Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-09-21
Prom the National In'cllirenccT Of September Is.
THE LATE EXTRA SESSION.


our country. The measures embraced 10y the act.
OF the Session those deman Ell by the People
or required 10y the eIlgencies Of the Government
Every thing has been done that expected rs
the consequence OF the late political revolution, OF
recommended by the President. Every thing,
sape one, and the failure OF that one leaves the
country, in respect to the public money and the
currency, very nearly where the present Admins q.
tration found II. Not exactly, however; tor, the
sub-TrcasurY being repealed, tho public money,
by the veto OF two proposed substitute systems for
the custody and management OF the revenue, is left
foe the time under the absolute control and direction
OF the Executive, Just as much as It was after Gen.
jackson seized hold o! It, when he lent il by mil
lions TO the pet banks TO enable them TO the
war against the old Bank OF the United States.
Thanks TO the late Administration, however, the
Government, far from having much money to
lend or to lose has been LEFT by altogether depcn-
dent upon borrowing to pay It's daily expenses.
Passing by the Veto question, or leaving it for
separate consideration, let US briefly glance at the
legislation which Congress was enabled to effect at
al" late Session.
The earliest consideration wss given by Congress
10 the state OF the Treasury, the Appreciated in
,o'vency of which made the Ezra Session inevtto-
bic and the FIRST reform IN the administration of the
finances was the abandonment of the miserable ex-
pedient oflssues Of new Treasury Notes to pay off
Old ones, and resOrtn: TO an honest old fashioned
loan instead OF It, Loan was authorized to the
amount of Twelve Millions OF Dollars, Of which one
million end IA half OF dolsrs have Oeen already
d, and more is AIRY for immediate use, thus
u
together IN an Extra Session, the whole Government
would, before the regular annual meeting of Con-
g'ess, have been IN the same beautiful condition as
tue General Post Office was found to lie when the
Wings came into power that is to say, with no mo-
my IN hand and two quarters pay due IN arrear TO
nil persons Iu ITS employ.
The next most necessary act Of Congress- though
Gar rom being the hrs IN importance, was that tor
npproprsting money icom the Treasury to pay the
debts at the Post Once establishment, and restore
tn1t important concern TO something IKE respecta-
hiliiy and efficiency, which lad lost through its
poverty, brought on 10y The jonI operation OF Ex-
press Mails and extra allowances TO Contractors
The great measure OF the Session, however, Is
cmphAtical'y THE LAND Law; 10y which 1t i put
IN the p3wer OF every man TO OBTAIN possession o.
hundred and sixty acres Of public land 10y settling
upon II, and paying for u, whenever II sha, be Of
fered for sale by the Government and not beioreO
ut the lowest Government price OF dollar and a
quarter per acre; ana by which the whole proceeds
OF the sales OF the pnbc lands are to be hereafter
annually divided and paid 10 the several State
Governments, IN proportion 10 the federal number
Of population IN each State respectively. By this
act the Public Land - thrown open to the whole
body OF the People, and placed as much within the
reach Of the poor OF the rch for there Is no man
who deserves to own land who cannot, living free Of
rem. and tax tor year or land possibly Il may
be many years) before the land he settles on l.
brought mto market, make as much money off the
land as wa ply Tor Il. THIS enlarged and Npcra.
provision, here 1i1rc existing partially ard for limit
ed terms, has thus bccomel peTmAnsn; part OF the
admirable land sys en OF the United States. The
other prov .sioH, 10. -ss uu, even more important
whilst u makes an U4 l;a0.e distribution OF the r.
venue tIOm The Iuuuc Domain among the : states
10 whom u TIgh.u y neoGSs, 6ffJT1s TO each Safe
annual revenue which 10 some OF them W { Ge
exceedingly acct p abe, and 10 al. Of them will 1e
more or less useful; and, BESIDES, removes from The
financial system Of the Union causeCi ciOntInutl
uncertainty and IueguIaTIty. But, mere han all
reOce IN the passage oil this act Dec use II settles
enc Land question, and takes away from demago
cues this standing theme for defamation, and from
WHY agItutoTs topic OF excitement. The cry vi
"Repea." has, know, been suggested against
this act It was raised, IN advance, against the
defeated bill for the establishment Of Fsca Bank.
But there Is consolation IN knowing that the Land
Act is beyond the reach u the Repsalers The
sound Of their cry will not be heard. There Is no
elemen' TO sustain its vibrations.
To supply IN some deg. the existing d. : cicrcy
IN the revenue, we. IS that which viii be caused
10y the cessation OF the fuclualing revenue from
lands, act has been passed laying duties on the
Importation OF wines, SILKS, and Z variety OF other
articles of luxury heretofore either exempted from
Taxation or very nadequatcty taxed, the effect OF
which will be to add one. fifth, Ihereabouts TO the
present retail price OF wines, &c. So that those who
have heretofore paid twenty five cents bottle for
their CIaret must hereafter pay thirty cGnts-a bur.
n which will not be at all regretted by those who
do not drink wine, and not much regretted by those
who do. Happy tie country in winch labor IS not
directly taxed all 10. the support OF Government
and IN which requisite additional revenue can he
80 easily raised by taxes upon foreign IuxuGes
ly!
The act next in importance is the act for estab.
fishing System OF Bankruptcy to operate uniform.
ly throughout the United States. This ac' au-
thOrzed in terms, If not to be regarded express
ly enJoIned by the terms of the Constitution, has
long desideraied by the body OF citizens
who nj the same time enlightened and humare
We have been the steady advocates Of the measure
for the last twenty years. and Of course mad every
be gratihed by its success. II II were to
he fruiIltSs OF any other good, the consequ ences
which are vislbly resulting from it, as We earn
from the newspapers, IN bringing debtors and ere.
diors into commune cation for the purpose Of Cgu,a.
ble and nmlcahlc adjustment OF long standing con-
iroversIes, would hal ow the IN our cs:i.na-
ton Such, too, will, we doubt not, be the p,rma-
ncnt effect of the measure, that II will prevent even
ba greater extent than Nv redress, the rong cone
society by the laws which have here ofOre con-
demned TO slavery JyrlJe 10y placing the earnings
Of labor within the power OF oJdura.e credtofs)
every man who has been 50 unfortunate as to he.
come debtor beyond his ability to pay.
The third great measure Of the session is the act
repeating the suO-Trcasury system, preparatory,
was universally supposed, TO the esia Adjustment Of
a Fiscal Agent Ivy which both the Government and
the People would be relieved from the Inconvenience
and loss TO which they have long been subjected for
Sant Of IT. TINS act, 10y the failure Of the orhci
corresponding measure, becomes complrntiycI y
vaiueiess. We sha. see, al the HsEt session OF
Congress- which Is not 30 far distant but that one
may hope to live so ong, what substitute for il
be proposed by the Executive.
Another interesting measure Of the session pro-
posed by the late Secretary Of the Navy, and pas
se5 by both Houses almost unanimously, was the
hill providing Tor the establishment Of a Home
Squadron; measure which, though obviously ex.
pedicnt and universally approved now that Il has
received the sanction Of Congress has not been be.
fore proposed that remember and, If proposed,
WIS certainly not encouraged under the late Ad-
illustrations.
OF tn kindred character Of provisions for home
defcncos is he act making appropriations, which,
considering, the state Of the Treasury, may he con.
sdGred large and liberal, for different fou.fcutions
Gnd for ordnance for the same These appropria.
tons, which will serve 70 repair in some degree the
great neglect Of these objects Ivy the tote Admins
Iraton, IN direct accordance win the line Of po.-
icy struCk out by the late Secretary Of War " Thin
few days after ms entering upon the ndninrs,ra.
ton Of tho War Department, sustained and second.
ed with oil his soul by President Harrison, during
his Official lite, and now approved and sanctioned
by his successor.
The act making equally liberal appropriations for
naval ordnance and ordnance stores b. another cyi.
oorcc Of the conhdJnse Of the present dominant par
ty m the Navy, and Of their determination 10 give 10
u ull the efficiency Of which, on ne present limited
scale, u is susceptible.
BY these several octs, characterized by slenc ".
forecast and ygOr, exceeded 200 the history oi
tbs Government, the Wigs in Congress have hon
orally md faithfully redeemed the pledges under
which they were elected, oud entitled themselves 10
hc received by their constituents ON their return 10
their districts, with the snui1tion, We'll done, good
md faithful Servants
Prom ns New York Journal of Commerce.
GREAT BRITAIN As SHE Is.