Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-07-23

IL Gen,Ismsr. in the warmth Of their z al have
reversed the order OF thinss-have uptutnsd the
h therto feu'si theory OF the Government, and 70
riding Congress as now preserving rolts II fac
tiop devoted to the interests OF psrtculAr psrtes
rather than TO the great in erests Of the country,
pon, to the President as the true ex,mpat Of PoPu
| lar opinion.
| This mode OF shielding the Executive, from the
charge of distesardng and obstTucling the popular
II, Is not now resorted to for the first time. But,
IN my opinion, IL Is not among the least alarming
symptoms OF that leprous disease. which Of late
years seems 10 be overspreadn the body polite,
ard threatening it's dissolution, that such position
should continue 10 find new advocates, and espe
chilly here this floor among the immedii,e repre-
seniatives OF the people. IL - another effort to
clutch ut sources OF power and Influence never
templated by our fathers, and to accumulate in the
hands fons mau the control Of all authority. IL
Is evidence Of that great truth, presented in the
history OF all governments, and against which We
had fondly hoped that we had provided, Thy the
separate ao,ments Of the various functions OF our
political machinc,) that "power is constantly steal
ing from the hands OF the many to the few"
In eonnee,isn with this topic, Mr. Speaker, per
init me 10 call your attention. for moment. to an
extraordinary paper which has recently found its
way into the public journals and which contains an
unwarrantaele and Unprecedented attack, by the
Executive, on the members Of this House
1t is = letter dated June III. 1919, and is signed
by the President OF the Uuiicd States, in which,
after magnifying his lsbors and responsibilities
=,
questions (are) now pending, both foreign and do
nestle, which at any preceding time have engaged
the publ functionareS' he asks sis this Tina :or
the spirit Of faction TO have exclusive sway, for
the country 10 be asitatei ty the question OF who
shall uceeed the Presidency three years heucel"
he then adds, "eersonal abuse Of myself has en-.
tered Largely into the discussions in and ont OF Con-
gsess. This any nan, who may be IN thi, Off c,
may be ready TO expect, but should be mcsi rel
dy 10 compromise with my bitter assailants in Con.
81.
may choose OF every day for the display OF their
surpassed eoquence 10 abus. of me, # the residue
Of their time could be given 10 the public good. Is
this great end TO be sacrificed to crafty n small
clique OF housing politicians, w,o think TINT their
petty schemes of hatred or ambition Of more
consequence than the consideration OF measures de-
signed for the public relief"
Is thisa language proper TO I've held by the Exceu
tive towards the Congress OF the United States7
Where is there any precedent for i The
palmy Jays of the Republic furnish none, am
sure. Let the President recur 10 tie example OF
WISH nston. of Adams, OF Jefferson, Madison, AMI
Monroe, and ask himself whether either OF them
would have done this thing. they were content 'to
hold OF the even tenor Of their way" le wing heir
motives and their actions to he judged OF by their
ellow-c'tlzens, and TO be defniiively Characterised
by an impartial posierity. Their high example
stands in Just rebuke this ill-empered. undisni-
ned TRADE by the Chief Magistrate, who thus stoops
from his elevated position 10 hold discourse in the
public journals, of "ihe spirit of faction" holding
Exclusive sway" in a coordinate branch OF the
Government. The proper tribunal will decide the
i'sue which he has presented, who is the 'n,using
politician" and who are Influenced by "pe,ty
schemes of hatred and ambition"
SO far as /, an humble member Of this body, am
concerned, solemnly declare. that have been &C.
tuated by no feelings of unkindness towards the
President. On the contrary, came here with feel
ings warmly enlisted in his favor. He was nv
fellow citizen OF the same commonwealth. | had
regarded him as q warm hearted, honest and patri.
Otto man; and with my constituents, had pledged
him IN advance 10 carry out all the great measures
contemplated by them in the success Of General
Harrison. | have been party 10 no scheme to "h.ad
hia," OF thvart his Administration. On the o:her
hand have srdently desired 10 sustain him, and TO
see the prosperity Of III: country restored by his
measures. When have not sustained him. il has
been because | could no; approve what he has
proposed.
shall now ask the attention Of the House, MIR
Speaker, TO the particular objections Of the P6esi.
dent 10 the bill under consideration, ns furnished
by him in his Veto Message.
The bill itself was intended by Congress, as is
declared by its title, 10 be a Temporary measure
called the "Compromso Act" the duties on i'm.
poFls reached their minimum amount, on the 3lth
day OF June, yesterday after which time, by
the terms Of that act duty OF 90 per cent, ad valo
rem IS levied on all foreign goods brought into
ports, except certain articles admitted free Of duty
MT as heretofore on the value OF such goods the
place whence imported, but the value in the port
where they are entered under "such regulations as
may be prescribed by law" When this bill was
introduced, We were rapidly approaching the 30.h
day OF June Ii was conceded on all hands, that a
duty OF 20 per cent would not raise sufficient sum
for the indispensable wants of the Government.
The general revenue bill, which was to provide n
more permanent system, had been DELAYED by
eauies over which Congress had no control, and
milnly by the failure Of the Secrciry Of the Trea
sury 10 furnish his estimates and plan for raisin Q
revenue. and for collecting the same. II was fore
seen that the revenue bill, involving j, would
genefal revision ofthe tariff laws, and bringing up
questions which have often, and so fercey, agi-
tlied Congress and the country, must undergo a
discussion OF considerable length, and which would
necessarily postpone faal action the bill beyond
the 3Oih day Of jane. In this state OF things the
Temporary revenue bill. now under consideration,
was introduced and passed. Its purpose was two
fold 10 arrest the descending scale Of duties the
poin, which they had attained on tho LIST day OF
june, 1912, and thus prevent the Government rom
running down, Tor want oil revenue, and 2diY, TO
continue the present mode Of collection, by taking
the foreign value Of the goods, until could pro
vide, by the general revenue bill, for home valun-
ton, or adopt some other plan OF collection. The
bill also co1tans provisO, postponng any distri
button OF the proceeds Of the public lands, which
by virtue OF the oct Of the 4th September, 1871,
might take place the LIST day Of July, TO the lst
day OF August. Ofthis pr0viS0, shall have occa.
son to speak hereafter.
Il nc opsia-iOh OF Tue cntlre Oil is lmtcc 10 the
lst day OF August, nj which period, f not in the
meantime controlled by further legislation the pro-
visions OF the compromise nct be in full force
This bill, not only proper, but obviously me-
cessary measure, the President has refused TO ap.
prove.
Let US now examine the validity or his objections,
aud determine how far our votes should be changed
by force Of those objections the question OF the
second passage Of the bill
The first objection is that at suspenjs in other
words nbrogaies for the time. the provision of the
oct Of 1888, commonly called the compromise act' s"
What provision Of the comprobise act is here al
uded iO2 II IS an act Of six distinct sections, and
contains several separate provisions. What portion
Of this act does the bill under consideration "abro~
gaieP IL continues The comp law, both ns
TO rate Of duty, and manner OF cOliec ion in exs-
tenee for one month beyond rs own Imitation Can
psrpeIulton, with any corTectness be called abro.
giuOn2
Blu; from association in the same sentence with the
word "suspend," presume the President intended
10 be understood ns obeclng any stoppaee Of the
descending scale Of duties provided by The LIST sec.
ton Of the compromise act-thlt il is ganst the
spirit Of the law TO impose any higher duties, by
another act, or TO arrest The downward progress Of
the rate Of duty thereby contemplated. before il
reaches the uniform level n 20 per cent ad vaorem
SuppOsipg this TO be the Presidents view, how is
this bill violation Of the compromise aet7 Is the
compr-mss oot 70 he construed, rs 10 forbid any
change or modification thereof however mper1usly
calle1 FOR by the necessities OF the government =
Surely not. / would not lightly depart from the
spitit and provisions of That lay. IL WIS cnlctcd
unde' circumstances which halonge for u more
than ordinary respect. But there is nothing in the
law tislf oi'htr Of letter or spirit nor in The cnc1m
sinuces or purpose IN which T. had ifs orisin that
throws around u tho Uoappfoachibc shield ~ cor.