The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-02-02


go back little. In ls4l, Congress convened in ex-
ira session, under the administration of General Harri
rison; that Congress was called upon to provide
means by which to meet the Liabilities of the gov
eminent; that Congress called upon to pro-
vide means by which the annually accrung defc,
in the treasury could be met They set about the work
They all knew the Importance OF the compromise act
They knew that nullfcaton or dissolution had fixed its
mpous foot upon the government and threatened to sun
der il in twain, unless the different interests could be
made to harmonic. compromise was etiected--the
breach was hcaied-and the conflicting sections of the
Union were brought together and united sustaining the
compromise Well, that Congress went to work 10 Sc
lect and embody certain articles the free list upon
which tax could be levied, not TO interfere with
the compromise act tax tea and coffee was pro-
posed when i was necessary and proper to levy such
OF dollarswhen the loan bill had just been authorized
to supply that deficiency all these cir
cumstanees, when the two great parties were called
upon TO decide the matter, what done? A bill
posed the House, including tax tea and coffee Ii
went to the Senate, and that clause was there stricken
out BY whom By the democratic party Notwith-
standing the Importance of preservation Of the com
promise act So bitterly they opposed at that time
to laying duty tea and cofeethat they proclaimed
from one section Of the Union to another While the
measure was before the Senate, after it had passed the
House, Mr. Walker the present Secretary of the Treas
ury, while the bill was under consideration offered an
amendment to it levyng ad valorem tax 'on all gold
and silver ware exceeding in value $50" This was his
amendment TO that bill which he had voted to strike the
character Of senator, and declared il expedient in a
speech which he made on the occasion [Mr remarks
were here read That proposition to tax gold and silver
dent tax gold and silver ware them why was t moi
Just expeent now But how did some of the rest OF
those distinguished men stand Thomas II. Benton
that man who was to be appointed lieutenant general OF
the amy-he man who had such high opinion Of him
SELF that if governor of the universe to be APP
pointed, he would aspire to the oice-that same man
brought forward proposition to tax the circu-
cppt r. herr
quoted Mr.. BIS remarks on that propositon] He
,ga E refer to many other aahores but had not
him, had shown the truth Of that statement The ex-
tract which he had just read showed conclusively that
Mr. benton the man who was to be appointed lieutenant
United Staes-that he was moi in favor OF it, He (Mr.
J) would say, that he honestly believed that ii not
posed to it Both parties there were opposed to it, and
had expressed their hostility to the measure of taxing
the poor mans tea and Coffee when proposed in 1871 He
strongly posad and he believed Mr. pk
Presidents message to show that the President did notec
ommend the measure, and from report of Mr. Folks
speech at Nashville, in ISL to show that he was opPos
ed to the tax on tea and coee Could it possible, then,
that MIR. Polk was now in favor of taxing tea and
coffee, when the exigencies of the country did
not require IT, It co9d not be- They found another
IN lsil Mr. Buchanan was also opposed to the tax,
as ne would show by an extract from his remarks MIR
j. mere quoted Mr. BuchananS remarks IN the Senate
the same bill From these statements it appeared that
four members OF the present cabinet then opposed
to tax tea and coffee He, (Nlr J,) then, stood
the ground which the Secretary of the Treasury had
ken in his repor-that it would be nugatory TO tea
and coffee after January ls 1916 But if they would not
tax tea and Coffee what should be done carry on the
war! First he would give men, then money; then he
would support all proper and necessary taxation 1t
settled that that House did intend to tax tea and
coffee. He proposed, therefore, tax gold and silver
plate, watches, jewery, &c, BY this they could
raise twice as much as by taxing tea and coffee He
would then go for retrenchment in various quarters
He would drive the hoops little tighter about the old
treasury; he would stop the leaks mr. j. here read the
following extract from his remarks former OCCASION
with the estimate of retrenchment and reform" append
ed thereto j
sMr. Johnson If the gentleman will go along with
me- we will not only take them off of SALT sugar &C., but
of tea and Coffee and place them upon the capital of the
rich used in shaving invested in State stocks bank stocks
plate, &c He might not be entirely correct in all his
mates of the amount of thai his amendment would
raise and he should, did opportunity again offer, present
ii in form. He could say however, that
principle would enable the government raise sufficient
by taxing the articles of the wealthy which
TO be protected by this and exempng those Of the
poor. The obvious justice and proprety of this policy be-
ing further warmly enforced Mr. j. proceeded make
estimate he could arrive of probable
which would be raised under it, the results of which
are embodied in the following table statement:
Estimated Revenue
i'm tho from, IL