Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-08-04

WASHISGrcS, August ..
Gentlemen: We'll, you see the work goes brave
, ly on! The Tariff question has been happily ad-
jusied in the House OF Representatives withou, any
serious controversy. The Wings were determined
not TO act upon the Loco oco principle tina, one Con.
Srsss cannot bind its successors, and hence as the
last Loco foco Congress hid bsquoathed to the
Wing party heavy debt they honestly deter.
mined not to deny impair the obligation of con
tracts, but TO discharge the debt in good faith With
this view they have passed bill to raise additional
revenue to afford the means Of payment The bill
passed by a vote of Il6 TO lOI.
This bill is not free from objections Butas there
are 50 many conflicting interests to be consulted, i,
was necessary to make concessions on all sides ard
as the good preponderated very decidedly over the
evil, the mass Of the Wings were willing to take it.
though some Of the Representatives OF the heavy
manufacturing dstrcts-such as Sa,tons,lll, of Sa.
lem, and Winthrop Of Boston, were constrained to
go against it.
There is one feature in which the bill was nar,ic.
u.arIy Objectionable 10 most Of the Wings viz: the
tax on Tea and Coffee. The Wing members held
caucus on this subject a, which Il large majority
determined that Tea and Coffee should be excmp,
rom taxation. Accordingly when the bill was un.
der consideration in the Committee Of the Whole
Mr.. L'wrence OF Pa. prominent Wing mem Der,
moved TO amend the bill by adding Tea and Coffee
10 the list of free articles. Before the question could
be taken on this proposition, MIR. Clifford of Maine
leading Loco foco and 4 ready parliamentary tao.
| tican, (haylng been Speaker of one branch Of IN,
Legislature OF Maine,) immediately moved to amenc
| the amendment Of Mr.. Lawrence by adding to TIE,
and Coffee, "Sugar, Molasses and Salt" The
whole Loco foco party then united with Mr.. c. in
voting for the amendment to the amendment and If
conjunction with such Of the ult,a ant-tariT whig
as Wished Tea and Coffee to be taxed, carried IN,
amendment The Wings were thus placed in a We
ry awkward predlcament, from which they, in vain
. attempted to eNtricate themselves Winthrop q
Boston called for division Of the question Oh IN,
amendment as AMENDED so as to present the ques
ton separately, but the chair very promptly decd
ed that the vote of the committee having Joined then
together, the chair could not put them asunder Tn,
Wing party were thus compelled either to vote fo
the entire proposition or to vote tho whole down
Under these circumstances they could not hesitate
TO reject il entirely. And thus IL comes to pass tina
by dcX,crous marB Ivre Of the Locos, Tea and Cof
fee nre TO be taxed! And yet with these facts star
ing them in the face, should not be surprised
the Locos had the harJihooi TO uttemp, to rails,
an outcry against the Wings for taxing article
which entered into the consumption of the poor
hope you will keep these facts prominently befor
the public, and let the people the measures whic
are to be resortcd TO, to make political capital.
The mail is about closing and must conclude m,
/ hasty communication.
| 1t sexpecIed that the Bank question will be u,
! IN the House to-day. Yours truly,
II v w