Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-22
lion Of Mr.. MALLORY, the House adjourned.
IN SENATE.
TT<,Iorr,IuU Inn 10

IN SENATE.
HedneSdaV Jun 10.
After the presentation and reference OF numerous
memorials for and against the repeal of the Bankrupt
law and the reception of reports from Committees,
The following resolution submitted BY Mr.. Allen on
Monday last, taken up for consideration
Reseeed That Secretary Of the Treasury be directed TO IN
form lie senate practicable, whether in his opinion
The the prcsen, eseency Of It's financial
ruS he carried either recalling liz service the re-
verne nm the sales Of The public domain and which,
hv an existing distribution 10 the states, or
wtho, from people addition their present tax
e. an amount equal that revenue; and III consequence oil Us
dla,ion hy means Of increasing the levied
,be IN The form Of tariff iy imposing and di-
rcc n, upon hem 10y narrowing upon their credit ~ inr
ont az their labor property And H. in his opinion, the ca"
be carried on without TINS recalling ,ne %
reycnue or increasing taxes, the loans to an amount equal
Ia sr revenue; and of is Distribution then
nomrca to lie people, M recall Of thai revenue The iases or
the loans Also, that h- lie directed 10 lay before lhs se,
estimates which such MS opinions MA! ue
Mr.. EVANS said he would like to hear from the
Senator who submitted the resolution what particular
information lie wished to call for which had not been
already communicated to Congress in the annual re-
nor, Of the Secretary of the Treasury and other docu
rnen,s from the departments. All that the Secretary
could report in compliance with The resolution was sub
stantally to be found in that report Unless the Sc
! major wished repetition of the information which
was in it, he saw no use for the adoption Of The resou
ton.
Mr.. ALLEN remarked that he would like The Sena
tor from Maine to refer TO that part OF The annual report
:! from the Departments, which informed Congress whe
Their it was more economical TO divide the money re-
ceyed from the public lands, and to tax the people TO
supply tho deficit occasoned in the Treasury thereby,
retain those proceeds from the public lands IN the
Treasury to carry the operations OF the Government,
and TO omit the additional taxation the people That
was his answer to the Senator.
/ Mr. EVANS replied that the object Of the resolution
seemed be to call the Secretary for his opinion.
lie necessity tor IT. and moved To lay lhe reso-
luton on the table.
Mr. ALLEN in reply, read from the law defining
the duties of the Secretary Of the Treasury, in which il
declared that he is TO report 10 Congress full lniorna-
ton in relation the condition OF the public finances.
He observed that the Secretary Of the Treasury is
charged specially BY the law with that branch of the
public service and he is supposed 10 be officially IN
position to furnish that information which will give
Congress the most accurate knowledge Of The public
finances and resources. To say that the Secretary OF
the Treasury is no competent TO express opln-
ion the subject # finances and resources than Con-
rress is 10 say nothing at all Congress is as compe-
pen, 10 pass Judgment what is before il, as The Sc
cretary Of the Treasury Yet the same Congress which
passed the act defining his duty, thought It necessary
10 require him to inform Congress fully Of the con-
, dition Of the finances Ii has been always the
practice of Congress 10 call for such information,
as this. No later Than last session, the Senator
RI from Kentucky submitted resolution calling OIL
the Secretary of the Treasury for certain information
and requiring an expression Of opinion. II was not
cessary TO read that resolution an illustration The
present resolution do no ham-none whatever. ii
IS right and proper that the people should know the
exact of the finances now, and what is likely to be
the Of the finances IN time TO come. 1t is right they
should know this from the high authority 10 which the
have committed such important trust IL were I'M
der his advice, that any friend of his made motion 10
nterdct resolution which asked his information and
opinion and his statement OF facts for Congress, he
should blush for the Secretary Of the Treasury If he
could bring hmscfo think that it WINS with his sanction
, any one on the floor could make such motion, he
would blush for him. What he, Mr. Allen, and those
with whom he conceded in opinion, wanted, was inior-
nation as the real effect of the Distribution act from
the authority at whose hands the people had right to
expect official information lie and his friends had
said from the beginning and he and they now intend.
ed prove that according TO this odous act, The whole
and sole object the effect demonstrates to lay
tax on the people This would be proved the origi
majors of that MEASURE and let them stand before the
. country on the result in lis true coors
q From what he had heard of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, not from any thing he had seen-for ne be-
leved he should not know him II he met him-but
from what he had heard, it his opinion that he al
4 least, would not shrink from his inquiry He firmly
1 believed he would give clear and satisfactory state
ment in reply this resolution, if the inquiry per-
mitted 20 to him, though his statement should
throw dark cloud that mass Of measures which
i were consummaled al the extra session.
There message received from the House OF
. Representatives, communicating that the House had
adjourned as tribute of respect for the death of the
., Hon. D. Dimmock, Jr., member from Pennsylvania
These the why he and his friends
sought for the information required by the resolution
They wanted to get the facts out, and to ascertain from
q the head Of The Treasury Department whether or not
if the Land Distribution act 60 into effect, It will be
n necessary consequence OF that distribution, TO the
j. amount Of the money distributed, TO increase taxaton
or supply the deficiency thus occasloned by borrowing
or other means, inducing new taxation. This was what
they wanted 10 know the authority of the Secre
iary Of the Treasury They wanted 10 know from him
ibnio is her HE m
get along without other in its place and
if not, whether the resources 10 supply lis place, are
!. not eventually 10 be met by fresh taxation. To this
. there could be no reasonable objection. If there
he should like the Senator from Maine put it in
of more tangible form than he had yet done.
,r Mr. EVANS said he not satisfied, from what the
Senator said that there necessity for the passage
70 of the resolution lie could look over and examine
!, the documents and what the condition of the
is Treasury He presumed that Senators we'll abb;
o comprehend from the facts before them, the condi
Ii ton of the finances Of the Government, without thu
opinions Of the Secretary of the Treasury. lie did
deny the ght Of tho SENATE to coll the Department.
for information facts but he believed the power
exhausted lhere-hat right existed to extort OPT
!, Mons. lie renewed the motion to lay on the table.
MIR. ALLEN demanded the yeas and nays tn.
! motion to lay the resolution on the table.
= Mr.. RIvES uhe motion to my on the table being
withdrawn for the purpose) remarked that he wout
against the resolution, not because it called for in
formation from the Secretary, (Which from policy shou
be withheld but because it proposed TO elicit argu
report That as his for voting agains
H. But, at the time, he intended, if no other Sc
did, propose resolution calling for eddtiona
information from the Secretary upon the subject of th
a; financial condition of the Government.
re Mr.. KING suggested the proprety Of Withdrawing
the motion for the yeas and nays and let the resolution
be laid the table for the present. and it could then b
taken up pleasure, and amended TO suit the wishe
10 of the Senator from Virginia, mir. Rives,l as Il
\, make it simply call for information. To effect tina
object, the resolution could lie the table ill tomor
v, row.
a Mr.. ALLEN said he would modify the part of th
resolution which seemed TO be Objectionable the Sc
the other sde by striking the words "h
r reasons " that would do away with any objection.
Mr.. EVANS was not satisfied with that and re
marked that it would be quite easy adopt such re
Or solution The Senator from Virginia might hereate
introduce, and persisted in his motion TO lay the
lie luton on the table.
le MI ARCHER made some remarks In onuosiiion Z