The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-27
CITY OF WASHINGTON SATURDAY MORNING APRIL n. 1850

bers insisted that Congress should retain the franknl
privilege. to il to disseminate information throughout
the country Now, the existence OF the fIanking pIiy
was taken from the treasury to carry mail matter under Il
In ten years the anking privilege OF members cost
money 70 the treasury than would be required % pay fol
taking this No one had ever heard the expense
Of the frankng privilege objected to on the ground ii ID
unconstuonality 1t important get religious
statistics OF the country as 70 know that the Hon Mr.
the frankng privilege had been violating the constitution
at great rate for great many years
The schedules proposed IN the bill were the result oil
close investigation by able board legally constituted
That board were better competent. under the ccumsia,
ces, than himself, 10 determine what information should
be sought in taking this 1t was likely that much
Of the Information would be unattainable unless as the
bill proposed, all were subject to fine il refusing to
answer. He had no doubt Of the right OF Congress to
require any citizen 70 testify in reply o such queries
thing Of the capabilities Of the constitution Every
session it had been subjected 10 stretching and
process to suit the views Of gentlemen Every proposition
Gated On constitutional grounds. On this b the South
were making sectional fight, coming up against some OF
the questions to be asked, without distinction Of party
He though that the dissemination Of the proposed nto
ter acquainted and better satisfied with each other The
South had better to rely the statistics OF Elwood
T1shsr h and LOOK q the census for better information
concerning her condition to be ELECTED in replies TO ques
tons proposed 70 be asked under this bill.
Mr.. STRONG regarded himself as strict conslruc-
onist yet he had been surprised to hear gentlemen dis
putting thapower, under the consiition to make the in
quiries proposed under this bill Such objections were
likely to bring strict construction into contempt Messrs
STEPHENS and MILLER had concluded and urged (said
Mr.. that as the ed section of the constitution only
gave power TO enumerae the inhabitants of the Union
therefore, there was no power anywhere else in the
constitution to acquire the information sought The
sth section OF the constitution, in granting power Con-
gress 10 lay and collect taxes, included power 10 estimate
and appraise the objects OF taxaton-propery and pro-
ductons We might search in vain in State constitutions
for any other grant OF power to estimate property and
production, except in the 10 lay and collect taxes
How could tax be laid and collected Except capita
on tax without on appralsement Of property, &C. If
Congress- proposed to lay excise direct tax how
could it be laid otherwise than by appraisement! Mr.
here went on g show how taxes for State purposes
j MI. KAUFMAN asked Mr. STRONG il he based the
power to ask these questions on the power to lay direct
taxes Does he propose to tax churches that church
statistics are required TO be obtaineds
Mr.. STRONG (continuing) said he would answer the
gentemans question in the course Of his remarks
Direct taxation under the constitution was to be raised
according to representation; but the constitution gave
complete power 10 lay tax without demanding OF The
State to lay and collect the Now, the State OF New
Jersey had no assessment owing to the fact that the
OF her State government How could Congress then ex
pect her State government 10 collect any quota of taxa
ton which IT might be necessary for her to pay in time
thus pennsylvania formerly laid no assessment He
was not friend OF direct taxation, and believed that in
granting to Congress the right to lay tax, all necessary
powers-tha Of making the assessment &c-were neces-
sariy deducible. Congress could impose tax on every
chuch and to do that il might necessary to enumerate
the sittngs the number OF persons attending IL &c The
proprety OF laying any such however, very diff
fefent thing matter be did not propose to argue To
regulate Commerce. Congress SHOULD asmuch as pos
sbe about its wantshose things which are its subjects
NC From the cause 10 regulate the power TO
collect social statistics deducibe They should be
understood in making commercial changes Some years
since, TO subsee the obaccogrowing interest an agent
had been sent to Austria to try to negotiate treaty. and
uIaJx
that interest, il would have been impossible to arrange
any such treaty properly We requiring nforma-
ton daily without express permission Of Congress- in
thousand ways and without ever before hearing this
constitutional argument being urged The bill OF 1910
was too minute, and consequently the returns under il
were very inaccurate In ls40, wide door was thus
opened Tor mistakes and inaccuracies The great point
oil this bill was that il proposed collect in small COM
pass, and with little danger OF mistakes most valuable
information y did not propose TO enumerate the chick
ems, &c. OF the armyard the bill OF 1870 did, There
four great interests in the countryside agricultural
commercial, manufacturing. and mining interests The
last mentioned had been neglected in the preparation Of
carrying American coal greater than all our foreign
trade tonnage. There was necessity for separate
schedule for the mining operations owing the growing
Importance OF the many kinds Of mining in operation in
Mr.. THOMPSON, Of Pennsylvania interrupted Mr.
STRONG, TO explain how in the general schedule, ample
information relative TO the mining operations OF The
country surely and satisfactorily 10 be obtained
Mr. D. had supposed that in that schedule such nforma
ton provided for; but il better for the collection
o information concerning manufactures, &c, than con.
cernng what may be dug from the bowels of the earth
and he went ont prove the correctness OF this view
He was al loss 10 know why there was no provision
made 10 ascertain the value OF railroads and canals and
their iurniiurea most important branch Of the industry
and wealth OF the country.
He did not agree with Mr.. MILLER in the belief that
there constitutional power in Congress to punish
for refusal to the inquiries Of the narshs the
grant Of power 10 make the inquiries including that Of
compelling the answer
Mr.. HOWARD next addressed the committee, arguing
at considerable length TO prove that the constitution gave
Congress no power TO do more than make eDumera-
ton OF the inhabitants OF the several States and Terrific
ries in taking the census
Mr.. MOORE having next obtained the floor,
On motion, the committee and then the House ad
iourned.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1850.
After the reading Of the jouna the regular order OF
business having been called for