Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-07-09


sion but an extraordinary Congress. They had been
called together for the osensbe purpose OF providing
revenue 10 carry on the Government, because those
who had been elected to execute the laws and duties
under it had found, thought that they had found
deficiency in the revenues Of the Government, winch
would prevent it from being able to meet the demands
which might he made upon IT, Congress then, had
been convened before the regular day of its meeting,
for the purpose to which he had alluded and this was
the only he had heard given for its assembling
e however believed that this not the real object
in vew but that there others well known to the
party. This, nevertheless was the view presented 10
the people Of the IT, S. apology for the call Of this
| extraordinary session Of Congress. The deficiency
in the revenue. pointed cut 10y the Secretary OF The
Treasury would be clearly shown here and else where,
before they adjourned, 10 I've merely fictitious, and that
there were such demands upon the Treasury but
what could be easily met by ills rcvenues-tat there
was national debt 10 be met-and that, in short,
there deficiency Justify the calling Congress
together at this time. The structure then, which had
thus been erected by the Secretary Of the Treasury
scattered the four winds Of Heaven and neither
that officer his friends would be able TO collect It's
fragments and reconstruct H. lie (Mr. Is was yet To
learn from quarter, either from the head oi the
Treasury Department, any one connected with The
Administration, how they could make il appear that The
condition of the Treasury snch as 10 render II IN
dspensahe that Congress should be- called together on
| that account The insufficient, and with
out foundation. But he did not propose to consider
this question in this point Of view but had mention
ed it only having been assigned as reason Tor call
ing this extra session al Congress. Perhaps he might
not be altogether justified in saying what the real
causes were-,hat they might have reference 10
the under current which had heard so much oil aie-
/ w. or that there objects in view which had been
concealed from the public eye well as from Congress
/ Now he would ask what had they done during lie
time they had been in session, which nearly i've
weeks Had they proceeded one step towards making
provision to meet the deficiency IN the revenue OF The
! Government, surprising that 10 be the real cause oil
their being here at this time What had the Adm
nistraton party done towards supplying the wants OF
the Goyernment:-ior BY their professions ana
measures were they to be tried. He would ask what
they had done since they had been in session. Why,
they had passed but two bills one he mig ht denom-
nate an extraordinary bill, because, by was aprro-
priated the sum Of twenty-five thousand dollars 10 the
widow Of General liarr>on; and the other provided
for our own paw and expenses at this extraordinary srs-
sion. These were the only two bills that had been
passed. and the first Of which took the large sum Of
twenty five thousand dollars out OF the Treasury, when
they had been told, over and again, was entirely
BANKRUPT And now, by the bill before this commit
tee, they called upon to make On extraordinary
appropriation of portion Of the revenues oil lie cou
try They TO consider the Proprey OF approprI-
ating millions OF dollars, not yet in the Treasury.
among the several States, account ni the sales Of
the public lands. Were not these extraordinary inca.
sures: And would not the people of the country here
after think, when the history OF these events came
to be written, Of they did not already do so,) that tins
was to provide for the wants of the Government, and
vet wasting lis time and spending The money Of The
people most rnprof,ab!y' But, he had already
intimately this not the object for which they were
now assembled. There were others. Let us look 10
the history of this extraordinary Congress and sec
wha, the objects for which il called. Let Us
look the Of the aorty on tins floor and cx-
anime hat had been their language in reference 10 the
subjects which had been discussed on tins floor, with b
view to see how their sentiments agreed. By some
have haen t,l1 hat tha
Of this bill was that which the people had called for
and that the people had wed il by the result Of the
late Presidential election But we have been told by
the gentleman from Georgia (alr. A'ford.) that Con
press had been convened for the purpose Of making
4 National Bank, and that after having done that,
they were 10 70 home. Another gentleman, however,
rises in his place and says that called together
for the purpose Of passing bill TO divide the proceeds
of the public lands among the States and also to esta
blsb Sa,io 1al Bank With regard to the alleged de-
fciency in the revenue no one had ventured to say
how that deficiency was 10 be met The gentleman
from Georgia MIR Afford had also said that there
another object in view in calling an extra session Of
i Congress- and that was, 10 commence the work Of
retrenchment and reform. And now, where, he (Alr
b. would ask had there been bill brought in TO effect
those objects; lie would like to be informed where this
Administration had commenced the work OF rctrench-
meDt of cutting down the expenditure under the last
Administration, which had been considered by some
as extravaganza in the ghcst degree; For his part
he confessed that he had effort made b. those
who were in power 10 diminish the expenses Of the
| Government Where had the work Of reform been
I begun: He asked any of the Administration party
any who nnswera5lc for the conduct OF this
Goyernment-wllere the work Of reform had COM
menced: Mr.. Is. then went on 10 deprecate the
duct Of those who took the late Administration To task
on the ground Of having been extravaganza aud yet who
when asked 10 point out where they had been exrava
CANT, could not do it. If those who ready to
make charges were sincere and homes. in their nten
TONS why, he would ask. did they not point out the Of
fcers who abusing their trusls Why did they
put their hand upon them, Gould gentlemen point him
out one single instance of exravagant expenditure
under that Administrations 1t had been said that pub
lie opinion in favor of a National Bank and
distribution of the proceeds Of the sales of the pub
lie lands; whilst on the other hand, 1t had been de-
clared by others that public opinion in favor Of
Bank only. Consequently there a difference
of opinion in regard to what really the desire
of the people. We had been told that the public
voice called for these measures; but he (Alr. b.
would have gentlemen to remember that the public
voice was perfectly clear and distinct and expi.
cit, and this testimony did not 60 TO show that such
was the The voice of the people was the
voice Of God, and when the people spoke, II was so
clear and distinct that "le who runs may read" And
if the peoples voice had called for distribution Of the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands and for The
adjustment of National Bank at the present session.
and that after having done these things they should
20 home, how it to pass that the friends OF the
present Administration did not agree as to what the peo
Pile required be done at this session. That, however,
was matter which he left them TO settle among them.
selves.
The gentleman from Georgia had remarked that the
people Of Georgia opposed at this time, to dis
tributon of the proceeds of the sales of The public
lands among the States, and that it was most niqn2us
to act upon the suhiect-that it was monstrous, and
that the people of Georgia would not submit TO it.
| And he (Mr. b. further understood the gentleman
saying in substance, that although he differed from
many OF his political friends some prominent SUBJ
iects, yet that he would not be driven from the Ad.
minstration party that, although they might rob the
people of their rights still he would adhere 10 his par.
IT, The gentleman had also said that this
was calculated to bring upon Us protective Tariff,
and that his constituents were opposed to IL lie
(alr. b would ask his colleague what was the Wing
capital at the late election in Pennsylvania-wh whether
it was not from Philadelphia to the Lakes, protec-
tive Tariff: And if the Wing voice OF Pennsylvania
was to be heard here-although it was true that The
voice Of the Democracy could not be heard for action