Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1832-01-26

his EXccllency, the Governor and the
Senate be invited to attend and hear the
report read, which was agreed to.
The Governor and Senate having join
ed the house, and Mr. Hazard having re-
stated some of the circumstances CON
nectcd with the making Of the reports,
proceeded to read it.
| The report having been read, Mr.
Hazard moved that the Committee he
continued, and that when the report
should be finished it should be made to
the Governor, and by him delivered to
Mr. Halle, under whose supcrintendence
it should be printed.
Mr.. Amasa Spraguc moved that the
report Of Mr.. William Spraguc Jr. one
I of the Committee, should now be read,
which was agreed, and it was read by
the Clerks of the house. 1t contained
personal illusions to the conduct of the
committee and the individual members,
to which Messrs. Hazard and Simmons
briefly replied, owing to the lateness of
the hour, and appealed to the other mem
bers of the Committee for the truth Of
what they stated to the house. Before
they had finished, Mr.. Simmons gave way
to a motion from Mr.. Potter to lay the
reports on the table, which was agreed
had retired the house adjourned to half
past nine o'clock tomorrow morning.
Saturday morning, Jaa. 2l,-Mr Al
len moved that the report of William
Sprague Jun, made yesterday, be recciy-
ed. MIR. Hazard said, he hoped they
would not. 1t contained statements
which all the rest of the committee knew
to be false and he hoped the house would
not give it any countenance. He, there
fore, moved to lay it on the table, which
was carried.
! MIR. Simmons made statement con-
| cerning the finances of the state, for the
two last years and the first eight and Il
/ half months of the present, by which it
/ appeared that near ten thousand dollars
more had been already paid into the
treasury thus far, this year, than the last
He thought that the whole amount that
would be received by the treasury during
the year would not be less than $40, 900
But in as prosperous condition as was
the situation of the finances, he consider
ed that they might be improved. There
had been Il great falling off in the duties
received on sales by auction. lie wished
! the cause might be enquircd into and fol
that purpose, he moved the following
resolution:
\, RcSOIrcd, That the committee on f.
nance be requested to inquire into, and
:. report on the eXpediency yofmodifying the
duties Oh auction sales, and report such
modification us they may deem eXpedicnt
! Mr.. Potter said tha. he was one otthose
who devised the plars by which these
sums had been received into the treasury
But he considered the statements made
by the gentleman, mere skirmishing, tol
electloneerng purposes. When two ar
mics were about to meet in battle, sllir-
mishes generally first took place. lie
alluded to the lottery system, by means
Of which large sums are paid into the
treasury, and denominated a system OF
plundering and gambling.
Mr.. Tillinghast said he would repl in
IA word or two to the gentleman. 1t was
to the idea suggested, that the treasury
was supplied by encouraging gambling
He considered the granting of lotteries
expedient. People would buy lottery
tickets from other states, if this state did
not grant lotteries. We had tried the cX-
pcdicnt of prohibiting the sale oftickcts
by law, and found it answered no pur'
pose. We had, therefore, come to the
conclusion of granting lotteries and tax
ing them for the purposes OF education
Instead of the profits on the sale of lottery
tickets going from the state to enrich
others, it was now retained in the state
and no inconsiderable sums were brought
into it from the sales abroad. five were
to cease granting lotteries and prohibit
the sale of tickets, still tickets would be
sold to as large an extent as they now
are, and all the profits would go abroad
| The citizens of the state would only now
and then get few prizes, and our trcasu'
ry nothing. Such was the disposition OF
man, that they would adventure. We
, had, therefore, IN some measure granted
lotteries in self defence. The balance
was formerly against us. lie now be-
| lieyed it was in our favor. We sold more
:, tickets abroad. than at home.
I, Mr.. Simmons said that he did not, AT
: present, contemplate any improvement IN
3 the system of lotteries, OF the terms upon
which they were granted. The object oi
: his resolution was to improve, If possible
: the receipts from the duties on sales a
: auction. Persons now sent their good'
! to Ncw-York for sale and the amount
of snles hy auction, had greatly diminish