Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-12-25

20 the 9TH of March, lei? lie hoped there was
such intentlon he did not mputc such intention; but he
said the scope and tendency, The general drift of the
message was that way. But far rs lie was concern
ed, he should take special and good II prevent
such a result lie should recommend undoubtedly,
that new set OF books be oprncd-ihat there should
te what merchants call "rest that what had been
contracted and stipulated, and aha had been COLLECTED
what had been received and expended 10 March,
1871, should stand against each other; and after that
period that the balance, If favorable, should be called
me sum accumulated by the providence Of The Admi-
strnilOn and should be passed credit but If The
result were other and Their. debt, then,
all nirness, the Administration should still stand lis
merits, and the debt should be d,n"nnacd the debt
Of lc4l, whether s;ond in Treasury notes IN any
other shape, making 1t the duty OF the Government TO
provide for il.
In Two other respects lie ght tie message
was calculated Ia produce quite impress
sum 1t would he found stated The fifth page. in rs
mitigating phrase can be--or, perhaps, he should
say m'Iigitrdtat tins outstanding debt If four and
hal! IN l'"ns # dollars is no, ye due Why, they al
kaew thai; but then again is SAID THIS four aud u
hili ,,"ns, after all, does amount 10 So much by
w@n'y-ihrcc millions, a. The United States have d.
pose with The States Now he asked the 5, maize and
'fhe could he would ask the President himself whether
he meant 10 recommend Congress to withdraw that
p"sir from the States part at II, 10 meet this
standing debt, and a. fund Of winch he meant 10
recommend The discharge uf any charge The 1rca-
snry: III" (hr. Wrbsler found rrconiIe ndalinn of
such course why tier lh. connecu n: The four
and halt nnns, says ire President, is ], s. by twcn-
ty.thrce m lions Than the sum winch The a. = have
~ dcp"sisr with HE Staics. There is nothing in liza,
rcmark, unless liz 10 i.irr 10 that as fund uut
~ which The four aud half laillinns we're Ia Lc paid
Why put them together unless means il drposl,cs
rs lana "ui o wlici the ur and half millions
10 De- i'd ana hn ians 10 intimate thai, does he
Commend u: The Secretary ofihc Treasury too ircais
Tins sum IN dep"s'rr wh The States in The sane way; he
spaks 4" II n money IN the Treasury. Look nj has re-
port, and nj the tables III his report. Nhy he makes
out statement wri includes the y ,0C0 600 III dfpu
site To The States. Now, what be the use of that
i"rin IN The Treasury accounts When an officer OF a
Department" thu Government makes out his accounts
and presents statement of the condition o the Treasu.
ry N The n the Treasury, he (Mr W supp sed
he Womb conhnr himself Ia statement Of The sums
ALREADY IN the Treasury, or likely 10 accrue 10 lie
ireaSnry urdcr existing laws But tIlis "f TWEEN
iy-right millions, winch had passed Ia The STATES un-
der The law Of 1896, could 20 10 the Treasu-
nv ihan any other sum the hands Of the STATES
lie (tle Secretary If the Treasury knew il could
not-he knew m act OF Congress was as necessary
70 produce that fund as To produce direct taxes the
receipts of Tie cu>fonl-hrusc. This was not under
Inc power Of the Treasury TO use il for IFS own pur.
poses, Than as directed by law. What was the pur.
pose, ihei-tor purpose he presumed there must be
~ presenting this twenty three millions a fund of
IN" treasury, rs though the Treasury Department
could exercise power over II: For what purpose was
lhs sum mentioned IN statement made 10 ascertain
what Inc Government owes, and the Of psv-
nent, or part payment; Was this referred To as n
means OF payment, unless it meant 10 say lin,
Congress may pass n law for recall: Until th.t was
lone, It was well known that il was no more available
10 the Treasury than were duties nj Ike custom.
house before law passed fur their collections and
I cond not be made 10 drlray any CHARGE an The
Government, until Congress exercised this power lie
lid h"Pe-c had desired for years See and he hopcd
;e one day should See mode OF stating these Treasury
accounts, giving the plain facts and statements and
leaving much less 10 guess about tie future and much
Leslie would not say attempts Ii conceal and mysi'y
but Of forms and phrases, the result Of which was 10
nystify.
Again: though the Secretary pretty clearly ntmates
hat there must be present or nm immediate resort 10
rensnry notes, the result Of his deliberations is that
Congress wish 10 avoid the necessity Vt either
ort to tie cusinmhonse or If new loans, he has
nrdY reserve and that Ia reduce the expenditures
# the Government below the misunderstanding his
,"n estimates. Why this pretty much ike cas-.
which happened last y'ar, when they told that HE
'siimaia had becn reduced the lowest possible scale
md yet that they had kept within that scale
But there another remark the sixth page or
he message, whirh he thought deserved passing no.
ice. The President says, Ia accomplish the great OBJ
ret o keeping the expenditures within the income two
hlngs arc Indispensable: "Frs tina, the action Of the
federal Government he kept within the boundaries
prescribed by its founders Well, now he supposed
hat ihs duty of keeping the action of the Federal CO.
'rrnmrnt within the bounds If the Constitution was
IN absolute duty; not Of terms and circumstances and
hut always percmp,ory-always mandatory
What was the Inference 10 be drawnc II they wished
o keep down the expenditures and Tie Treasury was
owl they wished then 10 keep within The CnnStiiu-
ion what # il full, Would they tran ccnd The
Constitution; There limit heir duly IN
his respect, whether the Treasury full empty
hey were not In BE- tempted 10 exceed The bends Il
he Treasury were fnll-ilcy not 10 be deferred
rom coming up TO it by IN empty Treasury
Again there was another important omission, as it
iruc i'm Inc IN hich ba r,cla al
attention. The President says HAT in addition to a de.
rrlsr IN the revenue, "two and half millions Of du-
les have been gelnquishrd by two biennial reductions
indcr The act of 1888. BE it but did the Prrsi-
irnt-did They not all know that there was before
hem, within year, much greater renqushmcnt-
that was the prnprr plirase-of dutis and within
'ear and half, su greater, and la>' Did they MT
cr, therefore, fran the existence of the debt already
in i"rm or another, against the Gov
rnnrnt, and from these certain reductions of duiics
{ the law should remain una,ered, and nuilnr should
~ done about ibid they not see that be-
IRE the country which would require all the WIS.,
lon nt Congress, and some eflnrt to enable IL 10
discharge n good deal of its obligations But lie
lw recomne ndation Of any increase Of duties
m articles Of luxury, such rs silks and wines, nor
my proposition III any other way made 10 provide
or these d. mands On the Tr asury now before
hem, and Of them near at hand. Here, then,
he result at thr whole is, that the Presidents ,xpe-
i"r The four years Of lis administration has
hown han that the Of The Government
not adequate 10 lis expenditures his cxpcrun ce
ms shown hm the necessity Of expendng srvcn mil
IONS year beynnd The lnrome; that the country is
INNING right mic the jaws Of drhi, and that there is
IL prospect of Increasing The revenue hat yer, no
means ot reduction pointed out and yet The message
oniaips earnest, ardent, and general ndnnni-
ion not 10 create public debt How hr (Mr. Web
tcr) knew moi Of course what expected 10 be- done
meet The contingencies hch must arise rs The Sc
rotary says, in the first quarter of the year. but he
imposed The suggestion would be followed, authorizing
he emission "f Treasury notes. lie (Mr. Wrbsler)
soni much have preferred himself, that other pro.
ison should have been made; especially, he had
iten SAID 10 the Senate, that lax should be- lad
n French silks and French wines, but If nothing &C
his sort done The time were coming when provi-
ion must he made from another lie hoped
ese liabilities would he provided for fairly aud fully
uring this session Of Congress he, for one, should
rprfcate as very nc"nvenien, and expensive, the be-
ng driven an extra Of Congress, and he hop.
d those having The power nj this time woud make sneh
provision that that necessity wonld lie