Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1846-07-17
SPEECH OF MR.. WEBSTER
IN SENATE-JUyF o1 1916

mr. BENTON, from the committee on Military
Alalrs, reported bill TO provide for the organiza.
"oh oI 'he volunteer forces brought into the ser.
wee ol the United States into brgades and divi.
Siohs' ana Tor the appointment of the necessary
number OF general officers 10 command the Same.
Mr. BENTON asked that the bill have its second
ieadlng now, and intimatcd his intention to call
II up for consideration tomorrow.
Mr.. WEBSTER said he was not at all surnrisol
at'he introduction of this bill; for augbt he knew
Hwas necessary one but it showed. at an a..
vents, that the law which twas intended to amend
ana M improve was but piece of patch.work =
that law was not passed for calling into the scr.
vice OF the United States the militia of the conn.
tiry' nor was passed in the regular exercise of
the power conferred upon Congress for RAISING
ana maintaining an army. 1t was q mixed. nm
anonymous, an incongruous system, as. he wouId
venture TO say, this early occasion for its modf.
cation proveditt to be- and as would be made abnn.
dantly evident before the war with Mexico was
1nHou' 9:m snail not oppose the progress of this
'n uil' cannon say 1t IS unconstitutional though
iinA !! is irregular, lnconvcnient and not strict
~ coniormable 10 the exercise of the constitution.
al power OF Congress. Ii those who are charg-
Gu WIN the conduct of the war, and are answera-
oie lor us results, think II necessary, shall not
oppose 1t. But will take the occasion now pre-
Sented' sir, OF the second reading of an important
Dill respecting the troops called into the service
10 carry on the war, to make few remarks res
Pecung the war itself, and the condition in which
we we ma ourselves in consequence of that war;
l he war continues, and no man can say definite.
~ when 1t will end-no man can say, upon anv
reasonable estimate, what expense will be iDcur
red before It's conclusion.
we have received Il very important communi.
cation from the President-I mean his messaoe of
the 10th of June-setting forth his views and
opinions, and the views and opinions of the Sec
retary OF the Treasury, with respect to the means
and sources of revenue for Carrying on the war;
upon this, sir, as well as upon one or two other
subjects connected with this bill, have few re.
marks TO make.
1he Executive is responsible for the conduct off
the war, and for the application of the resources
put al lis disposal by the two houses of Congress
Tor the purpose OF prosecuting the war. For one,
snail not deny the Government any supplies
which may be considered necessary. Whatever
may be thought of the origin of the war; the fact
'hat war does exist is itself sufficient reason for
granting the means of prosecuting that war with |
effect. Those who condemn the origin of the
war, and those who most earnestly long for its ter
mlnatlon, will all agree that the refusal of sup-
plleswould makeno amends forwhatsomel lament.
and would not hasten what hope all desire.
The message Of the 10th of June informs the
Senate and the country that. for the fiscal vear
ending July, 1847, there will be. under the one.
ration OF the existing law for raising revenue,
dehclency, 1t the war continues of twenty mil !
H..
by which it is expected that this deficiency will be
faade good refer to these suggestions for the
purpose OF making a few observations upon them.
1he object is to provide new sources of reve-
nue. which shall realize fresh amount beyond
that furnished by the provisions of the existing
law OF twenty millions of dollars between this
nme and the first of July next year. That is the
oolect' Inc ilrst suggestion in the communica-
non from the Executive Government is, that five
millions and half may be produced by reduc-
eng the rates OF duties on certain imported arti-
ces, and by laying new taxes on certain other ar
tices now free Of all duties, meaning principally
suppose, by those articles now free, and which
are to be taxed, tea and coffee. There is also an
lntlmahon or an opinion expressed by the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury that a million of dollars
will accrue to the Treasury under the operation
OF the warehouse bill, if that bill should become
law. In the next place, it is estimated that, if
the bill for graduating the price of the public lands
shall become law, the augmentation of the sales
of the public lands will so far counerbalance any
losses incurred in the reduction of price as on the
whole to produce half a million Of dollars more t
than would otherwise be obtained from that
source. These several sums put together would
leave balance of $12, $4,000 still to be proyi. !
ded for, and provision for this balance is con. t
tempaed either by loans or by an authority to the
Treasury to issue Treasury notes, or both, with
distinct recommendation and preference, howev. /
er, for the authority to issue Treasury notes. '
Now, sir, with an anxious desire that the coun. t
try shall be led into no mistaken policy in regard n