Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-15

briefly as possible.
And in the first place he would remark, that when
the Senate had resolved to change the system which
was in existence previous to the adoption OF the Sub
Treasury law they had nevertheless suffered that sys-
tenn continue force until substitute for 1t was
maured and agreed upon so that the Treasury was not
left during any interval without the control of law, nor
was the head of the Department thrown upon his own
discretion under the provisions the law of 1889 The
Senate at that time had deemed il expedent to defer
the repeal of one system Of fiscal management until
substitute provided.
Mr. W. could not see any sufficient reason for pass
ing act simply repeal the Sub Treasury law wi tn
out inserting in the act provision sub
stitute for it. This course had been pursued in 1885,
and he could not perceive any sufficient reason why
il should moi be adopted in the present instance. The
gentlemen themselves who urged the present bill had
adopted this at that time, and Mr. w. now M
vited them to cite a single precedent where greal
system of fiscal operations had been abolished without
either providing a substitute beforehand inserting
such provision in the Of abolition itself This had
been done two ormertoccasons, except IN reference
the charter Of second Bank OF the United States
and even then an express clause had been insert
ed directing that the public funds should be transferred
the Bank and that, until this was done, they should
remain under the control of the system then in force
But here the bill provided for the isolated measure OF
repeal without making the least provision IN reference
to substitute to be adopted The effect of this would
be to throw back the Treasury such resources II
could obtain by construction Of previous laws. We
had had infinite deal OF that wilnin The last lie"
wears 1t said, indeed that tins state OF things
would in all probability endure but Tor very short
time; but III insisted that IT ought not 10 be suffered 10
exist for day or for hour NO nigh ofhcer oil Tue
Government not the Executive himself, shond be al
lowed the control of the public funds according TO his
own discretion any doubtful or constrained lniet-
preation of obsolete laws. There was great pub
lie emergency ut this time TO require dictatorship
with an absolute power the public funds. Why,
then insist upon measure LIKE this Why not de-
fer the act of repeal until the substitute should be
agreed upon, Why leave the whole treasure OF
the country at the discretion OF the Executive, I'M
der old laws which were held to be revived BY con.
s,ruc,on. The bill before the Senate did no, declare
what law would be revived by its operation. It's whole
effect was to pull down the edfce now existing with
out placing By its side even og-cabn or shantee,
lea nu the inmate. seek shelter and security they
might There was crisis which required this urgent
haste Ii would be just easy TO defer the final re-
neal till proper provision had been made meet H. and
thus avoid all those difficulties which must now accom-
pany the IL was no answer tor gentlemen TO
say that they intended 10 provide some other
in a short time lie had doubt they sincere in
that intention, but they might avoid the difficulty al
together. Let him tell gentlemen that the Senate had
recently had example Of this intention to postpone
ton only for short np and II wentto show how ensl
" that short time came to be extended When this Sc
nate had been organized on the ith Of March, the gen
emen now in the majority had insisted that It ne
cessary in order TO proper organization of the body,
TO re move the former Printers from office. And why
Because they intended, in very short time, 10 appoint
somebody to supply the place. Who at that time SO
much as dreamed that the body would remain to this
day without Printer and thrown upon the absolute
discretion of lis President, and Secretary to employ any
body they pleased and any prices they chose to give
10 execute the printing of the body, The arguments
of gentlemen looked very WELL they did but remove
the printer for short time, substitute was immed.
atey to be provided, yet three or four months had
h,.h
gentlemen held to be indispensable to the organization
of the body, had not been performed TO this day. and
The printing was done through agents whom the oii
of the Senate chose, and not the Senate, and at
prices which the officers fixed aud not the members Of
this body Just So it might be after destroying the In
dependent Treasury. The country might be left three
or four months possibly for many years, without the
adoption Of any measure as substitute Tor IT; and IN
the meanwhile the public money would be lett under
more unlimited discretion than the public printing was
left now.
After presenting these remarks, IN opposition to the
time proposed for the work Of abolition, Mr. w asked
the attention Of gentlemen TO the substance OF the
measure itself. They came here TO do great public
act on behalf of seventeen millions OF people and
twenty.six States Of this Union. Ought they to do
this without duly considering what was the duty re.
CURED of them And what must be the effect OF their
act, whether that effect were temporary or perma-
nent Without this, they could not act dscreety m
abolishing important existing system. Mr. W.
sested that there had been much talk against the Sub
Treasury and arguments, but no experience
II had greatly abused and grossly misePresenied
but he not prepared to admit that there had been
any verdict Of the people against It, Was the repeal
the continuance of this law the only issue made be-
fore the people the late eecon' Was the result oil
that election verdict on that issue alone: The Sena-
tor from Kentucky had said they had come here Tor
udgment-to carry into effect the verdict oil the Anne
rcan people, but he would ask that Senator whether
fb..r 1tpff oils q
By the People on all the questions which had been DIS
cussed before them 1t so, how did II happen that
they we're sitting there in that splendid Hail. lighted by
the magnificent and costly candelabra now before
them Had il not been decided that there should be no
extra session with all lis unavoidable expenditure: That
gentlemen must not eat GU, Of gold spoons but must
use horn That they must not indulge themselves IN
the luxury of champagne, but must drink only hard
cider; Did not the verdict Of the People cover all
that 1t was easy for gentlemen to talk ABOUT ISSUES
being decided BY elections but he asked what had been
the in 1892 and what had been the verdict gwen
then;
The Senator had had some experience in such mat
ters Did he believe that the People had passed ver-
dict on all the questions which had been inooted du.
ring that election: No; nor did Mr.. w. They had
different questions argued them they had had the cues
about soda furnished at public expense, about
billiard tables paid for out of the public money ana
other grave issues of the like character Did te oeha
tor hold that the People had delivered their VERDICT on
all these important points: why cut oul VI.
sury from all the other subjects agated at the late cleo
ton, and say tina, the verdict of the People had been
given haissue: But, admitting that It had some oil
the gentlemen held the doctrine that they were not
bound By express written instructions from their
constituents. Much less, them were they bound by
verdict given tive hundred issues given al cross
roads, gwen at grog shops and the hustnss mere
was nothing IN this argument. 1t answered very
we'll to talk about for political effect but the People
decided issues but such they put on record ne
they decided was that they elected this man as
their Chief Magistrate, and not that man. lhat was
an issue by which all were bound, and which all must
respect. But the evidence went no further For
that it that he addressed arguments 70 gen
temen, and en,reated them not TO throw themselves
on ina ginary or uncertain issues. He asked them
what they were aboshns What were their reasons
for abolishing it, and what the facts OF the case
The system which it proposed TO destroy
which had been matured with great CAUTION
after prolonged consideration and much debate. was
it because it system which did not comPof'
with the supposed civilization and refinement OF mo-
dern times? Because il not mark ed with all the
graces and beauties Of the credit system, and was not
ornamented with all those classic figures which came
LII q, II, pf