Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-11
DEBATE on THE REVENUE BILL.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
TuxsD., Iuly o. ISAI

Mr. SERGEANT said that II must have been
obvious to every body for some time past that the
sole question under discussion was the compromise
act. TINT act they were to take as the beginning
of the present question, indeed were not the be-
ginning and the end. But Mr. ). should have occl-
sion to 90 further back than that beginning. He
would premise, however, that to him 1t Appeared
disgrnceiu for nation, m time OF peace to have its
finances disordored, and 10 be obliged to run IN debt
IL must be obvious to all that there had been great
Encouragement to bring the nation into that con-
dition, especially when the famine Of national re-
sources Immediately followed period Of great
abundance such as had been enjoyed ny this Gov.
eminent in 1885 and 1886. The nation at that time
wanted some one TO interpret its dream; and could
such counselor have ariscn no doubt the substance
of his Interpretation would have been that elut and
scarcity usually followed each other IN quick sue
cession. Now, in attending to all that had heen
said here whether the last session or the present.
II was evident that this nation, IN time OF profound
peace, had had its finances greatly deranged, and
had been running pretty deeply INTO debt.
The gentleman from South Carolina, Mr.
Holmes in counting up the means OF the Govern
ment had reckoned is debt OF twelve millions a. one
item of its means; but an individual, when running
in debt If he were prudent man, would hr,t look
how his debt was to be paid, ana Certainly would
not count upon his dabtas his means oil living. 1t
he did, the end would easily be ioreseen. what
would be thought Of an individual who should make
,uch n calculalionl But, for a nation TO DO So IN
the management OF its concerns, IN time oil peace,
and with ample resources, was he would nos say,
still worse for he would not undertake 10 grSdusIe
,ucb things but still more unpromsIng. When the
Treasury was in want, and the public hnances IN
state of disorder-when natlor, ike some hard
run individual spent the forenoon in agony GsTIsins
means to provide for the urgent demand oil the mo-
ment, and the afternoon ~ anxiety now 20 Pros!de
for the next morning, II must be obvious TO every
olseryer that its affairs were in a posture which
needed Immediately 10 be attended to- and 10 oe well
aud carefully regulated. Now look at The past ad'
minisIration OF this Government While II was Is-
suing Treasury notes and hunting up scraps oi mo-
new wherever any balance could be found, making
use OF trust-money, and awaiting Itself OF every 1T
lie debt that could be turned 10 account, to meet It's
liabilities what became of the great interests OF the
nationl The Navy, the Army, the ioTtheaions,
works of internal Improvement, the defence OF
harbors: 10 short, every great interest that
ought 10 be looked atterl They were al dWn
d,Ing-slwindlinc. The sum expended IN ioruly-
ing the country IN whole year mad been S%vO,-
900 And so with all the rest. 1t was misera-
be and disgrlCeiIl state OF pubic ailhlTsj 0Ud u
called loudly upon the incoming Administration
to apply their whole energy TO correct the cVit.
But hsw2 BY issuing new treasury notes ouch
a plan was no longer advocated; u might poSs'oy
have some two or three gentlemen yet IN us ia'7r
but the objections TO 1t were 100 obvious ana 700
great to al'oS ITO be Counienanced. IL was plan
which had not kept its promise. Wheh congress
were rsked for the FIRST emission OF hve m''hohs,
they were told that this emission would oe inc asst
that the incoming revenue would meet the notes
and no more need ever he issued. That was the
promise: how Il had been fulfilled every BODY
knew. More, and more, and yet more notes hal
been issued, unit. there were now nne m!,Iohs oi
dollars Ut them 10 he provided for. Inc Govern
rnent is authorized TO borrow twelve millions. ana
have nine millions of Treasury notes TO pay. what
WAS the first duty Of Congress at such crisis!
It's duty was 10 I'LL the Treasury-to PROVIDE The
whole amount necessary TO meet the pnblc eNpsh-
dItures and then form plans Tor the iulEre Whch
i, should be able to act up to. Might Mr 5. ven
ture 10 say that for nine years past there mao been
no careful, mehOdicII management OF the puo"c
finances ever thought of We had had, indeed p.en-
~ of Congressional discussions on all soris OF ques
tons but the great difficulty had been the want oil
n plain orderly ineligible arrangement OF the
finances. The called session OF Congress III 1857
had done nothing IN tho word oui aIIhorLe the
Government to run in debt. ana the HoVerhWth-
had done little else from that time 10 this nut 20
execute this authority. Now and here was Wit
messed the FIST attempt bring the puOHc finances
into a state of order 10y honestly and sys'emRlcly
bringing up the means OF the GcVerAmen!Io We
rate Of its expenditure. We had been Nvlng ycir
nfter year from hand to mouth, leaving 10 Iorto"
10 take care OF the things Of itself, Until 20 morrow
at last las might have been tOEeseen) hau nothing
to take care Of and then we went to borfo"ins'
This the consequence the IneViaO.e cohse-
quencc oil having no system, no large stragnt.iOF-
ward and permanent arrangement u proT.ue Tor Inc
wants of the Treasury.
MIR 5. had said that the beginning and END 81 the
present discussion seemed 10 be the compromise ACT
That &C, passed on the % March, 1888, ant seem
ed, in the views OF some gentlemen, TO hsye been
final settlement OF oil revenue questions, once anu
forever. The arggmsnt here had not, n terms
been quite as limited IS that IN he report q iJ--
rner Secretary OF the Treasury, who lad -=- z-z-
that, IN form, the compromise was 40 &C; o. = =
ton, but that is consequences were s---. "a. ;';'
tain principles were 10 be inferred from % = l-T-
ing been settled which principles the S@-.s1-F
went on to detail until he arrived al resi- -..s--
ly shocking the chief purpose, nov as a.e-srr o.
the com promise itself Ia a crcuIlous way he CONF
to the conc uson that, in aging tu es "ihn the in
tatiOns of that act, Congress ucy discriminate So [.
rs to give protection 20 A-s:s-,- manufactures.
This 20 be sue g yt-T a. -ls:'TE- -lEr', but
utterly Te1-ErE-. .- t.s L-r I,.f. i- -'t- 10 .als
House Wa. 49, .IE -r~H= gigr-i o. .V-. y
Inc cc-lprc1Hs 49, go b. -aI - ~. 80 az
Inscribed 20 D. % ELE -r-'1iE .II .NI- . s.--1- I.
Cons tuition o. she .s; >-r.g,. .-ss-- - 20
The legislation OF lie Pep = - etf .t1rsssa-.-
lives. limitations o. their p1wc! VIC = unknown 10
he first Constitution declaring what should and
what should not be done by Congress previous 70
he ycar 1872, and then prescribing Whist should be
lone after the year 1872, and taking AWAY the right
,ver TO do any thing else. Mr ). was not speak
az of the actual, rea effect Of that law 10 wsnti1r
nough IN It's terms, much too far 10 be consistent
With the Constitution; but the construction given
u went far very far, beyond the act iise u under
he notion Of the spirit Of the act. Whenever The
louise undertook 20 pass revenue bill. the cry w.
Take care! you must not give up any item which
Ins heretofore been source % revenue " you o.
you violate the compromise oct-tnlt ls, you wII
rotate the spirit and principle of the act, by Great.
ne necessity for rcs'r.0, 20 something else, rot
within the CompTOmise act You must not artrI. =
,ute the public .ands among their rgu.!Il owU..sn
\ nd what neytl "YOu must collect % more re- ,
enGc than Is IndIspsnsaby necessary 90 an ssglo
neal administration OF the Government" w
Ut what IS an ecDnOmcl. administration "! TIE
government
mr $. said the gentleman would rleg..s. that ,
lcre had been q time when Oft difficulties M t.r 7
uplect Of tariff he'd Of ono. .gCn Cotton sys- W
be use OF o certain pUra. that exec emf p4r1as
vas a "Judicous vr.I" When gentleman wee :
sked, you fYr tine ulr OF rgllnat 20. tariff hi
epiy would be, am ''r u Ila.cols tariff Ard o D
most JuGIcIOus saying wts. Every one .ri.rrrrt
rI u 70 mean just what Boz himself mc1u,. $50 nov
under this cDmprDml.e sc', 90 more rCggr.. HIs 70
he raised than was necessary o. an "e.Duuue1. ld.
minis;r1tIou Of the GJvGrnmguLn This was word
Of large import and ndC'ernIuatO meaning. Wl..f
economical 10 build iDruhrau0Ua' T0hlve home
squadron 10 appropriate money for ug uss pf
the Navy To appropriate four millions Hs we
have done Of the present session n 10 br-arI
We have no douotit Is-LHc safety uuJ Interest, OF
the country require then we must bring the re- /
venue up 10 the pom, OF paying our ds1t, and pro.
vding Tor these expenditure. But another Gentle.
man might say, ] want no increase Of the Ma.
vy-that BE- not economical; and egh' g.n.arra-
out oithis whole body had said hey wanted no homo
squ1dTor-that was not economical. OF eotr.r
then, on appropriation for these obi .rls Pds a.s..
ing 90 their notion, q violation II Tue e0mpromrss
Hct. whoever put thot phrase into lhs Inv ysry
well knew that % wou.i be interpreted by each fr-
dIvidua according ~ bis own y.rws q, .oUur.v III
vas no rule Of acton, because gentlemen must frat
settle Tor themselves, ln each p1u..Y'ar -ssr. what
economy Mr. s. fNYFvF.f .t .,.. t-...