, 1842-02-12

due regard to economy. But the Senator
fcient to carry on the Government, with
answers by saying he thinks these source:
Of ways and means, even if all available
will not be sufficient. He then proceeds tc
argue that the motion ought 10 prevail now
and the Senate could wait for other occasions
10 discuss the necessity Of the loan. The
Senate was told to wait, at a moment when
it was agreed on all hands that the means o.
the Treasury, with this issue of Treasury
notes, will be more than sufficient TO supply
all its immediate wants. The protested OBJ
lject of the bill is to meet the immediate
wants pressing on the Governments. Let Il
be confined to that, and all admit it will eff
feet IL at object. If future loans are required
to meet future wants, let the Senator and
his friends wait till the occasion demands ad.
ditional means. He can then propose a Sc.
parate measure, and the main question oil
this session will not be precipitated, as it
must be if this motion is persisted in causing
the very delay which will defeat the object
of the present bill. He (Mr. Calhoun) and
his friends would then meet the Senator and
his friends in argument on his separate pro-
position for an additional loan. He, for one,
never would vote one dollar to the Treasury
till a case is shown that it is necessary for
the public service. No such case had been
shown in relation to the proposed addition
to the loan. He had been for some DAYS
past examining into this matter, and was
now fully prepared to say that if the gentle
men on the other side will now 90 to work
in earnest for the benefit of the country, they
can save more than seven millions within
the current year. This can be done BY a
just and not very rigid economy-by re-
trenchment, by curtailing unnecessary ex-
traragant appropriations-and by other mea-
sures easily pointed out to them. But the
gentleman saws. vote this additional loan. and
it will not swell the public debit will not
be used if it can be avoided. He (Mr. Cal
houn) was not quite SO young a politician as
TO be caught by that sort of argument. He
knew too much Of this Government, and of
the practices Of every other Government, to
respect such promises as that. This Govern
ment is like all other Governments in the
transaction of money affairs at its disposal.
Place five millions once in the Treasury
or three times FIVE, or twenty millions-and
there will very soon be pressing necessities
discovered for spending every dollar of it.
II once the demand to prove the necessity
beforehanded were to be relaxed. all hope Of
controlling the administration of the Govern
ment might be given up. On this ground,
the battle against reckless extravaganza and
Impiovidence was TO be fought. 1t was the
most important question of this session.
Yet the Senator asks the Opposition to wait.
He would tell him they would do no such
thing. A majority of the House Of Repre-.
sentatives had sent the hill to the Senate in
the form they approved. He was willing
to vote for it in that form. without delay or
discussion; and now, when delay and discus
sion must be deprecated by all who wish to
meet the exigencies OF the Government
promptly, the Committee on Finance inter-
poses, by a proposition to change the whole
one merely TO facilitate the operation of a
former act. one authorizing an addition loan
adding five millions to the loan of twelve
millions authorized last session. The Sena-
tor says, indeed, that it is not his fault; he is
only a member of the committees; the com.
mittee has the control of the amendment.-I
If the the Senator really wishes to ;ntelpose
between the delay and discussion which must
ensue if the motion is persisted in. he has
but to say he would recommend a ietraction
of the motion, and he will he supported by a
majority of his friends. Under the impress
sion that the Senator will see the necessity
Calhoun) would not, at this time. express any
opinion as to the causes of the extremity
complained of by the Treasury. He would
reserve what he had to say for the question
on the bill itself. But if the chairman Of the
committee will not Withdraw this amend
ment. he, (Mr. Calhoun) for one, would feel
bound to enter fully into the main question
of the present session, upon this proposition.
let the delay or consequences be what they
might.
Mr.. RrvEs addressed the Senate at consid-
cradle length in favor of the amendment, ar
guing that the delay and discussion were to
be attributed to the action of the other House,
in changing the nature and objects OF the
bill, by introducing into it the proviso now
sought to be expunged.
He commended that the onus of delay and
discussion could not be thrown upon those
who advocated the amendment; but would
be attributed by the country to a factious oP-
position made up in another place to enforce
a raneal of the measures of the extra ses-