Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-08-23

The final reduction of duties 10 twenty per cent IN
der The Compromise of lc3 was Ia take erect on "e
Both of June aud .hen the distributed, nhee1 Tue aet
NJ l-It wos II commence, provide tie duties were
not "a ed bevord twenty per On the 'o vi June,
The Commute OF Ways and Means, w'ch hah report
ed the Revenue bill OF The 81, brought IN what was
called Provisional bill, the osiensbie clect 81 when
was 10 provide temporary collection OF duties m
al tune would be afforded for the passage OF Tue gene
raj Revenue bull The necessity ter some snch n'ea-
sure was alleged 10 exist on account oi aouol VINE
Their duties could be collected alter The 3Ui oil June,
wi,hou, additional legislation. The Revenue bill pro.
vidcd for n general increase Of duties beyond ~ per
cent and passage would necessarily have enforced
the suspend;ns cause of the Distribution act me
provisional bill reported the 7th OF june contained
no reference this suspendng clause OF The D'stron.
ton act On the OH OF June, second provisional 'i
was reported from the Committee OF ways ana means,
with the same general objects as the hst, wich nad
been reported only two days before, and with pro-
yiso repeating the suspending clause OF Inc Distrhu
ton act The frs, provisional bill was never consider
ed The second was passed by the House on Inc ION
of June went TO the Senate, returned with amend
ments which concurrtd in on the 10th OF June,
and was returned b. the President with objections on
the 29h OF June. These objections were founded on
the deploable condition al the Treasury, ana on the
cxpedieney of adhering, under the circumstances, TO
the terms which distribution had been authorized by
the act of ls4l. The Revenue b,il DID not pass until
the 9Th of Aurust II was returned with the President
obeC lions the 9TH.
These objections are before the committee
companied the provisional bill only on the 29ih OF June
The Revenue bill contained clause most unequIvo
caly repeating the suspension oil The Distribution act
which lis own passage would have enforced md thus
it was 10 effect the enactment OF new Distribution
law appended to the Revenue bill. Each House de'
bera,ey refused strike out this clause, and persist
ed assocating in udlcrous contrast, Two measures
the act to RAISE money Tor Tue support 81 90
vernment By the imposition OF taxes, Inc o''ef 20 us
tribute the land revenues 10 the States The majority
of hotb Houses Ea proclaimed, with the concurrence
of the President IL September, le1i That Distribution
should only be made hen the duties were peiow twenty
"a, oent The majority OF both Houses had again
md AGAIN procnimed loi2, the necessity OF raising
the dates above twenty per cent. and yet they
insisted on distributing the land fund, without re-
gard to the conditions they themselves Ind so recent
~ proclaimed, without regard TO the situation OF me
Treasury and without regard TO the burdens which
might be imposed on the people. They might have at
,enn,ed 10 raise from imports, and To distribute
the land fund separate bills linen each measure
would have rested It's own intrinsic merits bnt
they persised in connecting them IN one bill The
s;rc,,on IN The Distribution act of ISL designed
IA ouard arainst increasing the burdens OF taAaon 10
fill a vacuum Which he oceasioned ny dSliiou'o"
The legislation OF -42, designed to create vacuum
that il may be filled by increased taxation Ihele :
probably no precedent The history oil any uoVefn
ment for the union, under sncb circumstances, oil
revenue and an appropriation bull As there was no
necessity for such union apparent 10 lie pnpc we are
at liberty to infer that resulted from consciousness
commanded a majority. The eXigencles OF the Ma
,onal Treasury were supposed 10 furnish favorable
onoortuutv for Congress TO exort terms on which aohe
the Government should be supplied with revenue 10
meet their appropriations IL would nave oee"a Us
proper under the circumstances Tor Congfesst TO annex
= charter for bank or fiscal agent, or fiscal cor
noraton as condition precedent TO revenue pi, ana
to RAISE an issue with the President, or with their con-
suents if such bill had not ce'vcd the Execui'c
sanction.
4, :: ore,, mistake IN snnrOse that there is issue
leween The majority of Congress and the President
There is an issue between his same majority IN io1
md in lSi2 The President ab'des by terms winch
This majority prescribed for themselves ard The treasury
in lS4l and they prefer no accusation against b'''
for adherin 10 their position tie ght with more
propriey upbrad them for abandoning It. The issue
n between this majority and The country. lhty VINO
ortaipn the President for oLs,uctng the VIII OF Con
should be we'll assured that Congress does notch
s,ruct the will of the States and the people repre-
CENTS Congress is neither niaaie nor irrespans'oe
If this were a question in Witch none lett any interest
besdes the President OF the L. States and members 81
Coupress there might be some paus'biny IN the at
femt to narrow the 10 them. But the suhJec, OF
revenue is one in winch those who pay are apt 10 !eei
ne deem an interest those who levy taxes Every ca
tzen Of the United States, moreover, feels soc'tace
and all that concerns II i'll the Governmsn III the 'hn'
,,men,nl princpies which /, is based, IN TIC mea-
sures which characterize lis ADMINISTRATOR IN lis JUS
flee its a,., aud It's fame, and Tie Judgment o. 40 h'
martial man can be blended or based by The effort TO
INV uoIiical alteration between party majority IN
CongYcss and the President. The President has el
Their assumed power whch does not belong to his OIL
flee or he has abused power which docs not peiong 10
!, Il has not been denied that the power IN question
eyis,s unCcr the Constitution. Indeed 1t has been
uroyosed 10 abolish BY amendment II II has oeeh
abused was done either cnrFuPry and wanioniy' or
under an error Of Executive judgment. IL |! is
evidence ol tie least corruption 10 the President CON
luc,. he should be iwpeaced The power # irpeach-
ment has been confined 10 the House Of Representa-
tives Ii is the Guy, therefore, OF the majority VINO
accuse the President 10 a.faGn HIM unoer artcIes
of impeachment before the Senate, If they believe
HIM TO be guilty Of any mpcGciia6le offence. If he
has neither assumed power, nor abused II corrupt
w. then the issue dwindes 10 mere question who
is right az n of policy! Ii the undersigned
were allowed by the circumstances winch compel
him omit many considerations very proper, To tlie
subject he would not despair OF showing that, Inde-
pendent of all the eXtranepna rreJudces ana poihca
feelings which the advocates oil error on TINS occasion
endeayor TO bring their aid, TIE mere 0rnt0n OF the
Execuvc IN this case, right and the mere opinion
of Congress is Wong The narrative of legislation on
the subject Of revenue al Tie late Extra Session, ana
since December last which has been gwen, Will furnish
the facts from whck, without xpamation argument,
the country w be enabled tu Judge whether The ma.
iority IN Congress the President have erred
matters Of opinion The occasion is both too novel and
too grave TO permit argument on such minor ques-
tons clcctng the comparative taste or wisdom oil the
minority of Congress and the President.
As to the mere question Of opinion, however, the
President should not be condemned without chart
" by those who concurred with HIM recently as Sept
ie4 If the charge preferred by the majority is under
stood ii involves breach Of tn" Constitution Of any
law on the part of the President but they accuse Inn Of
obstrucng tier viii. The accusation implies either a
general infbly the part of The accnsers, patl-
rular exemption from this occason or II denies
the President the right and responsibility Of Judging
subject which Congress submitted 10 his judgment,
They will find that there two sides TO that question
The Executive is ordinate department; OF the Co
rernment The President is under obligation implicit
~ approve every bill which the Legislature may pass
He commanded either 10 approve, or If he cannot ap
prove TO return with objections all bills sent TO hun. and
Congress required 10 send to him eli Bills which they
pass 1t alleged however, complaint that the Pre-
sden, has thought proper 10 exercise his constitutional
discretion, and withhold his appreciation from other
hills which Connress have passed. S,i.l the