Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1847-03-11
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS-.

upon the Bill TO raise revenue from imports to
graduate the price Of Public Lands, aud TO obtain
revenue through an additional tax upon iron and
sugar, coal and rich cloths, aud upon some other
Of an equally odd variety Of articles.
1t was between six and seven when the bill was
reported TO the House, aud upon an important sub.
stitute moved by Mr.. Hamn, Of Me, adding silks |
aud wines to The ten per cent list and removing the
section IGraduating the price Of public lands, and
all attempt to embody the land graduating clause
failed by large vote, and the tea and coffee tax
was struck out with great ease after this by vote
Of IA 10 SO.
This was the last struggle in favor Of tea and cof-
fee. 1t has been successful once by the close vote
of "a TO 92-and them upon different motions TAIL
ed by one majority, then by majority OF three, and
finally by the majority Of twelve, some OF the West
ern members refusing to countenance such a tax,
unless they could shelter themselves behind cheap
lands against dear tea and coffee
Still under Parliamentary rule there was Ian
ger, and great danger that the substitute would
fail, in which case the House would have been
brought to a vote upon the original bill, as moved
by the WAYS and Means and sanctioned by the
orty Of King Caucus The rejection Of the sub
stitu,e would not have allowed The House to come
TO vote upon any of the amendments to the or
pinal bill lin which tea aud coffee had been omit
ted)bul the majority TO swallow it item by
item, and letter by letter.
The first motion to lay upon the table, and
the administration members present. The vote
was, Yeas 70, Nays 1876
The great struggle followed upon the amended
substitute. (Mr. McKay's bill-excepting TWEEN
~ per cent duty tea and coffee, and lands at
81 81 cents and so cents an acre.)
The vote was SO close that the House on one side
or the other were alternately awayed with hope or
fear One set Of members counting the re-
sponses cay" or mo upon their fingers as the an-
swers were given. Another were marking the
"yeas" and mays upon the blank lists, but a few
changes at the end, and the voting of members who
had reserved their answers till the roll was finished,
made the result somewhat doubtful.
The Speaker finally announced the result as fol-
lows
"Yeas, IO4; Nays, 1903. THE SUBSTITUTE is
AGREED TOP
The battle was by no means fought through
here motion came to reconsider from one oil
the l04 fine members, and this would have tied
the vote, and with or without the casting vote oil
the Speaker, have defeated the substitute OF Mr.
Hamiin 1t was Mr.. Cummins, of OHIO, believe
who made the motion 10 reconsider, and as the
yeas and nays we're called, the members were gath
erng one by one, like a funeral procession around
an open grave, TO and learn the fate OF the meas
The speaker once and again, being called upor
TO send the members TO their seats did So but soor
they were listening with ears wide open, and coun
tenances flushed with hope or fear, to the Response
of members. The great excitement was between
''the tea and coffee Democracy aud the Antics
At last came the end the names all read, and the
result will be known. IL Das a lie U0te, though
not yet announced.
A member rose upon the Wing side of the Cham
Der.
The Speaker. "The gentleman from Alabama
Were YOU within the bar when your name was cal
edp
Mr.. Hilliard 81 was" Gan eyes upon him.
The Speaker. "Call the gentleman from Alaba
ma"
The Clerk. Henry W. HilliardW
Mr. Hilliard. mop
This was quietus to the original bill, and tn
Speaker announced the vote.
ayers IO4-nays los. The House refuse TO re
consider. A shout went up from the majority, an
sensation prevailed upon the other side. III
Speaker used his lungs and ivory hammer vigorous
ly,-and ,'order regned in Warsaw" under tn
Napoleon of the House, and assure you for pal
" Speaker he is one of the best have ever know
The question returned first upon the engross
ment of the bill, which for form sake was agree
to without opposition. Then the pregnan
question SHALL THE BILL PASS!
The yeas aud nays were called for, and the Ad
mnislralion members who had hitherto been 70
the bill in their wrath and in tones OF voice thi
showed great wrath, voted NO. The tea and COTE
wing of the Democracy voted AY, and some OF III
Wing members also,-not being wiling as wer
the Presidents friends, TO give so lnuch "aid an
comfort to the enemy" as TO refuse the supplies
Let it now be proclaimed from all the public Pres:
and the house tops and the corners Of the streets
that the Democrats in time of war have refused I
tax wines and silks sugar and iron, rich cloths an
yaluables of many kinds ,-and tell it not in Gail
publish it not in the streets Of Askalon, the wicke
Wings are better supporters OF the Government
even under MIR. Polk, than the Simon Pure Demo-
racy themselves.
The bill being rejected by the House, BRoA
SEAL was put upon it, by motion TO reconslde
and this motion was laid upon the table, and thus
is hermetrcaly sealed for this Session and this Coz
aress The bill OF best is a miserable aborilon.-
Neither the Administration nor the country woul
have gained aught that is good by the passage
such an act.
The adjournment was moved at about eight q
clock-the members separating under very dliiere
feeling In all the Legislative scenes OF the dozt
years past, this last has been the most bosterou
noisy, and exciting The greatest trial has been b
tween the Democrats who think for Ihemselve
and those who think through other mems thought
The President has proclaimed, from hundrt
stumps, that this tea and coffee tax an odio
Wing tax and Mr.W Walker, in his place in the Sc
ate Chamber and at home, in many political a
semblies, has recounled the virtues OF a tax on go
and silver plate, and upon articles owned or us'
mainly by the rich.
Well, some ofthe Presidents friends taught
these great teachers of Democracy, proposed FL
that gold and silver plate should be taxed, then tn
oHice-holders should be taxed, aud members
Congress during their term Of service aud the W
with Mexico, aud finally that tea aud coffee chou
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