The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-08

OF the Whole on the state OF the Union-Mr. Pors
the joint resolution from the Senate limiting the
expense OF collecting the revenue from customs Tor
the present fiscal year.
Mr.. VINTON addressed the committee. He said,
In the course Of his remarks, that the resolution
passed by the Senate, as well Is the amendment
proposed BY the Committee Of Ways and Means,
amounted, IN substance, TO this, namely: that for
the service Of the present half Of the fiscal year the
Treasury Department will have at command an
amount equal to one half Of the expenditure Of
l64S. II his amendment should prevail, the effect
OF twill be, that the Secretary will have, for the
present half year, for the Atlantic coast service,
sum equal TO one half of the amount expended in
lS4S. California and Oregon are excepted in the
proposition. If the resolution should be passed
without his amendment, the Secretary will be
expenses Of collecting the revenue in California
and Oregon, and at n time when there is a
state Of things there above and stronger than law
II we undertake to make men perform labor for u
that the custom houses will be closed In con-
sequence of the limitation in the act Of l842, the
Secretary has proceeded to make rctrenchmcnts;
and ne (Mr, " learned from the Collector Of New
for twelve months, the Government would lose at
least million of dollars The law requires an in
spector on each ship; but one inspector has to
take charge Of several vessels and therefore, there
cannot be the necessary examination.
The honorable gentleman spoke for an hour.
Mr.. JONES occupied the same length of
time. He said, among other things, that he
could not go back and make law apply to a
Departments some six, eight, or ten months before
the law has any force or effect. If Congress re-
fuse, or fail to make a specific appropriation to
defray the expenses Of collecting the revenue, the
fourth section Of the act stands in full force and
the Secretary has the entire aggregate amount from
customs to pay the same. 1t was, however, the
duty Of the Secretary to make the estimates and
submit them. Failing to comply with the provi-
sion of the law, the consequence is that Congress
has data nv which In ma the anacifc anrr
priation.
Mr.. WINTHROP said that the support Of the
Governmcnt-the army, navy, and the civil list
depended on the revenue from customs. We COL
lect some years twenty, twenty five, and thirty
millions of dollars. If what he had heard out Of
doors, from those who had most interest in the
matter, was correct, the revenue for the present
fiscal year will be not less than forty millions Of
dollars He would call it fearful sum, because
he knew not what was to be the influence on the
whole domestic interests of the country, as forty
millions. at the present rate Of duty, must entail.
We have assigned to the Secretary Of the Treasury
certain specific obligations, but we have left him
large field for discretion. We have told him, how
ever to collect the revenue, and made him response
and says that will be utterly out Of his power to
collect the revenue faithfully fully, fairly, during
the next six months, with the means to which he Is
limited; and here are we, exhibiting the spectacle
OF endangering the revenue of the country, and
embarrassing the operations of the Treasury
Department, and subjecting commerce to petty
annoyances, in order TO save sixty thousand dof-
lars Economy and retrenchment are becoming
In every country, especially in republic.
But we should not be ike the rustic, who in
order to reap little more speedily, ripped open the
goose which laid the golden egg. TO save few
hundred or thousand dollars, we are running the
risk OF paraiyzing the energies and drying up the
only sources by which money can be collected.
The law Of lS49 was good measure of reform. It
was, that hereafter the cost Of collecting the
nue. should be annually revised by Congress that,
instead of tho of la6 IN tho
erection Of the Secretary of the Treasury, and only
the net revenue being paid into the treasury, the
gross revenue should be paid in, and the expenses
of collecting be subject to annual appropriations
as those of the other branches of the Government.
But never was piece of legislation more superb
cial and incomplete, and stands absurd law.
Ii was the corner stone Of an experimental sys-
tenn, but no suPerstructure. II left every thing TO
the discretion Of the Secretary, except the aggre-
gate sum; and that an experimental and an
insufficient sum. What would gentlemen think If
il were insisted that the Committee on Military Ar
fairs should bring in bill appropriating, in
lump, four millions for the support of the army,
(without specifying that the money was, 90 much
Tor the soldiers and subsistence, transportation Of
troops and munitions of war; and hear it said the
Secretary of War never exceeded that amount?
What would be thought IL the same rule should be
applied TO the navyi II might a. well be applied TO
the President, and he be told 10 carry on all the
branches OF government, provided that he would
never expend a greater sum than twenty, or thirty
millions- IL was an incomplete law, and could not
be carried out until Congress makes an appropria-
ton. The experimental sum came from Secretary
Walker in 1916, At the time be framing the
revenue BILL and who feared that il would not yield
enough TO make both ends meet and he thought
truly, for had it not been for extraordinary causes
in Europe, the imports would not have 90 largely
the revenue going to fall short of the necessi
ties OF the government and so he made the smallest
estimate for the collection Of the customs. He
figured out the sum Of Sl52 900; and remained in
s.ffr n.xs az -. Co.
tary himself come up 10 his standards' Il the
easiest thing in the world 10 make estimates for
other people, but not so easy to conform 70 his
own He thought IL necessary that his hands should
be tied behind him, To keep him from spending
more money. He never came within nx hundred
thousand dollars of his own estimate; and, accord
ing 10 the statements Of the gentleman from Ohio
(Mr. VNToS) he never spent n lcss sum than the
present Secretary Of the Treasury wants. The
country's revenue for the next ak months IL at
stake on this resolution. In consequence of the
limitation Of means, revenue cutters have been
laid up. As the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr.
JoSEs) alluded 70 the little excursions and some
little entertainments board these cutters, which
cost the Government $1,000, be (Mr. W. would
refer 70 the service performed by Of these cut
ters. He bad statement concerning the Hamp-
ton, Captain Josiah Sturgis That gentleman,
within six or seven years, boarded and relieved IF
teen hundred and five vcsselr, and saved large
amount OF property, and many lives.
He had an article in the newspapcrs propos-
was not much smuggling. He should ~ soon think
OF abolishing the wstohmcn the public grounds,
because no one had set fire TO tho capitol. That
there 10 little or no smuggling N 10 be attributed
70 the efficiency OF the cutters There are
other kinds Of smuggling carried 10 no little es-
tent under the free trade system, through the mo
dunn Of differentiation and false invoices; and Il
became the great mass OF merchants 10 look TO this.
Already fourfftbs Of the business is in the hands
Of foreign merchants, who have their agents here.
They have thrown American goods out Of market,
and nearly broken up the domestic manufactures
altogether. They have broken the iron establish
mens, a. n shown by the proceedings Of a recent
meeting In Albany. Not 20 much Because the du-
ties are low, but because Of ad raiore duties, max
ing Il impossible fully and fairly 10 collect. Itis
not by reducing the custom house establishment in
New York and elsewhere, that a better state of
things can be produced II was the opinion of COM
mcrcsl men In his district that, II men Of proper
stamp were paid better. Il would raise them above
a bride. Such protection every honest merchant
was entitled to-tbat his ncighbor should pay the
same duties that he pays, and not be cheated by
fraudulent invoices.
Mr.. w. repeated that the whole matter cf ooliec-
ton Of the 70 the interest Of the Gov