Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-02-11
TWENrY.SIXTH CONGREss---2d SESSION
SPEECH or ROBERT BARNWELL RHETT,
On the Treasury MITE Bill, deirered in the House Of
J0ouoru

On the Treasury MITE Bill, dciircred in the House Of
Representatives,, Jannary2l, lS4l.
MIR. Chairman: There are three propositions submit
led to the House for supplying the necessities Of the
Treasury The first is that submitted by the Commit
tee of Ways and Means-an issue of FIVE millions Of
treasury notes-based upon the suppostlon that The
deficiency in the Treasury but temporary and that
the greater part if not the whole OF the emission, VIII
be redeemed during the fiscal year. The next is The
proposition of the gentleman from New York (alr
Barnurd)-a permanent loan of ten millions Of dollars
lie las auxiliary to both Of these, submitted by the
gentleman from North Carolina (alr. Stanly) is tax
alton upon silks, wines, and linens. The Committee
on Manufactures have anticipated Of these exPe
dents oil taxation by proposing bill, laying duty,
almost prohbitory, OF twenty per cent. silks only
All Of the expedents proposed excepting that of the
Committee of Ways and Means assume the fact that
there is permanent deficiency the Treasury, which
must be supplied by permanent means-a funded debt,
and increased taxation. propose, sir to shcw that
no such fact exists; and that the five millions of Trca
sury notes, proposed by the bill Immediately under
consideration will be sufficient relieve the Treasury
for the ensuing year.
The permanent deficiency in the Treasury, supposed
by gentlemen has been estimated variously. The gen.
tleman from Maine (lr Evans puts it at s. ,0G0,00o
10 Sl0, 000, GEO. the gentleman from Tennessee (ilr.
Belly at Sl6,OOO,OOo; my colleague, (Mr Thompson
al l5,O0O,0U0 and the gentleman from New York, (Mr
BarnardD S40,0G0,000. The gentleman from Maine,
who commenced all this prodgious crhcring, began
his table by taking up the current expenditures of the
last year; and then, calling npon those who proposed
retrenchment 10 show in what particulars they could
be reduced. The Secretary Of the Treasury proposed
to reduce them from S220o0OO0 in 1S4O to $lo,0Oo,-
900 for 1S4. Show in what particulars this can be
done Tie call is fair one and ought 10 be fairly and
fully met.
The chief sources for rctrenchment, pointed out BY
the Secretary Of the Treasury arc, the public buildings
PENSIONS the inlflcnt Of treaties and removal oi In
dams. The gentleman from Maine conceded the re-
duced expenditure ofihe public buildings OF 100000
but he strcnuousy comhated the two other items ct re-
dncton. He showed from the retnrrs in the Pension
Office that the deaths of the pensioners last year did
not on an average reach four per cent; but, in his
he allowed ten per cent and as to the re-
mova Of tic Indians, there had been appropriated for
that purpose, the last year, but S3CO,CO0. All the
saving from these sources would not reach 81 OOO,
600.
The fallacv Of taking the returns of deaths TO the
Pension Office the criterion Of expenditures in that
Department, should have occurred to far less acute
mind than that OF the gentleman from Maine Hun
reds Of pensioners may DIE, and yet statement oil The
fact be conveyed to lie Pension Office. The pension
VII only not be called for and after remaining III tn"
hands Of tie Pension Officer, tie time allowed by law,
lie money appropriated wl he returned TO Tie rcasu-
r. An inference NAV be drawn that The pensoner IS
dead but it cannot be stated to be officially; and
not dead, he can claim his arrears OF pension. And
should have occurred TO the gentleman, that even
his ten per cent, might b. too small an estimate Tor
the deaths Of men between eighty and one hundred
years old: Nothing but fraud and perjury could keep
IN the pension roll such rate of extlnyushmenl;
and if he chooses u assume, his computation, the
Of all moral principle amongst the revolution
ary pensioners who chiefly come from his portion of the
nion shall not take this for granted in my egisla-
ton | take the estimate made not By tie Secretary
u the Treasury, but BY the Commissioner Of Pensions
IA man of undoubtcd capacity and integrity ard the
pension bill reported BY committee 10 the House and
they show an expenditure OF Sc5S 400, IN loil less
than required IN lcIO
And now, sir To the Other branch Of diminished ex-
penditure removal Of lndlaus and payments IN
cidcn tai to their removal II IL true, that all which
was appropriated the last year for the removal OF lnd
ans was but 100000. But does not the gentleman
know that for years past, there have always been ex
pendilures from old appropriations falling due, from
year to wear, which makes the appropriations under
this head for any year, criterion at all of "hai
nav be cxpendrd; The table Of expenditures, III
The rcpor, Of the Secretary OF the Treasury, shows
a large number of these expenditures and Il IS com
putcd tina, about one half million more Of these
old outstanding appropriations expended The last
vear than wlll be needed for the year icil. There IS
also half million in the hands Of the agents o!
the Government in the far West 10 be paid 10 the Che
rokecs. Ii is not yet known whether this amount Is
expended 1t is charged TO the expenditures OF l-il
bui il not made until lS4l, the money will be with
The charge To meet it, Here, then, sir, is 81 0Go0Go
There are two other items, amongst others, OF re-
luccd expenditure, OF mentioned by The Secretary .,
Inc Treasury, which gentlemen on the opposite side,
AN sure will not dispute. THIS is The short session Of
Congress; and we will continue assembled nearly five
months less time than in 1910. This will produce a
saving of less than S300000 And in looking over the
expenditures Of the last year, find that as large sum
was expended under old appropriations upon rivers,
roads, harhors, and creeks These appropriations
most happily, all exhausted; and unless Congress
authorizes, at the present session, new expenditures "n
those objects none can be made Here then, is 5000
eco that should also be deducted from last years ex
penditure We will now carry out md foot the b''',
and sec whether the estimate of the Secretary of the
Treasury, that The expenditures Of lell may be rednceo
l,,r EXPENDITURES Of 1910, sa2, 4so, $40
Deduct for ISL
Public Buildings, S2O0,0nO
Pensions, S5S455
Removal of Indians,
&c, 100000
Short Session of Con-
oress. eco