The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-03
gmeutp=Se0emth Congress.
IN SENATE,
WEDNESDAY, March 2, ls42.
SECOND SESSION.

WEDNESDAY, March 2, 1912.
Mr. WRIGHT presented the proceedings of
meeting held at Rdgeway, Orleans county New
York, asking the President of the United States to
interfere in behalf of the American prisoners at Van
Dieman's Land in Australia; also, the petition of
Mrs. M A. Askins, praying that her name may be
placed upon the navy pension list.
MI . ohGEON presented the petition of Jordan
L. Niott Tor the passage of an act by which the rights
OIL proprletors OF new designs and patterns may be
projected from piracy, and may be secured in safe,
cheap, and expeditions manner to the end that the
manufacturers and mechanics of the United States
may be enabled fully to compete with those of any
other country
Mr.. ALLEN presented petition from citizens of
CINCINNATI asking that the mileage allowed mem
bers Of Congress may be reduced to one-fourth of
what il now is (vz: to two dollars for every twenty
miles y also, memorial from Jacob Bonner, ct-
zen of Ohio, proposing plan for United States
National Exchequer the capital to be two hundred
millions of dollars in coin, to be composed Of the
baser metals such copper BRASS instead OF gold
and silver the Secretary of the Treasury to take the
whole of the stock and hold it for and in behalf of
the United States and the machinery to be conduct
ed under the supervision of board Of control, as
provided for in the plan
Mr. BUCHANAN presented petition from citi-
zens OF Lebanon county, Pennsy lvania attriDuting
the evils which exist in the country to the Compro-
mise Act, and asking for protection also, two
rias from the same State, asking that the duty
in 1889.
Mr.. EVANS introduced bill to establish port
of entry at the city of Bangor in the State of Maine
which read first and second time, and referred
to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. ARCHER from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported bill for the relief of Dr. Boyd
Reilly, which was read first time and ordered to
second reading
The bill for the relief of Hezekiah Cunningham
was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading
The resolution of Mr.. A 4 ZEN tn omen the doors
of the Senate during the transaction of Executive bu-
sness except when engaged on treaties was made the
special order ofthe day for Wednesday next.
On the motion of Mr.. LINN, it was
Resolped, That the Commissioner of the General
Land Office be directed to send to the Senate statement
showing the construction given by him. in practice to
the July 1886 confirming the reports otthe board
ofcommssloners appointed to investigate private land
claims in Missouri under the acts of July 9, 1892,
and March 2, 1888, and whether, in his OF lnion any
further legislation is necessary enable him to carry
out effectively and justly said act of July A, 1886
ResoIoed, That the Postmaster General be request
ed TO communicate to the Senate statement
showing the number of post routes which
the mails suspended the Sabbath
day; and the amount saved to the Department by
such suspension, with the of the State States
to which such routes exist.
Mr.. TAPPAN submitted resolution, that the
three hundred and thirty copies of the Land Laws
and opinions printed under resolution of the Senate
of the 2Sth of February, 1887, on hand be dis
tributed to such members of Congress have not
received the same until the copies exhausted and
that the fourteen hundred and fifty copies of the State
papers the public lands, in five volumes folio, be
distributed equally amongst the members of Congress,
be by them distributed in their respective States and
Territories
On the motion of Mr. BARROW, it was resolved
that the Secretary of the Treasury be directed to
transmit to the Senate statement exhibiting the
amount of duties arising on imports and tonnage at
the port of New Orleans in the years 1889, 1910,
and lS4l, and also the amount of moneys received
from the sale of the public lands the State of Loui
sana in the years, and also what portion of the
public revenues derived from the aforesaid sources
was expended within the limits of said State during
said years.
The resolution heretofore submitted by Mr.. WAL
KER, calling upon the President of the United
States for information with reference to the proceed
ngs of the board appointed under the convention be-
tween Mexico and the United States for the settle
ment Of claims was taken up and agreed to.
THE TARIFF AND INFRINGEMENT AND REFORM.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the resoIu-
| tions of Mr. CLAY with regard to the revenue etc.
to which Mr.. WRIGHT had offered series of amend
ments, and which were published in the Madisonan
yesterday.
Mr.. w RIGHT, after preliminary remarks
said that, by the resolutions of Mr.. CLAY they were
called upon to set boundaries, when they could not in
roduce bill To raise revenue; and it appeared him
that when the Senate undertook, in advance of the
House of Representatives, in the metaphor of the Sc
nator from Kentucky, Mr.. Cay,) to ''se the stakes
and mark out the limits and grounds for the lmita-
tions," they might subject themselves, to soue
extent, at least, to the same that he had
heard bestowed the Executive when that officer
had heretofore been accused of shadowng forth his
policy with respect to the enactment of laws. He
piled to the remarks of Mr.. CLAY, and particularly to
the assertion that the average expenditure of Mr. Van
Buren's Administration $35, 900 900; and he did
this for the purpose of showing how easy it was in
such matters to mslead themselves as to facts and
how extensively and injuriousIy others might be mis-
led But from report of Mr.. Ewing, the late Sc
cletary of the Treasury the stood differently as
it was there stated that the expenditure in 1887 was
1881 900 ,0OO in 1885, 1871 100000; in 1882 $685.
900 000 and in 1910, 1872 600, 600. As to the mpo-
sition of duties upon foreign mporations taking
nnetyone millions, accord ng to the calculation of the
Senator from Kentucky for the basis of the revenue
twenty per cent. would give more than eighteen mil
lions, which, added to the three millions which would
undoubtedly accrue from the public lands would af-
ford than twenty millions of revenue for the
support of the Government which, in his opinion,
ought be sufficient for all economical purposes He
then entered into defence of one of his amendments
which assumes the principle that the provision i'll the
act of the extra session for the distribution of the
proceeds of the public lands requiring the operation
of that act to be suspended In the contingency OF
higher rate of duty than twenty per cent presented
the ground upon which only Congress assened to the
distribution of the land revenue to the States and
this exhibited the naked question whether this Go
vernment could impose for State purposes and
the Senator from Kentucky stated some days since
that it question between direct and indirect tax
alton whether the States should lay taxes for State
penditure, or whetherhe General Government should,
by imposts, collect money for State purposes After
dwelling for time upon this subject, he conclud
ed his remarks by showing the advantages which
would result from the adoption of his amendments TO
the resolutions, particularly those relating to the
franking privilege, the contingent expenses, and
the charges on books pamphlets and other print
ed nae ares. transmitted thrOuUh the mails.
Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, then obtained the floor
and on his motion,
The Senate adjourned