoption Of the
report, however much they might have been
opposed 10 it
There is another SANDER, sir, which have
seen this morning, for the first time in a form
which challenges notice, and demands rrfota.
hon. hold in my hand printed pamphlet,
IT was the speech Of Mr.. Burgess, in which it
is stated, that the report Of the Committee of
WAYS AID Means Is nothing more than "a ST.
cord edition of that Justly celebrated Boston
report against the prohibiIory system" Now
sir, must he permitted to say, that the impu-
tanon, here ihsinuated, is equally, destitute of
the ruth and the decorum which should char
acurize the language used by one gentlr man, |
initiertnce to another, whether they be in, or
out %, deliberatve assembly. |, ha2peh. We
~ unfortunately for the purposes, wlich this
insinua,ion was designed to accomplish and |
state II in the presence Of those who can i'm.
med'ai.ly consult The public records for the |
corrrstn"es of what say-thst there is not a
single principle or argument, common 10 the
Boston Report, and the repor, Of the Commit
tee o: Ways and Means, which i. not TO be
fouEd, In the speeches heretofore delivered on
this door by the present Chairman Of the Cons
mittee Of Ways and Means. Even if there had
been perfect coincidence Of argument in the
two reports, on the same subject, and in sup
port OF the same principles, il would not have
been at all extraordinary. Nor would i, have
reflected any discredit upon the Committee Of
Ways aud Means, 10 have drawn facts aud il
lustra:ions from one OF the very aoest docu.
menis that has ISSUED from the American prr IS
on the subject under consideration. But as tho
CommiItec of Ways and Means confined them.
selves TO sigle view of subject, invoicing
4 grea. number and variety Of aspects, i, has So
happened, that, in the single instance, in which
they have adopted even s,atisical estimate
OIL the Boston COMMITTEE, they have so nodifi.
ed his application, as to draw from il infrren~
ees entirely different from those deduced ty
that committee. Having made this statement. in
relation 70 the insinuated charge of plagiarism,
leave !; TO the House and TO The country. to
determine what is the judgment which ouch,
10 De pronounced upon the author of an irsin>
uation, which is as false !. il i. deliberate and
insidious. anu
In the pamphlet, which hold in nv hand. =,
!, is also stated, :hai the doctrines contained in
tne .ePo'. OF the Committee of Ways &C Means,
are to DC the doctrines OF the next Administers ,
ton: and the aathor OF that pamphlet has piv. .
en- very conclusive proof of his profosnd
knowledge of the subject, by stating, that the =.
doctrine which assumes that q protecting or 7
prohibitory duty on foreign merchandise, is a !
tax upon the consumer, is doctrine absolute. =
ly new, and never heard oil, until it appeared in
the Boston Report, and the Report Of the Cons n
mittee OF Ways and Means. -
There the Speaker stated, ,ha, as the Report e