The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-10-09
POLITICS OF THE DAY.
Ffom the Eastern Argus Revived.
INTERESTING HISTORY.
H7SIR ROBERT WALPOLE'S SUB.TREA-



INTERESTING HISTORY.
ESIR ROBERT WALPoLE'S sUB-TREA-
SURY.
II Is good, occasionally. look into history to find
what precePis teach, garnered up ihere History is
philosophy teaching by example,
In the time Of SIR Robert Wslpoles ministry, corrup-
ton was the order OF the day. IN matters of govern
ment And well might il be supposed when il is re-
collected thai he always proceeded upon The principle,
that every man could be bought price to do the
bidding OF Executive power! He seoffcd at the idea
OF patriotism. In one OF his Parliamentary speeches
he thus spoke Of its creation
"Gen,lomen have talked great deal Of patriotism,
venerable virtue, when duly practlsed! But
sorry TO observe, that Of late has been much hack
neyed, tina, il is IN danger Of falling into disgrace the
very idea OF true patriotism lost, and the has
been proslltuted to the worst Of purposes patriot
Why patriots spring up like mushrooms ] could raise
nifty OF them IN twenty four hours have raised many
Of them in night Il is but refusing crafty an ul-
reasonable or insoent demand and up patriot
have long heard Of this patriotic notion, he added,
" and lei gentlemen contradict me il they can, when
say, could have prevented It; By ,ohat means iieape
the house 10 Judge" -
Such was the insoence OF corruption 10 the presence
Of the nation, IN the days OF The British premier Wal
pole But insoIent he was--cormpt as he was
corruptihe he found politicians TO be, and although
he had, by what MEANS" need not say, para-
ment OF which the majority subserven to his pur-
poses, ne ddFcd nor TO force The Iobaec0 SubeasuTy
system which he projected and had the power carry
IN Parliament upon The British nation contrary their
avowed judgments and wishes Il is a curious portion
oil English history that of this attempt Of the
self aggrandzing British premier Il is, moreover,
most b, aud instructive portion Of the history OF our
father land TO be consulted by Americans and especi-
ally by American statesmen at this particular jancture
II was III 1882 that the idea originated, OF putting
under double locks aud double keys, and under the checks
81 Inherent persons, THE PUBLIC REVENUE u was
then repudIated--uliery TepudIated by the popular
Judgment, although the then ministry we have al
ready said, had the power Of enacting it into law by
Parliament One hundred and fifty years subsequently,
the same Wdipoie sub treasnysm is renewed, to put
the peoples under double locks aud duplicate
keys. And as then, SO at this day. the popular voice
denounces it--denounces il because, as then, it
will operate needless oppression upon commerce,
and especially because its unavoidable consequences
will be now, as 1t was foreseen to be then, r ian
additional srarm Of eIeiss officers and Darehouse
Keepers, appointed and pad BY e 1yeasuyy so as
multiply dependents upon The erocn and enable IL siH
farther 10 Influence he freedom Of eieefions"-g,x
How exactly the arguments pro and con are like
those Of the present day The Remuneration Of the
merchants then, by the Walpole party, is in exact
keeping with that Of them by the Van Buren, party of
this day.
But, now, contrary TO what was done in the DAYS Of
even the corrupt Wapole, because the people and the
representatives OF tie people repudate and denounce
the Sub reasury system Of double locks and double
keys it is not abandoned by the ministry projecting IT,
Such difference now, then, paid to the popular
Will A Republican government stands less in
awe OF popular opinion, than monarchcal government
did then--onc hundred years since Truly, here is
food for reflection by and among the people.
From Smolletts History Of England, vol IL, London
edition, 1925, p z.
The session was frequent and full and both sides
appeared ready and eager for the contest, when Sir
N Robert Wapoe preached his design. He took notice
OF the which had been used prejudice the people
against this plan before II was known. He affirmed,
that the camors occasioned BY these preudices had
originally risen from smugglers and fraudulent dealers
who had enriched themselves by cheating the public
and that these had been strenuousy assisted ard sup
ported by another set Of men, foud of every opporu
nifty TO stir up the people Of Great Britain to mutny
and sedition. He expatiaied the frauds that
committed in that branch Of the revenue arising from
the duties on tobacco; upon the hsrdshps TO which the
American planters were subjected by the heavy duties
payable Importation, well by The i'll usage they
had met with from their factors and correspondents
England, who, from being their servants, now be-
come their masters upon the injury done to the fair
trader and the loss sustained by the public with re-
spect to the He asserted, that the scheme he
was about TO propose would remove all these nconve-
niences, prevent numberless frauds prejudices and
false entries, and add to f3D0 600 per annum to the
public revenue. He entered into long detail Of frauds
pracsed by the knavsh dealers in those commodities
he recited the several acts OF parliament that related to
the duties on wine and tobacco he declared he had no
intention to promote general excise he endeavored
to obviate objections that might be made to his
plan, the nature OF which he at length explained He
proposed TO Join the laws OF excise to those of the
customs that the farther subsidy Of three ar,hlngs
per pound charged upon imported tobacco should be
sul levied at the house, and payable to his ma
Jesty's civil list as heretofore that then the tobacco
should be lodged in warehouses, to be appointed for
that purpose by the commissioners OF the that
me Keeper Of each warehouse appointed hkeoise By the
commissioners should hare lock and KEN, and the
merchant importer hare another; and that tie tobacco
should DC thus secured until the merchant should find
rent jr a. either By expectation home consumption:
that the part designed for expectation should be weigh
ed at the custom. house, discharged Of the three fah
ngs per pound which had been paid at its first imorta-
ton aud then exported without farther trouble that the
portion designed for home consumption should pre-
sence Of the be delivered to the pur
chaser, upon his paying the inland duty Of fourpence
per pound weight, TO the proper officer appointed to
ceivo 1t; by which means the merchant would be
eased OF the inconvenience OF paying the duty on i'm
portaon, or Of granting bonds and finding sure,es for
the payment before he had found market for com.
modify; that all penalties and forfeures so far as they
formerly belonged to the should for the future
he applied to tho use Of the public that appeals in
THIS as well as IN all other relating 10 the excise
should be heard and determined BY two or three Of the
Judges to be named by his majesty; and in the coun-
try by the Judge Of assize upon tho next circuit who
should hear and determine such appeals in the most
summary manner without the formalty Of proceedings
IN courts OF law or equity
Such the substance OF the famous excise scheme
in favor of which Sir Robcr, Walpoe moved that the
duties and subsidies tobacco should from and after
the Gath day OF June cease. and determine The de.
bate which ensued managed and maintained by all
the able speakers on both sides Of the question Sir
Robert Walpoe answered by Mr. Perry, member
for the city Of London Sir Paul Methucn Joined in
the opposition Sir John Barnard another representa-
tive Of London distinguished himself in the same cause
He was supported by Mr. Pulteney, Sir William Wynd.
ham, and other patriots The scheme espouscd by
Sir Philip Yorke Amounted lord cbieC ,sce of the