The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-28

| Vi utc principal Work.
Mr. DAVIS here inquired what were the contents
| of the principal work.
Mr.. EVANS replied that about one hundred
pages were occupied with the titles Of acts,
and nothing else. IL was called "A Synoptical In
dex" Nothing was given as TO the nature Of the
laws themselves All that indeed, had been we'll
given IN a very good work, now extant, "Gordon's
Digest" Then large number of pages were oc-
euPied with details of returned duties and the sub
stance briefly OF certain treasury constructions of
all the revenue laws ever IN existence whether re-
pealed OF not. For instance, il gave the tariff Of
1910 and divers questions relative 10 the rates of
duties And so with that and other laws
not now IN force, and for which others have been
substituted. OF what earthly importance was it
to know the construction put on laws existing fifty
years ago, and long since repealed OF what value
was tho information, that twenty-five years ago a
foreign vessel paid this or that tonnage duty So
with great many other matters entirely obsolete
out OF date-aDd the details Of which were Of no
possible interest or value now. His memory
not very distinct as TO the character of other pOr-
tons OF the work. but al the time, after due examl-
nation by the committee, II was not regarded Of
any value. That portion Of the work now
their table. He'had no'objection that the supple
mental work should be submitted TO the Committee
on Commerce, or the Committee on Finance, in Or
der that they might ascertain whether il really
OF any ysue, unless the fact Of calling for 1t lnclud
ed any expenditure for the preparation Of the work
According 10 his recollectlon-he spoke, however,
with some hesitaney as to the perfect accuracy Of
his recollection Of the matter-it would turn out
that the work was the result Of voluntary effort,
without any authority at all. He thought there
had been no law TO authorize IL. There was an APP
preparation made three four years ago for work
OF this description, and the next year additional
appropriation made for its completion, as il
had been begun. Instead, however, OF doing what
was then in contemplation by the head Of
the department aud the Committee of Finance those
engaged in the work had been going on ever since
making what additions they pleased. He (Mr. E. J
had an impression derived from information com
municated by the late Secretary of the Treasury,
that he suggested the stopping Of the work alto
gether but 1t was carried on voluntarily by the CON-
pder, in expectation that Congress would compen-
safe him. He supposed that, after all, the object
now sought was to obtain appropriation to pay
for the compilation, and then for the printing. Now
as he had already said, he had objection to cali
for the work, unless the call was with the view
hereafter Of approving the compilation, and print
ing IT,
Mr.. ARCHER thought that he might invoke the
attention Of the Senate 10 manifest prejudice on
the part Of his honorable friend from Maine. when
he said that he did not know anything Of the work
and then went into details to the character Of an
other and different work. He (Mr A. understood
that the whole work a history alb iniiio of the
treasury operations Of the United States in relation
to the custom-houses and and-offces. He differed
from his honorable friend in regard to the value of
the first part of the work, although referring to
laws which had been repealed, and the matters
which he had designated "obsolete." IL was de-
sirable to be able TO refer to that history, if for
no other purpose than to ascertain the modi-
hcatons made in the laws, and in that way To
realize the benefit of these notifications. But
this is an addition to the work already autho.
rized and paid for he supposed under the appropr-
alton to which allusion had been made and the oh
of exhibit the Dnod,Is r. Il.
treasury in relation to Gust houses and the pu b.
lie land-ofces. The resolution did not look 10 anv
Appropriations merely asked that the nompilation
already made be brought before the committee. so
that Il might be submitted to it; and certainly that
would be an impartial examination, as the senator's
from Maine Mr.. Evans and Missouri TMr. BEN
TON were members Of that Committee. The pur
port of the resolution was nothing more than to ask
for what was already prepared. Not farthing
was asked for the transcription. Ii was only asked
to bring the work here, and subject il to the exami
nation Of a committee, of which two gentlemen on
posed to the resolution were members, in order
that they might pronounce whether it was of any
value or not.
Mr. DAVIS did not rise for the purpose Of on
posing measures Of this sort. He did not know
that he could say what the contents Of the work
were. But If made up Of titles TO laws which had
been repealed, the case with regard to most
of revenue laws; or, il made up of CORES
pondcnce between the comptrollers and collectors and
heads the department under the various acts which
had been framed, he, for one, could see of what
possible value the work could be. The correspond
ence between the comptroers and collectors of the
various districts, and the head of the Treasury De-
partment, vas very voluminous, and he thought
that gentlemen would find it to be not only very 1n.
entertaining but very uninstructve because il re-
lated 10 matters which had become part of the his
tory Of the past. OF what importance was it whether
duties had been returned returnedI Occasions
had occurred where the duties had been returned bv
false construction of various acts. How did that
happeR why, one year the head of the Treasury
Department gave one construction of an act: next
year there would he another head and another con-
struchon, followed OF course, by applications for
return of duties paid under the former construction.
Such things would Of course occur so long as mems
minds differed in the construction of the law but the
correspondence thus elected was in his Judgment of
small value He had, however, no sort of objection
that the work should be called for and bought up.
u no expense were to be incurred As to the reve-
nue. laws themselves, they had been very well given
in "Giordon's Digest" Works giving all the neces-
sary Information as to the operation of the laws
could be had IN any of the book sellers shops There
was no lack Of Information on that point.
Mr.. SEWER regretted that he was not able To
give the Information desired by senators relative to
the contents of the work. He had not been able IN
obtain leisure to visit the department and obtain the
information. He had been requested to offer tho
resolution and had complied. But from what he
mad been told, he had no doubt that the work was
one OF merit and value, and should be IN the possess
sion of the Senate. An accurate knowledge of The
treasury laws was of obvious Importance; and if
the work gave only their titles was not destitute
of interest and value. The Secretary of the Treas.
ury regarded the work as a valuable one. As
to the objections relative to expenditures
TOR the work, he (Mr. SEvER) would on
~ remark that every one who knew him
would, he believed, acquit him of regarding with
favor any movement attended by an improper ex-
Penditure of the public money. He had always
been opposed to any unnecessary printing. Blu,
the work had been prepared, and he thought that
1t would be proper to examine it in order to ascer
IAN 4 whether II was worthy of being printed or not
he renewed his motion to postpone the further con-
slderaton of the resolution till Thursday next
Inc motion to postpone was then put, and
agreed to. f' N'
CLAIMS OF NEW HAMPSHIRE AGAINST THE UNITED
STATES
The Senate considered the motion submitted bv
Mr.. JARNAGlN to reconsider the vote hereto
fore taken upon the question of ordering the bill for