Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-08
TWENTy-sEyENrH coNGREss-.ad Session
Tuesday, january 4, 1872.
IN SENATE
lotion Of Mr.. PRESTON,

IN SENATE
On motion Of Mr. PRESTON,
Rssofeed, That Tie Committee on the Judiciary be
instructed 10 inquire whether any further legislation be
required TO define more accurately the rgLts and du
ties OF the Vice President and President Of lhe Senate
IN case oil DEATH resignation removal and The mode
OF succession in case'nt death, resignation or removal
oil any Of those officers and to report by bill or other
wise.
EXCHEoUER PLAN.
The Senate then proceeded TO the unfinished bust
ness OF yesterday being the motion of Mr. TaI,madge
to refer the plan Of Fiscal Agent 10 select commit
tee OF nine, to be appointed by the Chair, when
MI. ba rs SAID: The question before the Senate is
upon the reference OF the report Of the Secretary Of the
Treasury 10 committee. This IS the precise and ony
question II is an important report called for by the
Senate, and lis reference is matter Of course Ii was
to have been expected that Senators upon the other side
oil lie chamber oud avail themselves Of the occasion
10 express Their Jews al The report but have listened
10 the discussion, side, with great surprise and
what IS very unusual, with great pain-unmxed pain
and that too unmtigatcd by the consideration ,ha;
there has been any sort Of necessity for it. Il has filled
me with responding apprehension that nothing viii be
done IN the great particular in which the country de-
mands that something should be done. With these
views, do not intend, Of course take part in this
premature debate.
The report presents, in an Ineligible FORM the Pre-.
siden views upon measure o. vast importance TO the
country; III which, subject 10 the Imitation of course
powers
Of Congress imposes, his Cabinet concnr. Ii assumes
no tone Of dictation; il arroya,es 10 itself claim
10 perfection; il expressly invites modification. Call
cd TOR by the Senate, IL IS submitted to the "candor
and consideration oil Congress" to be adopted chan acd
rejected, as the wisdom of Congress may see fit
Surely II IS entitled 10 the most grave dIspassonue,
respectful examination and attention at our hands
II may be wrong in whole or in part. 1t proposes a
great measure, bearing upon the interests and desti.
MES OF great pcople-a measure, 10 extent at
least, untred. ! am disrus,ful OF my own judgment
of H. My belief Is, it will answer a good PURPOSE
But wish 10 all the light which the public mind and
the public press can throw upon the subject. wish 10
know what business men think Of it. Above all /
wish to the report Of select committee Of the SEN
ate upon il. And then, when that report comes pro.
perly before the Senate, trust shall be rs able and
prompt TO nc, upon II "a other Senator'S WHY, sir il
may well he that the measure ended by the COM
milee will have so little of the ingredients of bank
in it, little power to receive the deposites or issue
notes bills, deal III exchange, that even the Sena.
Tor from Connecticut, (Mr. HCNTIsGrox,) without DO.
ing violence TO his own feelings may be willing adopt
it, Hence the nexpedlency of this ll!-tmed discussion
part
SIR what the scolars-ihc critics, say of this re port
here elsewhere, is not Of much Importance Had
the power been gwen me to make II, should not
what they said of il. 1t is before the Senate aud be.
fore the world and il speaks for Itself That is enough
Mr.. President, the country requires that something
tors propose The Senator'S upon The other side pro-
pose the Sub Treasury as a substitute. What do the
Senators who have spoken propose !: Netting. 4
bank Of discount for years at least, OF the
question. Are stay here for six months more or
less and do nothing The responsibility ofthc position
Of Senator Of tie United States this crisis Of our
affairs, is appalling. Il Expresses me to sadness VIII
you allow 10 state, IN few words, what think must
be done In the first pace, the country, in my OPT
Mon, demands Of rs, the language of the Senator
from North Carolina, tslr Mangum0 that "we let by
gone things be by-gone Sufficient unto the day has
been the evil Of II Heaven knows, and We feel, aud
The country feels in every fibre What is past is his
tory. We can neither re.enact re-wrilc il. The
scroll il rolled mp tor the future will not say for the
ud ginent The country demands Of US another thing
The exercise of an elevated patrolisn-that work
ourselves, and sacrifice ourselves, if need be, for its
good-our individual hopes, prospects, and eSpccta-
lions Daicc ei dccOrm cst pro pafrG MORT, even, is
not the poetry Of the classics There have been
many examples III illustration OF IT, and there Will be
more trust, should occasion require il. Where else
should they be found but in this Republic Of -
There are ew things 10 which do reverence :: GER
ainly not if the Senator from North Carolina will par
don me, 10 piece Of h!otied paper. But if there be
any thing earth entitled to it, it the patriotic states
man, who forgets his in his country's To
such man my soul bows with the profoundest no.
mage.
The country, Sir, demands another tlng-that we,
the Wing party not only act, but net unedly II does
not become me, fresh as | am, comparatively, in my
seai the Senate board to the character Of
adviser Of my friends. But may be permitted TO
press the hope that this measure will receive more
dcnunciatory discussion, out of time and out of
place. at our hands. We may not be able to achieve
any measure. am for the trial. | believe the conn
Try will sustain if obtain the best measure under
the circumstances that is attainabe. And should u
fail of It's object in whole or in part tie lights aud the
Of experience will improve it. ! am
not content TO put all at hazard upon U. s. Bank of
discount or any bank the end of three four years
Or Sub Treasury with the contingency that we may
have neither.
In my Judgment, the fate of the Wing party depends
non our course in relation 10 the in hand or
some measure of the kind. If we united in pur
pose to do something for the country, and do what
cam and the best we can, think the country will
lam US If we are not, think The country will dsown
These are my views, for the expression ofwhich thus
briefly, and for which only, rose.
Mr. BARROW followed in the debate. He said that
ne did not expect to add any light TO the discussion
lie did expect to say any thing new or cdtying
,u, it became him Anne, can Senator to say some
hing, and he plain man, who tried to speak "a
he subject he should not expect to speak long 10
say any thing of peculiar interest
He admitted the question Of finance a difficult
one but when he found the country in such exgen
" il was he felt bound to say that something should
DC done to relieve il from the difficulties which sur
rounded it.
lie looked to his ancestors to obtain some rule of ac-
Jon, and when they found the country was afflicted as
t now was, they resorled 10 Bank of the United
States for relief He disposed to consult the fathers
IF the church, and was opposed to making any new
experiments. Ever since The seizure of the public mo-
ney by Gen Jackson, in the removal of the depostes
we had had nothing but experiments. After this high
handed event, we had the pet bank system, and the
Sub Treasury system followed. The People condemn
ID this in the election of Gen. Harrison Was it ex
,ected that that election to lead but to change of
men and mol change Of measures No, Sir. They
expected change Of measures, and gentlemen who
the elections favorable to change
Of measures since the last election had wholly msun
derstood the matter. There had been changes favor
lbe to the party condemned by the People al the late
election.
At future period, too, Mr.. B. said, he would en-.
ieayor show that the President mistaken when
he said that the Constitution stood between him and 4
Bank OF the IT, s. There such barrier there, as
he could show at the proper time.
For the report of the Secretary the Treasury and
The bill accompanying that report he held the President
Io and i