Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-03-19
TWENTY.sEyENTH CoNGREss--2d Session


SPEECH Of Ma WRIGHT, OF New YohX,
In Senate. Uedaesdav, .Warch =, lc42-On Mr. Clay
Resolution n relation TO the re:enues and eHpead1-
lures Of the Government.
Mr. WRIGHT said he entered upon this discussion
under state oil pre- paraon hastily and imper'ectiy
az no, to permit hun 10 feel his usual degree
OF confidence Of being able 10 give to the Senate Inc
vlews he wished 10 present, IN l manner winch "oud
enable the members 10 listen TO han, or ~ understand
him If they did. ii II were his object to make reply
10 the able address OF the honorable oil the reso
Iu,ons made 10 the Senate on yesterday, he should
feel and should be, wholly unpre AIRED as ne had not
10 any extent consulted the documents necessary TO
enable him folio" that learned Senator through ms
various statistical and financial calcuiaIcn5 Such was
not his object would have been already seen by the
amendments hch he had lad the hoaor TO offer, and
which were now upon the tables Of the members ne
original resolutions did not appea. 20 hm 10 present,
with efficient disnc;ness the great points involved IN
hen and hence he had proposed the amendments a'c
tho chico, of his remarks would be rather open the
debate upon the other side these grea; questions than
to follow aud reply to e speech o! The honorable Sena
tor, MIR. Clayl
That honorable gentleman had appealed 10 The Senate
10 come TO the confederation of these resolutions without
the preudices and passions which politics and par2an
feelings too often involve, and Mr. w. had remarked.
with unfeirned pleasure the almost entire absence OF
observations IN the address nj the honorable Senator cal
caaed to excite such feelings In that respect he could
and would initiate ,ae honorable gentleman, though ne
had not the vanity pect BE- able To- imaie han
other respects lie would MAKE remark with the IN
ent,on TO arouse and excite party feeling or prejudice,
or 10 bring either INTO the discussions 0! acton oil Inc
Senate upon the resolutions.
The honorable Senator had antIc psted, as from The
character Of his mind his great legislative experience
and intimate knowledge Of the constitution and powers
of this body TO which MS resolutions are presented, ne
could not have failed anticipate, preliminary oblec-
lions 10 The resolulons themselves. 1ne9 relate al
most ex clusivel the subject of raising fesemue TO
meet the expenses ~ the Gprernnent iae'r OBJECT
- 10 prescribe the modes m which that revenue shall
be raised 10 paint the descriptions OF property TO
be taxed, to fix the amount 81 revenue 10 De laiseo
and recommend maximum Of TAXATION upon any art.
Gle In other words, the resolutions propose To set
bounds and limits TO the exercise OF the powers oil the
LEGISLATURE over ihis delicate and difficult subject and
that they propose shall be done here, where bill to
raise evenue cannot be originated under the Constu-
ton; that the Senate winch cannot constitulionaliy
propose in the shape OF 'aw, shall prescribe 10
itself and consequently 10 the II o! Representatives.,
in advance, the bounds and limits within which, and
The extent 10 which, the constitutional! powers o BOTH
10 raise revenue in this form, Shall be exercised All
this may be we'll and may be proper; and he did not
make these remarks tone spirit OF censu:e or
complaint, that the resolutions had been introduced -
He must saw, however, tha, when lie first the re-
solu,ions and from that tune 10 the present II had APP
peared to him that action upon them here might sub
,cct the Senate 10 some extent az least TO That same
description Of from the House oil Represents.
,yes which had been sometimes bestowed upon ano-
DTanCn
pected OF premaurely shadowng forth It's views and
wishes in relation the form and shape and provisions
Of particular laws IN advance OF the actm OF Ion
press All would remember the frequent >occasia>S
when complaints OF this cha acte had been broaciy and
oudIy preferred against the Executive not upon The
ground ,hu, he was not under the Consiu ton, CO.
ordinate branch of the legislative power bu, because
ms constitutional action 10 follow not Precede the
action of Congress- and he had no right, by throwing
out his views advance, 10 attempt to restrain and
c,,1 On hnF l'OnStttl-
ton gives 10 the House of Representatives. the eftu
sire right to originate call bills for raising revenue,
and vet the Senate is called upon to pass resolutions,
Which, to the metaphor of the honorable mover,
'ae To stake out the ground for the exercise OF tis
right Tor would he idle TO that we do not lnteno
To- influence the action OF the House in this matter,
when deliberately set stakes in advance OF their
action and tell them such the limits which Will
give TO their revenue bills Again. he repeated he did
not make these remarks the language of comp plant
lie apprehended very serious effects from the IN
fuence which expressions Of this character, made in
this way, would exer, upon the House of Representa-
iyes but he could not consider lie proceeding strict
" regular for the Senate.
SINGLE other preliminary remark wcn'd bring him
Ia an examination Of the resolutions themselves, and Of
,l merits Of the questions raised by them. lie was
relieved from Of the most serious difficulties which
had upon former occasions, surrounded lhis sub
-ct of adjustment of our tariff al duties upon I'M
orts by beng able approach the discussion, with the
conviction that two great and leading ard important
principles in regard 10 II wer" now perfectly settled and
universally admitted by all men OF all parties, IN thus
country They were The following
l. That revenue should be I eoaeet and inducement
for the imposition of duties ,ron imports, and that
every other consideration should be merely incidental TO
ih,s great and necessary object.
. That the wants Of the Government, economical.
y and properly administered should be tie measure OF
to be raised from any source, or IN any man
There had been time within his remembrance, when
both these principles strongly cpntrover,ed and
when protection 10 domestic lnc rests was The ground
npon which the imposition OF duties was urged and the
revenue be derived merely incidental consIde:a
ton. Indeed whea these PLAIN principles were first
announced in the message OF late President as those
which should guide and govern THIS branch OF leglsa
uon they were looked upon by many as hostile 10 do.
nesc interests if not unpatriac IN themselves They
soon however came TO he more carefully and matnrely
cnns6ered and the consequence has been their unver
-ai adoption. They enacted IN TIE compromise iaw
They are found soundy and distinctly put forth IN the
finance report Of the present Secretary Of The T!easu
~; and lie glad TO meet with their strong repeii.
i,on in late report from committee oi the House o.
REPRESENTATIVES the subject Of fiscal agent These
great and leading principles he hoped he might consi
der as "stakes altendy set, and thew should be kept
carefully in The eve and The mind OF every statesman,
who attempts TO mark out future action upon llis all
important subject
lie came now 10 the resolutions themselves. The
honorable mover Of them told yesterday, tina, the
first resolution which MIR " had no. proposed 10
amend had been characterized as assertion Of
l.u;s.s hs. " telioTed 1t might vel! have been 50