, 1844-02-14

to the Government would be emily S250,
900. which is not more than the ground
under the building and the materials OF
il are worth; and is less BY tEe-thhds than
the cost of the New York e~nstopIhOuse.
REDUCTION OF POSTAGE.
Mr.. Merrick asked leave TO introduce a
bill for the above purpose. He stated
briefly the general features OF the ptopos-
ed change in the operations Of the Post
Office Department. All letters not exceed
ing one-half ounce IN weight. for any
distlnce nnder a hundred miles, are tax
ed five cents; for any distance grea.er
than this, ten cents, The %frandking
privilege is taken away from all post
masters ard subordinate officers. 1t is re-
tanned only by the President, Vice Presi-
dent, and Heads of departments. Some
functionaries Of Government are allowed
to keep an account of letters received and
charge the Members of Congress
are to be furnished BY the Department
with Z. certain limited number Of free
stamps. The bill also proposes a large
reduction of postage on newspapers,
pamphlets, and periodicals. II was order
90 to b printed.
Mr.. McDUFFlE'S BILL.
The ord ,rs Of the rdsy being called for.
Mr.. Evans rose IN reply to the Senator
from South Carolina, and made an able
and elaborate argument. We have only
space 70, a few Of bis opening remarks.
He never entered into any discussion
with greater reluctance and less interest,
This arose from no lack of appreciation oil
the importance of the subject, but because
there was 20 little OF freshness and nov
city in it-in fact, one could do little
else than draw on memory for arguments.
He had not sought this discussion-he
regarded it out Of place, time and order,
yet he did not mean to shrink from it,
The Senator from South Carolina Sc emed
to admonish us in advance that We should
produce 10 new argument, that all oul
arguments on this side were %siereotyped
this may be SO; truth is the same THU
year that it was last, and that it will be
forever. Nothing new could be brough'
\ for ward, except what was disclosed az
the result Of the experience Of each pas.
sing year. The Senator from South
Carolina, in his great zeal for opinions
which Mr.. E., did moi doubt he enter.
tanned in all sincerity, pushed all his as
serIlons TO the EXTREMIST point--ever,
thing with him was in the superlaiivt
degree, the Tariff of ~ was tho mos
oppressive, and the arguments by which
it was sustained the most fallacious, tina
were ever imposed upon the credulity o
men. Mr.. E.. would not be thus bold an,
positive in his affirmations, yet he believed
the reverse Of alf this as %intirely as wa
possible. "a
The first proposition Of the Senator wa
|, that this nation vas the only one whic|
raised all its revenue from imports. |
this was altogether true, which he wa
not sure, the reason why other nation
resorted 10 olher modes Of getting reven
ue was, because that many Of them be
ing embarrassed with enormous debts
are compelled to do it; they exhaust ihi
!, source of income and then get all the
can by excise and stamp duties, and di
rect taxation, &C.; but was this to be an
guide for US, who can get all VIC wan
t frem imports! All writer's upon politics
economy were agreed on n point, an
that was that TO raise revenue from in
D porIs was the most economical form i
which it could be had, inasmuch as tn
:. foreign producer paysa portion of it,
q There was another reason why we shoul
s depart from the example Of other nations
II and this was because VI live under Nv
Governments, State and National. Th
aggregate Of State lakes was greater tina
e those Of the General Government. Til
Senator from South Carolina had state
= that the English derived only one-ient
!, of their revenue from imports, but in tn
= he was mistaken; the entire ven
the British empire, for the year ls49, wa
E59,000,0 600, and Of this sum E23.00
e 200 were derived from foreign Imports
Mr.. E. continued his argument at gre'
e length, and, without concluding, yi0lde
Q TO q motion 10 60 into Executive session
y The Senate remained n short time
secret session and adjourned