Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-06-21
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Iaesddg, jane II, ISL.

The committee took up the bill TO extend tue -
of the existing revenue laws oi 'he eou''''! $780,
is OF August.
Mr. GIINFR who was entitled 10 the i'oor wheh
the committee rose on FRIDAY addressed the comm
lee at length in opposition to the un' 80 aas,ca
should interpose no objection wha'e.e' =" 10
,d ia hal go ;, d, ne such bill as lis title imported
:. ,ytend the operation of the existing revenue laws
os the country Bu he believed 1t to be OIL OF To-
tally different character, and therefore lie ell oounu 10
trespass upon the ndulgruce OF the committee WIN
few remarks fe would bris lily call their attention 20
the circumstances by which We were surronhnec anu
which had brought TO our present position
was generally considered that the Compromise act oil
l-33 would not, on the :iAlh June, yield revenue
enough to pay the debts and detray the expenses o'he
Government, and ,sa, the amount must be increased
This mas! be DONE the committee had been too' IA one
of Two modes either by increasing the number oil a1l'
cles subject duty OF 20 per cent or ny increasing
the amount of duty those articles winch would nave
Ia nav but 20 per cent according to the COMPROMISE act
Ii was evident that could no longer rely upon oa's
'rhs credit of our Government was exhausted a"o we
were now literally brought to the necessity Oh rAs'"s
The WAYS and means. This was revenue question:
one which must be looked at IN all ITS aspects ana
promptly decided The tine had arrived when, The
committee told, 1t could no longer posP one action
which was demanded by public faith, credit character
and honor.
Three bills had been reported to the House, all pro-
posing raise amount OF revenue whch thelt Sc
yeral advocates considered necessary TO pay the debts
and 10 dvrav the expenses OF the Government lhese
bills were founded upon different p!incipIes-upon
protection and revenue and upon both blended, &c
cording to the views Of their advocates lie would
call the attention OF the committee 10 the fact, that
they all proposed 10 revenue than could be
raised by the Compromise act But there was not time
enourh TO act upon them before the }oth OF June,
which would arrive in fifteen days, when the reduc.
Of all duties to the twenty per cent standard wonu
take effect There was obviously not time enough TO
discuss, consider, and decide 4 question, winch the
honorable Cha,rran of Ways and Means had informed
the House, not long since, was one OF the mos; ain
cult and complicated which our Government had ever
been called upon to CONSIDER.
lie repeated he would have objection 10 the pass
,sls hill If it in real''? what by its speclous
b,l, 81 1911 !, - Bat whs' il vas apparently
system after certain day. Its etfec, would Ina 10
~nee into ws sAaSs s for end q The Re
volutonary war; without means and in debt II would
exhibit Congress IN the attitude OF repeating the only
laws by which revenue might be derived. lie did
wish 10 deal unfairly with the bill, and would
therefore read il. He then read the bill by which
the present revenue laws are TO continue in force
until the first day OF August, sand no longer" These
words 'and no longer, he commended, would have the
effect of leaving the country entirely without revenue
laws Where the security for the bill III lis present
shape; The committee was told that the presrn, laws
would not be IN force after the 10th of June, when the
duties would be reduced 10 ~ per cent. Suppose the
hill he passed, and the lst OF August arrive without
ton, would not the Government tie i'll as bad cond
ton rs at the end Of june But IL farther than
that The words land no longer contained as positive
repeal Of all existing laws, If they had been repeal
ed in express language
If the Chairman of the Committee Of Ways and
Means wished 10 obvate ihis objection, easy for
HIM 10 do Let the bill stop IN the tenth line: and
then its effect would be existing laws until
the further action OF Congress. In that case there
word be no doubt Of the passage OF this bill. What
was object TO allow time To Congress deliberate
upon permanent laws That OBJECT could be at
tanned by declaring that the present law shalt remain
IN force until further action by Congress Bat he
ard I.a Ia hair, ~
whisper across, that there nigh, BE- action the
part OF Congress. lie thanked hm FOR the Whisper
lie wished TO show that the gentleman, in this BILL
gave Congress six weeks TO deliberate but IT, at the
end OF that PERIOD no Tariff should be matured, there
10 be revenue laws All The means of the
Government exhausted Oaly six weeks re-
manned 10 discuss the Tariff and vet were called on
TO repeal ali existing laws unless Congress should take
further action prior 10 the Isl OF August
Nor lhis all The bin before the committee vio-
lated the Compromise acts-ac,s recognised by Con-
gress such He not OF those who attached
sacred character 10 ordinary acts passed by Congress
In the Legislature OF Virginia he had declined dcclar.
ing that the Compromise act Of le33 sacred. He
wond not declare the Constitution sacred, aud there
was but one book or written inStIum IN the world 10
which he would apply that appeation. lie would,
however, say that this bill violated con2ac,s and the
faith OF man much involved in the decuce Of Il
compact OF simple as OF sacred character About
twelve months since, whcG tins Congress found Itself
extra session, the opponents tle land disifbuon
bill, which then introduceL objected TO 1t on the
ground that II would interere with the Compromise of
1888 increase the taxes, and take from the people with
hand, while IT gave with the other.
The clause limiting the operation of the law 10 the
period Curing winch the Compromise act Of 1889 should
not lie violated, enrraed with the bull as a qua
rantee that the consequences which lis opponents fore
told would not ensue. 1t was therefore, comp! omsc
agreed upon b. the friends OF the Distribution law
lis passage. Indeed, il dcublc compro-
mise, 1t secured the former Compromise of 1853.
Gut the present bill 0olaes both of these compromises
And gentlemen here declared they would vote Tor II
distribution of the land fund, whether the duties on
imports be 20 or 30 per cent.
He would not discuss the question, whose ey,rava.
gance it was that spent the money IN Treasury,
and brought us TO our present necessities. Our
cessitics existed aud likely 10 put in force the
clause of the distribution law which repealed itself
The question was, whether Congress would re.
enact the distribution law, without the ~ per cen,un
provision: whether they would give away the land
Ecy, revenue or revenue. Should the distribution
law be reen2cted, without regard To- the which viii
have TO be imposed upon the people, Who 10
the money: This Was !Ee true question: aud all that
the opponents Of distribution asked was, that friends
would adhere to the very principles which the law
enacted. Were TO be told that there was no
such thing public fath that, although Congress had
pledged its faith in ha, very law against any increase
ofiaxes, we were at liberty to disregard ii:
In the present state of the finances Of the country
Congress called TO re-enact the Distribution
law. His friend near him. MIR. Underworld would
recolect that at the Extra Session Of Congress, he had
attempted 10 argue the distribution of the public lands
fiscal question He did not deny the constitutional
power TO distribute the proceeds of the public lands
but considering the question: he had regard 10 the
condition of the Treasury He would not like his col
league, Mr. Goggin, BRING up local questions in this
debate, because lac thought they could be better dis
cussed, and more appropriately, upon The stump lie
would, however, say, that the proceedings in the Viz
gnla Legislature 10 which his coeaa ue referred as
sanc,oning the Distribution law, had reference to
surplus in the Treasury.