Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-06-16
coNoRRs sIoNAL.
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

sSd merehSn iHe imported into the -.sni preseI6iuE
ne o,s ons ma bs In force a. they existed on
that day. until the first day OF August lr snd no
i,,s esy Of Jaly one thousand eis hundred and thirty
two and all other acts iu,osns duileS LIE i,h
sarsss PScridsd That nothing herein contained shall
suspend the distribution OF sS o. e hs sS
section OF the act approved an september Isu enuu
c lands anJio grant presumption rights" TO the CONTRARY
notwithstanding.
The bill having been read,
MIR SNYDER moved to amend II by striking out
the words "until the first day Of August"
MIR STANLY. And put what IN its placer
The question was taken and the amendment was
rejected.
Mr. FILLMORE moved that the committee rise
and report the bill.
Mr. WISE had only 10 say that he very
willing thai the committee should rise and report the
bill. because it was the best effort that could be
made from any quarter to defeat an increase vi du-
tss-at the present session, at least.
Mir ROOSEVELT moved an amendment to
strike out the ptoviso at the end OF the bill. Mr.
X. said that the proviso appeared TO have been an
nlterthought OF the Committee OF Ways and Means,
10 extend from the 3lst Of June TO the LIST OF Au
gust the law creating not only the existing rate OF
duties and the mode OF collecting them, but the
provision in regard TO the distribution oil the pro-
cseds of the public lands The motion TO strike out
the provso involved the question whether this
House, in the present disgraced state oil the puohe
w,
would not be denied by the chairman OF the Com
mittee of WAYS and Means) staring them IN the
face that not dollar OF the proceeds OF the puo-
lie lands received up to this time was now IN the
Treasury, was prepared TO insert this provso' and
virtually repeal that part of the distribution law
Was il wse in the present state OF this country, OF
ITS finances and edit, thus again TO embarrnss the
operations OF the Treasury Department. Was
there not sufficient embarrassment already, without
calling on the Secretary OF the Treasury TO turn
md nd ". borrow
ney, that he might comply with an order oil this
Congress distributing this fund among the Staiesi
He had not the money! was not IN the Urea
sury. IL had been used. and necessarily used, TO
meet the general wants OF the country.
He did not intend TO consume the patience of this
House in arguing the lArd question over. IL had
been argued IN both branches OF Congress, and was
perfectly understood. He simply made his appeal
to the Chairman OF the Committee OF Ways and
Means, and 10 gentlemen on that side OF the House,
whether ;hey now meant, by the repeal OF that por-
ton Of the distribution act, TO compel the Secretary
Of the Treasury 10 go into the market and borrow
money 10 distribute amongst the States. This land
fund, so far as 1t had gone into the Treasury had
already been used and therefore, 10 attempt to dis
tribute il on the LIST July would be TO borrow
much money. Was he right IN this statement
There much mystery now as TO the state of the
Treasury; but he appealed 10 his friend and col
league, the Chairman of the Committee Of Ways
and Means, (Mr Fillmore,) that this money was
not in the Treasury. There was now out
sta nding, on the FIRST Of this month"; between nine
and ten millions OF Treasury notes, besides that
portion OF the loan which was negotiated
He did not go into the general subject but re
peated the question-as prudent men, were they
disposed repeal the land act for the purpose
OF obging the Secretary OF the Treasury TO 60 and
borrow this money again, and distribute It amongst
the States7 He thought not. a common sense
view OF the subject would indicate that this
proviso this aterthousht, should no, be added He
should apprehend that little caucus machinery had
been brought 10 bear on the committee, and that the
good common sense of the chairman OF the commit.
tee had been overrued by the screws which had
been turned upon him. Such was his apprehension;
he did not say II n fact.
Mr. FILLMORE said he did not desire to pro
woke any discussion on this bill; and yet there was
nothing connected with il which he disposed TO
disguise. The motion made by his colleague 10
strike out the proyiso Of the bills the gentleman had
said was founded on the fact that this ptoyiso
TO repeal the distribution clause OF the land bill.
He had risen for the purpose Of putting his colea-
que right IN that matter.
MIR ROOSEVELT was understood TO explaiH
that the bill, as originally reported, would have
operated to repeal the distribution act on tue LIST OF
july for the That the OF duties proposed
10y It was above 30 per Ct, but that, If the provso
were adopted, this bill would not interfere with The
distribution.
MIR FILLMORE said there appeared some little
confusion OF words, IT not of ideas, his colleagues
speaking Of repeal and suspension as the same thing
lie j regarded them as CiStlnct from each
other. They might suspend the operation Of an
&C; for a limited time, and when that time had eK-
pired, the act would again operate without further
legislation; but II was not so with the repeal OF an
act.
With reference to the question Of the distribution
TO take place the LIST July, the Committee Of
Ways and Means had intended to avoid that ques-
ton, TO leave the subject precisely as though this
bill had passed. II this bill did not pass at all
the distribution would take place on the LIST July.
Al - =. ~ 4
whether the clause in the act providing that the dis
trbution should cease when the duties over 20
per cent should be repealed not; and the commit
tee did not wish on this bill, which i, was impor.
for the interests Of the country TO be immediate
ly pissed, 10 involve that question. They did not
suspend the operation Of the distribution act or re-
peal H. but left it precisely as If this bill did not pass.
u take effect on the day appointed, simply 10 avoid
The discussion OF that all important question now.
The necessities for this bill were so apparent and
urgent al this time that 1t admitted Of no delay. Ii
was very apparent that so short time was left be
fore all the laws authorizing the collection Of reve-
nue. would expire that 1t was indispensable that this
hill should be Immediately passed. He had been
informed from the best authority that expectations
Of goods were now being made from our ports for
the purpose Of receiving the drawbacks from III Q
Treasury; and that so long this question remain
ed open, land it was possible that the LIST July
there would be no means Of collecting revenue,l so
long they embarrassed the Treasury, by holding
the purpose Of drawing the drawbacks and import
Jog them when the law ceased to act. n the House
were disposed to embarrnss the operations of the
Treasury, then they would postpone this bill but,
II not, its passage was required Immediately.
Mr. PlCKENS said, from the singular course
taken here, he induced TO believe that there was
something more in it than appeared on the surface.
The Chairman Of the Committee Of Ways and
Means had, but few days since, reported a bill on
this subject, and then moved to recommit II without
~ inns nvo ulnrr
MI FILLMORE (MrP. yielding the floor for
explanatory said the fact mentioned by the gentle
man true. The reason for his (Nr F!sl mov-
ing TO recommt the bill, he would cheerfulIy have
given at the time, but objection was made lie
would now state The reason. Ii was the very rea
son that appeared from the bill nov reporteJ-that
the committee were apprehensye that the result OF
the first till would be to prevent the dlsribu ION
from taking place under the land law of the LIST oil
July. IL was for that reason and no other that he
had moved IN recOmmit the bill.
Mr. PlCKENS. That was precisely what he was
going TO remark. IL remarkable that bil Of so
important consequences should have been postpon.
cd 90 long before was brought before the House and
then that IudciOus committee should report blll
and ne chairman move TO recommit u, because,
oofsooth ms operation might be to repeal this favo
rte and bill which the gentleman rallied them.
selves from end Of the country TO the Other Il
presented On important fact in legislation. But,
moreover. this morning, after they had taken up the
boil for the revision Of the tariff md had heard the
exposition Of the chairman Of the Committee OF
Ways and Means, the gentleman came IN and NOV.
I'd 10 lay aside that bill and take on this bill-a
made ~ proreedtuU uffrrf, ,,vr.,,,I..,. IL