Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-21

thought this money would be called for except in cas-
OF a war with some European power. Sir, said Mr.. &.
after having openly made this avowal, little expected
to hear sad that deception practsed The depo
site noble act necessary meet the polItlca
disease that was preyng The vitas of the commlni
~, and doing 10 corrupt the public morals tar
any evil that had be!alen since the beginning oil the
Government. IL was departure from that sacred pm
ciplc, deeply in Government, oil raising no more
money by taxation than necessary for the econom
cal support of the Government that had caused the evils
this ac was passed 10 correct 1t was in lo2i and lSc
that that sacred principle departed FROM by which
the Asa,ic portion Of the Union as the South had inst
been called deeply depressed, and extravaganza
and waste introduced into our system OF expenditures.
1t the distribution act which had produced The
late pscuniofy embarrassm"nts, both public and private
II the acts OF "a and - which violated this prncl.
pie, and by which, out Of import Of sixty-iour mil.
lions in year. thirty two millions passed into The
Treasury raised out Of the Southern staple, which was
tax beyond what the most despotic Government on
earth had ever levied What was the effect: Money
ovcowed in the Treasury, that the utmost extrava.
gance OF Congress insufficient 10 get rid of it
lie heard honorable member of the other House say,
that would be better to raise this money, and throw il
in the ocean; than not keep up the projecting tariff
What followed? Why, in spite Of the cxravagnnt
appropriations, Congress could possibly expend the
accumulated surplus. Two propositions made TO
dispose Of it was for all sos Of eSravagant eXpen
ditures, and the other The plain simple honest plan
Of returning it to the people, from whom came and
that was the deposite act The possession Of the
plus the curse and those who had voted for the
Tariff laws Of 1924 and lS2S were responsible This act
arrested The surplus revenue md more, stopped The
transfer Of millions Of the public into the hands
OF specuatos, who got hold of the public money, and
with it bought up the public domain. This the
true stale OF things and he glad Of having op.
porluny of making this eSp PLANTATION. Then the banks
suspended specie Payments and this had been attributed
10 the deposte act. He wished 10 speak with candnr
lie had doubt but the dsposte and the specie
circular accelerated the explosion of the banks but III
acceeratng it, IL limited The evil for If the explosion
had been delayed six months longer The calamity would
bov hneo had ppn hat The
Treasury destitute Of money. He admitted that
the Government forced into the necessary virtue CT
economy, and instead of being able 10 expend millions
extIavasantiy, 1t must now limit lis expenses to just
and necessary objects. But he spoke what every
knew, when he said that there had been a melancholy
deterioration Of the public morals for the last
twelve years, and this had arisen from the injurious
policy OF drawing more money from The people than
necessary for the Government. lie would not
dwell longer this question, but would only remark,
t,at WREN the fuluie historian TO write The his
~ d! this country, from 1921 this time this measure,
condemned now, would be considered as of the
w:sest and best that had ever been brought
before Congress In all this he wished TO be understood
us saying, that there not n in that chamber
who was more opposed TO distribution than he
he resorled 10 it as remedy rendered imperinusy
necessary by The existing state Of things The act
having accomplished its object he willing that
it should be repealed, and The sooner it done the
better.
Mr. Clay Of Kentucky concurrcd in some things said
both sides, and differed in several Whatever might
have been the motives Of others, he voted for it
Of distribution. He did not share in the grief ex
pressed for its passage he had regrets about his
this measure. lie thought with the Senator from
South Carolina, Mr. Calhoun that it had been Of much
benefit lie voted for il with the view and belief that
tho money gift from The Government TO the
States HIS only regret that the fourth instanen
no, paid that the States had not the nine millions
due them from the Government. He said the tariff
not the Of the surplus and the subsequent embar
easements of tho country II the result Of the fatal
departments Of the Executive branch of the Govern
ment There was another measure-the land bill-,hat
would have prevented a surplus This bill, which had
passed both branches of the Legislature but which &c.
neral Jackson retained in his posseSsonand which he
had doubt would have received the sanction of the
constitutional majority Of Congress- had it been
ed-would have prevented a surplus There would
have been distribution of surplus, and demora-
lzaton Of public morals The distribution act was ne.
cessary and proper and should be called save
from waseiui ami exravagont expenditure the amount
Of money deposited with the States He thought that
the nstament due to the States could be paid and paid in
the time proposed in his amendment ltcoud he paid by
strict economy in expenditures. Bring down the annu.
al expenditures to the S3 1000 OF Mr. Adams's ad.
mnisra,on or even To The 600 proposed by the
administration OF General Jackson in lS3l. Stop the
leaks! Stop The leaks in the Treasury. Stop the fly
ing Sub.Treasurers and, my life on il, you will have
abundance OF means 10 meet the nstalncnt. Mr.. c. in
conclusion hoped that Senators friendly the Admins.
traton would express their opinions plainly upon this
subect-whCthcr they are in favor Of limited per-
pelual posiponemen'. lie should be glad to hear the
sentiments o! the honorable chairman Of the Commit
tee on Finance.
Mr.. Wright, in reply said that, with regard to the
bill, The Committee Finance, far he was aware
had in reporting it, conormed 10 what they believed 10
be the views OF very large majority Of the Senac.-
He would now frankly the question asked Ivy
the gentleman from Kentucky Ii the BILL as reported
should be passed by thut body the gentleman must
yer expect him TO vote for The payment of This fourth
iasa!mcnt, should The question ever come up. He
voted ugans. the whole bill when il was first before
end lie equally uDDoSpQ The urinciDle
/. contained now. Though he impeached the mo.
tvcs Of who differed with him in opinion, he
had changed opinion that he held when the sub.
jet was fist brought before them, and if called
10 make this distribution, lie never could give his
consent 10 DO it. lie hoped the Senator consider.
ed hnse answered for, so far as lie concerned,
he had given him al answer He had remarked that
the committee fell bound. in reporting this bill, ncl
with regard to the known opinions of ajory Of that
body; and he hoped that so long he continued
member Of it, they would always be disposed frame
their bills in conformity with the known sense of the
hody, so tar rs their of duty could conform TO it,
These were The feelings which lad always governed
HIM; and II was IN accordance with them That he had
reported the bills OF this and the last session the sub
Jet before them The Senate had changed the bill Of
the last session, and they could do The Sena.
tor from Kentucky asked again and again, if they
afraid to trust CONGRESS. Why, il this bill passed
reported, would not be in the power Of Congress
repeal il; Even it the bill passed. what law OF Con
g:ess agains; Congress itself? But, said Mr.. w,
propose 10 delay The payment at pleasure and
were 10 IL WI Tue
Of January. lSiO Now, there any prescn. who
believed that there would be money in the Treasury 10
pay this nstalment by that lmie Not only was there
money to pay this nsalmcnt now, but every be
cvcd that there would not be any BY the Isl of January
lSio This the true stale OF the case, an on it he
was cOnten!ed TO rest the question.
Mr.. Rives said lie would ask the indulgence Of the
Senate while he gned briefly the for the
which he should give this bill 1t had been urged
that the principles which rested were essentially
different from that original policy which the Of
leiG was founded. MIR r. could The subject in
this measure precisely the same as when the act Of
1886 was passed The Senators from New York and
Missouri now, and a. that time, held perfectly consistent