The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-27

bill that this should be the final appropriation as
they had been often deceived by these things Ours
large country, and the natural tendency to
spread these institutions too far. Those in the vicn-
ity made money out of the speculation. Therefore,
the Senate should know what would be the ultimate
expense of these establishments.
Mr.. HUNTINGDON capitulated the provisions
of the under which the sites had been selected
The gentlemen who made the examination were linn
tied by law to $4,000, but they made purchase
the amount of $45, 900. The provisions of the
to be subject TO the decision of the Secre
tary of War; but the Committee on Commerce were
aware that this had been DONE although they
knew that he had approved of the sites Congress
were now about TO adjourn and considering too, the
state of the Treasury the committee thought that it
would be better to lay the subject the table for the
present. with view to take 1t up at the next session
of Congress.
that while the Atlantic spanged with light
houses throwing their light from one to the other
while the coasts were covered with forllicatons (he
sound of the cannon from one reaching that of ano-
ther) this small appropriation was to be resisted not
because the sites proper but because the
originally appropriated not sufficient to purchase
them.
Mr.. WHITE read an extract from public docu-
ment, show that the contracts approved of by
the Secretary of War; and that the deeds formal
ly executed
Mr.. CRITTENDEN stated the fact that ofhis
constituents, who SOLD his property for the site at
Louisville had not received his money, and that the
Government had had possession of The land for FIVE
tract
MIR. HUNTINGTON made few further remarks
and the question taken the passage of the BILL
and decided in the attirmative-yeas 20, nays 8,
follows
YEAS.-Messrs. Allen, Barrow, Bates, Bayard,
Benton, Buchanan, Calhoun, Choate Conrad, Crafts,
Crittenden Cuthbert, Fulton Mangum, Morehead,
Miller Phelps, Porter, Sewer, Simmons, Smith of
Connecticut Smith of Indiana, Sprague, Sturgeon,
Tamadge Tappan, Walker, White, Young-29
NAYS.-Messrs. Archer Clayton, Dayton, Ora
ham, Huntington, King, Linn, Woodbridge, Wright
g.
So the bill was passed
The act making appropriation for q marine hospi-
tai at near OcraeOke, North Carolina, was read
third time and passed.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN moved to take up, with a
view to its passage the C bill regulating the taking
of testimony in of contested elections, and for
other purposes )" but the motion did not prevail
Yeas Is, nays l6.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the
"bill to provide revenue from imports and to change
and modify existing laws imposing duties on i'm
ports"
An amendment was adopted, imposing duty Of
five per cent. ad paoren on linseed
Mr.. MERRICK submitted an amendment-to adj
NIT the products of foreign nations at duty of TWEEN
tyve per cent. ad UaLorem if they will admit, into
their ports, -four, grain sailed provisions, and UNI
manufactured tobacco, the growth and production of
the United States, at the rate, unless the ar
rangement innre to foreign countries which will not
enter into terms Of reciprocity.
Messrs. MERRICk, EVANS, WALKER,
WRIGHT, BENTON, TAPPAN, HUNTINGTON,
and WOODBURY. submitted a few observations ;
and the question taken the adoption of the
amendment, and decided in the negative-Yeas 6,
nays 20, as follows:
YEAS-Messrs. Archer, Linn Mangum, Merrick,
Woodbury., and Young-6.
M A VIC ID
Berren, Choate, Clayton, Conrad, Crafts, Critten-
den, Dayton, Evans, Graham, Henderson, Hunting
ton, Miller, MoreASad, Phelps Porter, Preston, Sim
mons, Smith, of Connecticut, Smith, of Indiana,
Sprague, Sturgeon, Talmadge Tappan, Williams,
and Woodbridge-29.
MI. RIVES said that he could scarcely Aatter him
self that this bill would assume shape that would in
duce him TO give to it his support He sincerely
anxious that majority Of the Senate should agree
upon some measure that would meet with success
With this view he had prepared proposition which
would if adopted affect the principles Of the bill
before them and he had thought therefore, that he
would best consult the inclination of the Senate by
asking vote upon the subject at once. He felt a
strong objection to the character OF THIS bill he could
not recognise it as a revenue measure and it would
not increase the amount of duties which could be col
lected under existing regulations with home valua
ton e., nbshed by law The bill for prolec-
ton, and was in many of IFS provisions, prohibitory
The effect of it would lie to dimn sh rather than 10
increase, the revenue and it aimed deadly blow at
our foreign commerce. The principles Of the Com
promise were supposed to be rooted and established in
the public mind, and the country reconciled
moderate rates of duties But this bill struck at the
foundation of the Compromise actit botted out every
trace of that act al in respects far ond
IT, He proposed to strike all after the enacting
clause, and insert
THAT from and after the passage of this act, and
until the further legislation of Congress on the sub
ject, the same duties imports shall be levied col
lected, and paid, which were levied, collected and
paid the LIST day of January lS4O under the pro-
visions of the act approved I'd March, 1885, entitled
An act to modify the act of the 18th July, 1892 and
all other acts imposing duties on imports and accord
ing to the same laws rules and regulations which
then existed except that the said duties shall be paid
in cash. And provided further, that in all cases
where specific duties were imposed upon imports pri-
or to the passage of the said act shall be the duty
of the Secretary of the Treasury to ascertain the av
erage rate of duty which collected upon each of
the said articles throughout the year 1840 and such
average rate of duty shall be levied collected, and
paid as specific duty upon the importation Of the
said articles, in the same manner ifsuch respective
specific duties severally imposed by this act.
Sec. 2. find be uather enacted That there shall be
hereafter levied, collected and paid duty of per
cent al raLore tea and coffee until the public debt
shall have been extinguished and the articles made
SUBJECT to duty of twenty per cent. ad paLorem
der the provisions of the act entitled Gan act rela
ting to duties and drawbacks, approved September
III, lo4l, there shall hereafter be levied collected
an paid duty of twenty-five per cent ad palorem
except upon railroad iron, which shall be subject to
the same rate of duty bar or bolt iron of similar
manufacture, under the first secten of this act but
nothing herein contained shall be so construed
as 10 deprive any company which shall have import
ed railroad iron prior to the Goth day of March
next of the benefits and advantages secured to them
respectively by the proviso to the fifth section Of
the sand act relating to duties and drawbacks
= Mr.. PRESTON moved to modify the amendment
by striking out the words from and after the passage
Of this ac" and limiting the duration of the act to
two years but the motion did not prevail.
The question recurring on the amendment of Mr.
Rves, the yeas and nays were ordered
Mr.. CALHOUN said that he would vote for the
amendment, not because it met entirely with his APP