Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-05-17
Extract from he Speech ef hr. Rheu, Of South
f~atniina. on Mc


- CUMBERLAND ROAD BILL.
MI. Speaker II the subject before the House,
merely involved a question Of the expenditure OF
some tour or five hundred thousand dollars, !
should do, as have heretofore done upon the appro-
ptiations which have already passed the House.
vote IN silence. hut in the peculiar aud emharras-
Slng situation IN which the country aud It's finances
are placed, we must meet the Experimentation
rcifencllment and economy ot extravaganza X debt,
are 10 characterize our legislation, n the present
sitting of Congress, and know, sir. OF no better oc-
e. sion, on which we can east up our reckoning, aud
distinctly understand the course we are to pursue,
than that which the subject under consideration
NOW presents. No ono affects 10 believe that the
means are III the Treasury To meet the expenditure
proposed by the bill. On your table lies one bill
authorizing a loan of Ten millions of dollats; aud a
Mother. empowering the Secretary of the Treasury 10
reissue Treasury notes which have been received IN
payment ol public dues aud cancelled, 10 the amount
OF iour millions more. In addition to these amounts,
tour millions Of Treasury notes. issued under the
October laws, are oul IN circulation, making tlIus n
proposed indebtedness, Of eighteen millions of
dollars.
Mr.. Cambrelenc, the chairman of the Commit
tee oil Ways and Means, begged leave to explain.
The four millions OF Treasury uoles proposed to be
rescued. he supposed, would be n part Of the ten
millions.
lie II So, Mr.. Speaker | do not cite these facts
to make any charge OF extravaganza upon the friends
OF the Adnlnistrauon-tha will depend upon her
course on tins aud either bills upon your table. |
do II TO SHOW, simply, that there is u certain def
cieney IN the Treasury that this is a call Tor an ap-
preparation beyond on means,--and, If sanctioned
by your lcglslation,-that ut a time WHEN the
country is filled with embarrassment aud bank
ruptcy, and the cry ot distress Is heard throughout
The laud,-mc, here, 50 lar as the money Of the peo-
pie Is concerned, are gong on exactly rs II floating
upon the summer wave OF prosperity. Already we
have been told that appropriations, creating ,mmcdi-
ate demands upon tho Treasury for ten millions OF
dollars, have been passed, winch The Treasury has
moi the means III meeting and TO prevent u dead halt
IN the wheels Of Governments, YOUR early action
upon one nr the other ollhe Treasury bills before YOU,
is absolutely necessary. MI is this all. The SEE
rotary oi the treasury puts the estimates OF the
Treasury lor the yeai At son,c thirty three millions
OF dollars but see II stated, that over and above
tins estimate, there are appropriation bills before
Congress foi cight millions of dollars. Sin, are we
prepared 10 lun the career OF extravaganza aud fol
" which these scht mes propose I DO we intend 10
regard IN our expenditures neither the state
OF the finances nor that OF the country The
time Is passed by, WHEN resolutions can be offered
and be passed by tins House calllng upon the Sec
rrtary OF the Treasury to know how much me ney
can possibly be spent by the Government. The O.
II FOR SURPRISES III our revenue, with all its disas-
ttous iollies--whcn n system of expenditures total
" unnceded by the constitutional wants of the coun.
ny, was adopted, is, trust, terminated for ever.
50 strong, indeed, were these truths IN the minds
of gentlemen AT The extraordinary session Of Con.
grcss, that economy aud rcttenchment was the theme
from all parts OF the House. The gentleman from
Tennessee, (Mr. BclD supported by all OF those
with whom lie usually acts, strenuousl, maintained,
that we ought not To postpone The deposile OF the
fourth lustalmeut with the States, required by the
dcpositc law, but hat ctrcnclImenl-scver rctrenCl-
meni-was our dnty,-and he demonstrated entirely
to his own satistaetion, II not to that OF the House
thai by such Il system, the fourth lnstalnent could be
paid to the States, aud the Government could 90 on.
1 hA.Y.a. 10Th, HIN nal .aIx ..f.I I, tl, tnat
ponemcnt Of the fourth instalment. but voted also
for the issue of ten millions Of Treasury notes and cx-
periencc, the mighty eorrector OF human errors, has
shown that WIS right, and that the gentleman, aud
those with whom he acts, were wrong IN then esli-
mates. They were right, however, IN the position
they assumed, HAT 10
the bone, WAS necessary IN the situation Of the coun-
Try and, sir, every principle oil duty which then
impelled them IN this position. operates now with ten
fold iorCe-l0t the resources 10 which they looked,
independent of a curiallment IN expenditures, have
entirely failed. Aud oil the other side OF the House
what was the answer made by the friends Of the
Administration 10 these earnest and reiterated calls
Tor economy made by ihcir opponents : They, too,
went FOR retrenehment. They would corporate
heartily co operate III Il couf'c oil policy which III.
terest and duty so plainly required. They only dbl
lered with lheir opponents as 10 the means lett within
lle control OF the Government. since the explosion
OF the banks, To carry on ITS necessary operations.
They did not intend to renew a debt upon The coun-
try-tlcy only wished the use Of temporary means,
uutl the resources belonging TO the Government
could be made available aud then, with that just e.
economy which tho situation OF the country required,
would move IN tho narrow path ui constitutional cx-
pendlturc. Sir, | halIed these declarations with the
wanncst satisiaetIon, aud looked to Their iullment
IN The Legislation Of Congress, as an ample compen-
sdtion for all the sulfeiinSs OF the times. Harmony
III our councils, peace between the different sections
of the Union, is above all price aud as far beyond
our pccuniary dlstrcsses, as principles are above mo-
ney. Atthe opening Of Congress in december !
looked to the Presidents message, to see whether a
ny recommendations corresponding with these dec
laralIons from all parties IN Congress, would be
pressed upon our considerations. This might have
been doue. Ia my opinion, this ought TO have been
done. The greater part of The Message, was upon
the sublcctof currency and finance and what
have these, as general questions, to do with this
Government under the constitution, excepting so tar
as It's receipts and disbursements are concerned ! And
without receipts ought not caution IN expenditures
TO have been advised 7 | next turned to the report Of
the Secretary Of the Theasury, aud there | found the
old scale, assumed as the basis ofour expenditures for
the ensuing year-some thirty three millions OF
dolla rs, whilst desiltutlon and embarrassment IN The
Treasury was portrayed in every page. My last hope
Of a decisive move from Others upon his impor-
tant subject. was from the committee OF ways aud
means. | have waited for some exhibition of the bud
gct,-soIne project OF retrenchment and expenditure
which would show the boundary OF our appropriations,
when compared with the resources OF The Treasury.
SIR, have waited in vain and now enter INTO this
debate, to know where | as well as others are TO be
found upon the subject Of cur dpproprialions.-l wish
to know, III the present situation OF the country, who
Is Tor and who is against economy III our expendi-
tures;-who is for and who IS against The States recei-
wing the fourth iuslallnent under the Opposite law
| ANhn - tnr and "a Jn - u4I,,s II.s Ynati,, n ,nuu