The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-02

shoud be levied having in view an economical admins
tration of the Government and IL necessary for this
purpose, the duty might be twenty, thirty forty fifty
even one hundred per cent Ills fifth resolution re-
lated TO the public lands and he would remark that
II that source Of revenue should be recalled-whlc
was only million and half during the last year
The rate OF duty on the nnetyone million oil imports
to obtain tweny-six millions of revenue, including
the land revenue, would be only twenty ana q
hall instead OF thirty per cent But u the iaiius
should amount 10 three millions instead OF one ana
half millions, and they should be recalled instead oil
being permitted to remain where they were, the du'
would only come down to wenty-six or twenty
per cent instead of going up to thirty per cent AS
to the sixth and seventh resolutions, he remarkeu
that he thought that members OF Congress ought 10
look to themselves; already had steps been ta-
ken to reduce the expenses oil Congress 10 inc
amount of one hundred thousand dollars, ana
he hoped that sSmething would be done wilh re-
gard 10 mileage that might be better regulated anu
more clearly defined. The eighth resolution stated
that the expenses of the judicial department of Go.
vernment have of late years, been greatly increased
and ought to be reduced and if he were disposed to
he invidIous he could name single district court OF
the United States in which the expenditures had
been increased by four five times, beyond those OF
any her district court The ninth resolution assert
ed that the diplomatic relations of the United States
with foreign powers had been greatly increased, and
ought to be reduced. The number Of diplomatic
agents had nearly trpled since the administration OF
~
ments which not to be found besides, they had
agents Al Constantinople, Austria and at Naples,
notwithstanding those Governments did not recipro-
cate the friendly manifestations of this country
by sending their agents to reside here. He had also
introduced resolution relating to the rankng privl-
lege, which greatly abused for it would be seen,
from report Of the Postmaster General, that ninety
five per cent of the mails were conveyed tree OF
charge, leaving it principally to the business men OF
the community to pay the expense AS to the last
resolution, if the Heads Of the Departments would
not go to work with sincerity and industry, Congress
could effect but little good He then summed up the
advantages which would result from the adoption OF
his resolutions, viz l. The Government would have
an adequate without depending upon disrepu-
table expedents and thereby il would preserve the
public credit unsullied 3 retrenchment of all I'M
necessary expenditures of the public money and an
economical administration of the Government g. A
check upon the efux of the precious metals from
our country; and T. Incidental protection to Anne
rican industry. He addressed the Senate for
more than two hours, and he concluded by express
ing the hope that Senators would in the spirit Of pa
trotsm discard all their former political preudices,
and unite upon some OF practical and eiec-
tive legislation for the relief Of bleeding country
and suffering people
Mr.. LINN rejoced that these resolutions had been
introduced, opportunity would thus be given to
the friends of good and economical government to
express their sentiments upon the subjects involved
but he would look for patriotism in the man
who would present petition to this body to dissolve
the Union, as he would in the resolutions of re-
trenchng Wing
Mr. WRIGHT proposed 10 amend the resolutions
as follows
I'd Resolution. Strike out all after the word sob
taincd in the LIST line, and insert, without restoring
to the National Treasury the from the public
lands or the imposition of high taxes upon all foreign
imports including the ordinary necessaiies of life,
thus making the tax onerous to the whole people, be-
cause of those necessaries the whole people con-
sumers
Sd Resolution Strike out all after the word there-
fore" in the first line, and insert that much of the
entitled AN act to aPproprale the proceeds of the
sales of the public lands, and to grant pre- empton
rights, approved on the 4th day of September, ls4l
approprates those proceeds to the States and Ter
rores and to the District Of Columbia, ought to be
repealed because it is now apparent that this portion
of the public revenue cannot be taken from the Ma
tiona Treasury without creating the instant necessity
for increased loans additional tax ation both, TO
an amount sufficient to supply the deficiency thus
produced
4ih Resolution. Strike out all after the word
" amount" in the lst line, and insert-of revenue
such as may be required over and above the means
to be derived from the sales Of the public lands,
which amount should always be equal to the current
expenditures of the Government, economically and
properly administered and to the gradual but certain
extinguishment of any existing debt the principles OF
the act of the I'd of March, 1888, entitled " An act
to modify the act of the fourteenth of july thou
sand eight hundred and thirtytwo and all other acts
imposing duties imports" commonly called the
Compromise act ought to be adhered to, as the gene
raj basis Of such adjustment
5h Resolution. Strike out the words ought to be
repealed" in the last line, and insert: presents the
ground upon which only Congress has assened to the
distribution of the land revenue to the States and
when shall appear that the distribution cannot take
place consistently with the terms of that provision, il
will appear that state of things exists under which
Congress did not intend it should take place at all
L g. g. 10, resolutions Strike out all alter the word
Resolved" in the 18th resolution, and insert,
Therefore that Congress Is called upon to retrencf
its expenses;
By abrideing the duration of the long ses ions;
BY regulating and more clearly dcfn ng the mileage
Of the members, and
!. BY diminishing its contingent expenses, and es-
pecially those incurred
For stationary,
For printing,
For the employment Of clerks for committees
and
For folding printed matter TO be transmitted
through the mails,
And that Congress is also called upon to make re-
trenchments in the following departments OF the pub
lie service, VIZ:
To diminish the expenses of the Judiciary Depart
| ment
States within narrower limits by disseminating ap
preparations for charges dalfares at Naples Bogota
Caracas Saint Jago, and Lima;
To diminish the expenses of foreign intercourse by
reducing the appropriations for diplomatic representa-
tives for Prussia and Brazil to the compensation at
tached the grade of ministers resident and for thos,
Tor Austria and Mexico to the compensation attached
10 the grade of charges d'afaires.
To restricting the Thanking privilege of members O
Congress to letters and other communications il
writing only, and those not to exceed the weigh
of -;
| To further limit and more clearly define the frank