Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-23
TWENTY.SEvENrlI CONGRESS--3d Session.
SATURDAY,, FRI Is, 1913.
GEN AT,L,
TILE nrIsrInr az


SENATE.
THE QUESTION OF ASSUMPTION.
The CHAIR announced that the resolutions move
by the Senator from Virginia Mr.. Riyes,] concerning
the assumption of the debts of the States and the pend
ing amendments, were in order.
MIR. BARROW moved TO Law the resolutions thu
table.
Mr.. WALKER demanded the yeas and nays on tn,
motion; which were ordered
MIR. RlVES hoped the Senator would consider The
vete on the motion a test question the resolutions
Mr. WALKER remarked that he would not take i
any test OF the opinion of the Senate; for, if the
solutions were now laid upon the table, he should, or
every morning during the session. TO take then
up; and if he should fail in that effort 10 get vote
on the resolutions, he would himself introduce
lutons upon the subject, TO test the OF the Sc
Mr.. BARROW said, in voting, he should not con
slider it test vote. He deemed this remark csed for
in consequence Of the remarks of the Sensor from
Virginia Mr. Ryes] and the Senator from his2..ipp
MIR Walker
The question was then put on the motion to lay OF
The table, and decided in the negative-yeas 20, nays
%, follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Barrow, Bates, Bayard, Berren
Clayton, Crafts Crittenden, Dayton, Evans, Graham
huntington Merrck, Miller, Morehead Phelps, Smitl
of Indiana, Sprague, Tallmadge, White and Wood
bridge-20.
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Archer, Baeby, Benton, Buc
hanan, Calhoun, Cuthbert Fulton, King. Linn Nc DUFF
fe, McRoberts Rives, Smith of Conn, Sturgeon. Tap
pan, Walker, Wilcox, Williams, Woodbury., Wrigh
and Young-22.
The CHAIR then announced that the resolutions Of
the Senator from Virginia MIR. Ryesl were before The
Senate.
Which Mr.. ALLEN had proposed 10 amend, by in
sertng after the word 'Slaes in the 9th line of the
second resolution the following words:
By the appropriation pledge of any part of its re
venue or other income; or by the ISSUE transfer, oil
pledge Of any stock other securities by the pledge
of any part CT the public domain; by the pledge,
proptation DIVERSION depose of any part Of the
proceeds arising from the sales of the public domain
to such States, 10 the holders Of the obligations oil
such States, or by any other means direct or indirect
For the whole of which Mr. MERRICK offered q
substitute
MIR. BARROW remarked that he had, in every in
stance when vote taken to lay this question on
the table, voted in the affirmative He had thus voted
not because Of desire TO avoid Individually, the re
sponsbility of voting the question: to save, SC
far his vote would save, the party to which he
attached from the responsibility Of direct vote
lie proposed from the first, and he proposed, that
If such the of the Senate, vote should
be taken TO declare his opinion on the resolutions
and various amendments before the Senate. He
wished the matter arrested; because, in the frs,
place, he knew well, and older Senators knew better
than he did, that it was utterly impossible to get q
vote Of the Senate on these Notwithstanding SO
much ground, and involving so many high conside
ratons and so important principle without fnil
and free discussion. AS familiar the question in
volvrd might be to older members of that body,
yet i. not quite so familiar to younger members,
among whom he numbered himself Senators knew
that there were only twelve days le before the time
fixed by the Constitution for the adjournment will have
arrived They all knew that their calendar was loade
with business of public and private character; that
the public interests, and the private interests of many
of citizens, required definite action before the ad
iournment But he would not dwell upon the reasons
which had prompted him TO give the votes he had
given; yet he wished the country TO understand that
this question Of the utmost magnitude had been press
ed upon the consideration Of the Senate, and vote
and decision upon il could not be nationally and rca-
sonably expected without discussion And the lnevI.
table consequence of discussion, must result IN the
postnoncment Of all action the part OF that body,
on all other matters, whatsoever their Importance
But if he had such potent and powerful reasons tor
giving his vote laying the subject on the table he
had another one, which, 10 his mind, was conclusive
These resolutions do not, could not, give legislative
sanction 10 anything or any principle; and however will
ing Senators to express their opinions on abstract
principles, it would lead to no defnve result; and
however earnestly Senators may now entertain those
opinions and however positively they may declare that
they will abide and stand by those opinions, yet he
would suggest that it very possible that some OF
the Senators Especially Democratic Senators, who
profess 10 hold to the doctrine of instruction, and obey
the will and wishes ofbe peope) would have to change
lulions. lie asked the Senator from Pennsylvan
mir. Buchanan who has, to his credit and honor,
protested the principle (Which Mr.. Barrow did not
subscribe toy that Senators were bound TO obey the will
and instructions of the Legislatures OF their States
he asked that Senator-who, one occasion, cast
vote in opposition 10 the convictions of his mind
in obedience to the will of his constituency
if he voted against those resolutions case might mol
arise where he would feel to he his mperous duty
to give vote adverse TO the principles of those resou
tions. II he should receive instructions from his lie
eislature vote in particular manner upon the ques
lion oassuming the State debts, whether, as Demo
CRITIC Senator he would feel it TO be his duty to
vote for the issuing of scrip by the federai Govern
ment, for the relief of the States? And other SeEa-
Tors on that side (Whig side) may have occasion TO
change their opinions. He presented that view OF the
question, 10 show how unwise it was for Senators TO
pledge themselves TO the support Of any particular ab
stract proposition. But he would dwell no longer on
that branch of the subject. He had no inclination TO
consume one moment of the time OF the Senate IN the
discussion of the resolutions He had too much respect
for that body and for HIMSELF TO enter into discus
sion of the great principles involved in the resolutions
and amendments, without proper investigation; but,
being called upon TO vote, 1t devolved on nm, uhPte-
pared he was, TO say few words IN relation 10 the
principles involved in The resolutions. false issue
was presented TO the American people, through the
uress and by few remarks which had been made IN
the Senate since the introduction of the resolutions,
false issue also presented as TO the acton Whch
had been proposed in the other House. The question
discussed there and through The public journals, was
whether there should be issue BY the Fedora! 20
vernment Of stock based upon the public lands tor Inc
relief of the States and not represented by the
remarks Of the Senator from Virginia, mir Rves,l as
proposition for the Federal Government TO assume The
debts of the States Now he would stop to discuss
at large the abstract proposition of the power OF the re
deral Government to assume the debts oil The STATES
without reference to the nature OF those debts and the
condition of the country, when the question sha De pre-
sened. He asserted that, if the action oil inns Govern
ment was sufficient to settle any constitutional ques
,ion the power of this Government even 10 assume tht
debts of the States has been by the action OF THIS 10
vernment, settled aifrma:ivey Whether The dec'sor
was correct not-whether the action OF Congress wa
an usurpation Of power-was question he wouic mol
then undertake discuss but he would call The Senate
| 10 the case and the occasion.
In 1890, during the administration OF General Wash
inslon Congress did The debts OF the States
amounting 10 more than S3I ,00O,ooo; and s4ooo,Oo
of tina, amount paid TO the State which Inc honor
able Senator MIR. R'vesl who introduced these reso
lutions in part represents. He (Mf. b. knew tha
Senators on the other side would say, 10 reply TO this
that that was an assumption Of debts contracted by tn
States during our Revolutionary war IN suuggl