Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-03-26

NOR do the amounts stated include. nave any relief
10, any Indebtedness Of the United States to the
Indian tribes under the several reat'es tor the pur-
chase of The Indian land and payable in annutIes or the
SUMS OF money which the Government hodior benefit
oil The Indians, and upon which The annual interest l.
paid; and stall, has been seen, continuing deiicen
ces are experienced and anticipated by the head oil
the fiscal department of the Government, and conti-
nued additions Of from 10 three millions per an
mum meg be made to the debt, until reduction oil
the expenditures or an improvement OF the revenues,
or botn are made 10 supersede ceplorhble neces-
sity. Upon page 10 OF the report the Secretary pre-
SCENTS further call for improved revenues. lie says
The loan ncde under the act of 2ls of July, lc4l
is, in terms, redeemabe at the option Of the Govern
ment after the LIST OF January lS45 yet is not doubt
ed that the understanding of the lenders at The time
was, ms always is in respect 10 loans on similar
'erms,) that i. would be redeemed OF the specified
time The table +, above referred to, shows the
amount Of the loan to be 50 672 976 81. In addition,
therefore, to the ordinary expenses Of the next fiscal
year this portion OF the public deb should be met by
payment and the committee agree with the Secretary
of the Treasury, that indefinite posi- poncment from
year to year. because the Obligation made payable at
the pleasure of the Government after day certain, is
not sound policy, 1t regards The public Treasury,
while they think snch covrse would be equally impo-
ll,c, regards the public faith and credit. The
loan should be met at The day, either by payment, or
some further specific arrangement with the public
creditor, satisfactory hun, and making the time OF
payment certain 10 him and 10 the treasury STILL the
committee do not agree with the Secretary in hrs re-
commentator pay the amount by new loan son
len o. fifteen years stock II may be necessary If pay
ment must be made the first oil January next TO re-
aze the means oi payment soma portion o! hem by
new loan: bui the committee cannot think It sound
Plcy to postpone the payment OF any portion of the
public debt for any thing like ten or fifteen years. Ii
may be, and probably is, impossible 10 make any mo-
dicalon Of the revenue laws. which can act sufficient
y speedy to yield the means for lis payment on the
early day which the IS to fall due; but proy
sion should be made for early payment, that this por
ton Of the debt and also the four millions ii out>tand
ing Treasury Notes, may be paid If and discharged be
fore the year 1853, when another portion of tie debt OF
seven millions Is 10 become payable. In the face oi
these facts and entertaining these opinions, the commit
have not found themselves able, by any reductions
they dare anticipate in the expenditures 10 relieve
themselves from the conviction that n modification ci
the laws is rendered necessary By the wants Of
the Treasury and the obligations Of The public debt.
Whole branches of public expenditure, such as the
commencement oil new works connected with the pub
lie defence, Notifications, armorlcs arsenals and the
Ike are, by the order Of business OF the House. IN
trusted 10 other hands than his committee; and by
express order of the House. appropriations f'r the
Improvement OF the navigation Of rivers, the construc
,cn ci hnrbours and the like, have been referred 10
different and more appsoprat- committee. Approprn
for lighthouses, lghtboats he1cons, buoys ANA
the like, also usually emnate from anoher comm tee.
the present Congress- with at least the ordinary earnest
ness by The various sections of country interested III
these works; and it Goes not become this committee
1, attempt 10 anticipate the action OF the appropriate
or Of the Legislature, upon them. AnIci-
paed expenditures under these heads, form large items
in the estimates Of expenditures of the Secretary OF
the Treasury for the focal year. and reference is
made to the subject here, 10 show that this committee
cannot what the expenditures OF that year Will
De, without an attempt to anticipate and PREJUDICE he
acton Of Congress upon these great questions. They
can only say, if The ordinary expenditures which
they dc anticipate, and the demands Of the public debt
render revision of the Revenue laws and an improve
ment of the current revenues necessary to meet the
demands upon the Treasury, 10 arise from these
sources, other and further expenditures authorized by
Congress, TO be made upon these other Objects may
render that perIous prevent the accumu
la,ion of debit beyond the reach of the present
sources OF revenue, under any improvement OF which
they are susceptible.
The committee have turned their attention 10 the
salas of the public lands, to whether they could
make any practical suggestion for an increased supply
the Treasury from that source but, after careful
reflection, they unable propose any modification
of The land laws, which would have that tendency,
and which they believe would b. acceptable 10 the
country or wise in reference to that portion of the
public property. Recent experience has shown, that
The minimum price established by Law, IS ahundantly
low for the fresh lands; and vel, II very question
able, whether advance upon The price would ~
the proceeds Of annual sales, while IT is conf
IDENTIFY believed that such proposition would not
meet with favor III or out OF Congress The state 81
the Treasury for the les, years, presented
by the Secretary, shows ,he value and importance
the Nation of this Of supply to the public
Treasury il comes in when hnctatlons IN trade DIS
appoint the antcpatons OF revenue from customs not
merely sustain the public credit, when resorts mus
be made to it, but 10 relieve such .esorls to the extent
of the saes and 10 present fund 10 meet accrnng IN
lprp pun possible Sccur;t.
the committee would not lightly change the present
established and approved system OF sales, they would
cling 10 this source of the safest reliance,
when war or ether national calamity shall demand
strong credit aud an nnbroken iaIth
Impel led BY considerations of this character, the
committee entered upon examination OF the present
Tariff law without very deep, II no. ful! and pre-
per sense Of the responsibility, difficulty end delicacy
of that undertaking. with view 10 lis modification
However it nav be in remote localities, il IS impossible
here acting as members of Congress- assoc.ang with
the Representatives from all Of the Stats, and from
every important portion of every State 10 be nsans,be
that interests, and feelings, and preudiccs al the u
most strength, the krenes. ensbility, aud the most
perfectly conflicting character, surround tns cicul
subject Comag from widely different sections OF he
country and naturally mbued with the feelings aud IN
erests, and not exempted from the influence OF Tic
peiudces and habits Of thinking which sufraand lnelr
homes and prevail with their immediate constituents,
I is not strange that differences Of opinion have been
found 10 exist between The members o! the committee
and that they have not been able to agree either upon
the principles winch should govern their acton IN pre-
posing med icaons 10 the existing Tariff law, upon
what those notifications should be, or indeed, upon
he qne s,on whether any modification should 6e pro-
posed and recomms nded TO me House Tor lis ACTON
II the conflicting interests which connect them
selves with an adjustment of the Tariff, existed IN
common every locality, and were oaiy srch as 70
arise between the various Classes of ctz NJ IA the
same State or section of the country, growing out OF
their various pursuits and relations OF propfy and
business, much he most serious obstacle men now
Exists 10 such an adjustment of this difficult SUBJECT
as should prove moderately satisfactory TO the whole
county, and to The passage OF such Iarh law, rs
should nave some perman,ncy, would be removed II
10 known however that in addition 10 those conflict
,ng int.rtsls which do co-e5is III some States, and
sections of the country, two great local divisions ct
the Union, with limited EXCEPTIONS IN each,) appear
to entertain sentiments and feelings upon tle subject
Of proper Tariff law, as vide apart ms are the SEC.
tons OF country where they are respectively enter
tanned, aud ss directly eoh ctng as ie' ngs and sen
.imen,s can well BIZ upon any subject oil -sislat'on
Judging from the advocacy OF The OPINIONS entertained
IN these quarters OF the country, BY many Of those
who represent the respective locations, the belief
would seem to be authorized, that the highest Tariff
would be the most popular IN the one, and that the
further it ahon.d extend protection to domestic IN.
terests BY duties upon foreign imports, and the nearer