Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-06-21


the Treasury upon given day beyond SUN 10 DE- h@o
Us the amount in the Treasury for that Day
Subsequently to that time various propositions were
laid before the Senate by different members OIL ne
some of them containing new proVlsons, anu o'"e
umen dmen,s Of those which had been previously SUI
mtted The question was of the tl'st lrPortahee
10 the public and the Treasury, well as 10 Inc
raj interests OF the whole community. Inc cusien'y
the country the accommodations from the loca! puma
and consequently the prosperity OF the comme1ciu'
rests were directly involved in our action. T.,
Under these circumstances, the discussion upon ''e
rreal question Of regulation OF the depo5l'eS VI t
public money by law commenced AT lie opening U,
hat discussion Mr. w. said, he had given his genera
views upon the whole subject His Subsequent uut'es
in the Senate, and mrber Of one OF It's important
committees, together with the Accumulated duties ue
ynved upon him, connected with this bill, had prevent
ed him from being yet able to present those views 10 w
puc hat he was now conscious that relief was al hahG'
and he should find it ia his power to discharge iat
labor Up, the views then expressed by him: he sl"u"
rest himself for his general justification IN tie course ne
had taken. . . .
II had been found however, that great diversity ut
opnion pre- vailed in the Senate 10 thu details OF Any
bill and that re-coEImtal would be lnd'Sprnsaote I"
S., lar incorporate the various propositions, Thai the
whole body could act upon them with any taciy AL
Ter two days discussion that course had been suggested
hy himself and concurred in upon all sides ~ inc Sen
uic a select committee was therefore appointed ana
the bill and all the amendments were referred TO Il, ana
the Senate had done him the distinguished honor upon
the committee as its chairman The standing and cha
racl and talents Of the members oil Tina; committee !ad
caused him to doubt at every step, The soGaueSso o! MS
views and the proprety Of his anG The more
ciay So upon every question OF dieisGs o. 1pnI'n
and upon some Of the most important question OF differ
ence, in small minority.
lie most happy, however, 10 be ahIe 10 say 'hat
every question had been decided without passion, or per-
sona feeling and that So far he could Judge, all were
tu frnr
ton Of The Senate.
A single question had excited peculiar interest with
him. He had been most anxious TO ".'r upon Oil 10
regulate the posi!es Of the public money in the banks
and when he found that proposition for the dsp"sl'
lion Of any surplus surplus there should be- 10 "ic
he could give bis assent could cou'and the support OF
the ority Of the committee, he had urged lie sepaa
ton Of the two Subjects and The report OF two separate
Bills the one to regulate the dtpcses in the banks, and
the other to prov: for more permanent disposition OF
the surplus. In this lie unsuccessful as The mao
Iity of the committee preferred that the two SUBJECTS
should be connected in Tie same bill
Since The report Of the committee 10 The senate, lie
had made every proper effort III his power to produce
that separation and he could not but congratulate HIM
self upon the fact that his first effort was successfully
that the first vote Of The Senate sustained The property
Of his views and directed The separation OF The two sub
jecls, which he say he considered in their nature
aud character entirely separate and the report oil inde-
pendent bills for each.
a reconsideration, however had been proposed and
to rcconm was then lost, and tho determination OF the
Senate thus expressed That the two subjects should DE
coupled in the bill, and should stand or al! togc
Their From that time, Mr.. W. said he had elt himself
relieved from all responsibility as to deppslte pIIl Po
per- He had found that such bill could be passed III
the Senate, without incorporating with II perfectly Sc
parale and most important provision for giving the mo
in the Treasury to the States. under the name ni
deposc. Such provision Contained principles to which
he could not for any consideration give his assent, and
alter that vote therefore, the bill 10 him had lost It's value
tie had been still disposed however. to adhere To H.
und to make further trial to modify It's provisions, as'u
enable him to give it his support. Niih tins view ne
had aGan offered his propositions, which directed al IN
vcsen Of the surplus in the Treasury in state stocks,
beurin0 All interest and transferable IT tine pleasure OF
the huiCer, with authority in the Secretary oi the
Treasury TO transfer lh:m, when HE wants OF lie
Treasury should require money for the socks as against
proposition 10 loan the money TO the States without IN
lerest this proposition had met with little favor lie be-
lievcd it had received but four votes in full senate he
reasons for different disposition had appeared 10 HIM to
b. that the money was the property G." inc rroPIc "i Inc
States and ii wanted for The uses ot THIS Government,
ought to be given To them without interest," instead u
being invested upon interest. lie was wiling to admlt
that some force attached - this argument; bu. !is nn1
had embraced the argument a. relating To- and growing
out Of the rights of the people u the States,
and az rpcrrubc their taxable liabilities Il the money
belonging the people of the States: and they had The
right to il without interest it was because II had been
Accumulated b. taxalions upon tIein as drawn from
erest. This be believed the position assumed By The
friends Of the bill.
Would any member CT tie body then blame him for
The surprise he mad experienced when he found pr!Dci-
pie of distribution incorporated in Tie bill entirely at
variance with The gts Of the people OF the States,
resulting from the rate OF representation or aSatu tS-
labiis!led by common constitution OF Ghrernme MT
when he found tins body made element IN the rule OF
distribution of that money which had been drawn from
the people Of the States, be returned To them, as The
preteucc was il wanted for The purposes
OF lhi, Government What The rule Of representa-
ton OF the States here; perfect equality What was
the reprrsc Of the people OF the Stulcs ad the
Liabilities for taxation in the other branch Of this lgls
laure? There were sixteen States which would gain
by the rule Of distribution in the bill which sixteen
States were represented in the popular branch OF Con
gress by eighty. members; while there were eigh
States which would lose by the Incorporation OF the Be
nate as an element in the rule Of distribution, which
eight States represented in the san!e branch o.
Congress by one hundred and htty-nne members lhe
constitutional rule of taxation and representation were
the same; were both based upon the federal numbers
and in neither the representation in the Senate all
element.
Would it be said that this not proposed distr
button Of this money 10 the people OF the Staes but
mere investment of it, Why then any reference 10 the
representation Of the STATES in either branch OF Con
grrss? And much more emplatical!y, why tins refer
cnce To both while simple Investment in securities OF
the character, without reference to the principle Of
distribution, receives but four votes III the whole body
Surely no one will have the adhood 10 say, III answer
TO these inquiries that the disposition intended is not
distribution the States according TO rule which is IN
tended be defended just and equal in this sense
could the rule Of distribution be defended as just as equal
as constitutional, He would leave the answers 10 csl
questions to those who supported The bill with this pro-
vision contained in it, For himself, he was ready anc
willing say that in his Judgment, iiu power ex'sIed
to return the money 10 the people al ALL the exercise
that power must follow The rule which raised the money
from the people by taxation, from that fund which
they held in common aud in the proportions which
govern their liability to taxation.
Having thus explained himself as to the provisions
aud progress Of the BILL he content 10 rest upon the
record Of the proceedings upon The BILL which The Jour
nal Of the Senate would show IT. in resisting this d
vision of the monies Of the nation, he had mIseprcseni
ed his immediate constituents, he desired they should
L,o, the fact and especnllv az this time when il wuulC