The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-03-01

Mr.. BUTLER said he was in favor of payirr
man we'll, and prevent him from cheating
Mr.. DODGE said if Cabinet officer was not
paid well enough, the Office was NOT like Bunyan's
ain, something not to be ahaken of; he could re-
sign and get rid Of it.
The question was taken, and the amendment
rejected-yeas %, nays 24-as follows: 1850
YEAS.-Messrs. Badger, Brodhead, Brooke,
Cooper, Dawson, De saussure, Dodge of Wiscon :.
sin, Downs, Foot, Gwin, Hale, Hunter, Jones OF
Iowa, Jones of Tennessee, Mason. Morton, fheips,
Pratt, Shields, Soule, Spruance, sumner, ana
Walker-23.
NAYs.-Mess. Adams, Atchison, Bayard. Bor.
land, Bradbury, Butler, Charlton, Chase, Davis;
Dodge of Iowa, Douglas, Fetch, FItzpatrlcK,
Geyer, Mallory, Miller, Norris, Petit, Rusk. Sc
bastian, Seward, Toucey, Wade ana /" e'ier-N4.
Su bsequently this vote was reconsidered
Mr. BRADBURY moved to amend the amend
ment by striking it all out, and inserting provi
sion making the salary Of the Vice President and
the Cabinet officers eight thousand dollars per an
mum.
This was agreed to--yeas 36, nays II and. as
amended the amendment was adopted-yeas 40.
nays Is.
over the falls of the Potomac river.
An amendment appropriating one hundred
the direction of the President, in obtaining sup
ply of pure water fox Washington CITY, to be taken
from such point and introduced in such manner
as he may direct was offered by Mr.. HUNTER.
Z MGS6FS. 81 w AND, . LA w SON, FnA i,
PEARCE, RUsK, MANGUM, MASON, and
HUNTER supported it; and Messrs. BORLAND,
BRODHEAD, and DODGE of Iowa opposed it.
Mr.. HALE earnestly supported the amendment.
There was strong necessity for supplying this
city with pure water. Under authority of Con
gressional legislation the city was well supplied
with rum shops, lottery tickets. and gambling
houses. The least Congress could do would be to
give the city pure water.
Mr.. PRATT moved an amendment, providing
that should 1T be to the State OF
Maryland to obtain this supply of water the assent
of that State should first be obtained This he said
was necessary, as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
ran along the Potomac, and that company and the
State had some rights in the water.
This, after long debate, touching upon the pro-
ceedings on the Pacific Railroad bill, was adopted,
and amended the amendment was adopted
yeas IS, nays Is.
Mr.. HUNTER, by direction of the Finance
Committee, reported an amendment, providing
that on the duties on all railroad iron imported
during five years from July next, credit Of i've
years shall be given, upon the bonds of the i'm
Mr. MASON moved to amend the amendment
by providing for the repeal of all duties on railroad
iron.
Mr. BRODHEAD said that both the amendme
out of time and out of place this bill, and
deserved the fate which Justly awaits them. He
had stood firmly by the Senator from Virginia in
his efforts to keep the appropriation bills clear of
all amendments involving questions of conroverted
policy, and not properly belonging to such bills
The Senate was now at this late hour called upon
to legislate on the subject of the tariff. This pro-
ceeding was giving to the Finance Committee all
power on this and every subject Was the Senate,
now in its last hours, to go into examination of
this subject in all its details? Here was legislation
proposed utterly foreign to the bill; it was legis
lation, too for the exclusive benefit of corporations
Mr.. BROOKE asked if the corporations engaged
in iron manufacture in Pennsylvania had nothing
to do with this opposition?
MIR. BRODHEAD said he did not believe there
were more than three corporations engaged in the
of iron in Pennsylvania. The last
amendment was preferable to the one proposed by
the committee. 1t presented the question boldly
free trade and direct taxation. What reason was
there for this partial legislation? Why not repeal
the duties on all kinds of iron? Why not repeal
the duty on sugar, on cotton and woollen fabrics,
they were in more common use and demand by
the whole people than railroad iron. Abolish all
duties and come to direct taxation at once. That
would be better than to single out particular in
terest to crush it.
Mr.. HUNTER said he had received instruction
from his Legislature on yesterday directing him
to vote for repeal Of all duties on railroad iron
Nothing but this instruction would have decided
him to move this amendment.
Mr.. BRODHEAD asked if the Senator was in
structed to move the amendment to the Arpropri-
alton bill.
Mr. HUNTER said his instructions were of
course to have the duties repealed. If time al.
lowed he thought he could show that this susoep.s
interest; but all he asked now was avote.
Mr.. MILLER said that, by comparison of the
amounts of railroad iron imported during the last
five years, he calculated there would, during the
next five years, be an annual importation Of two
hundred and fifty thousand tons. The average
value of this he put at forty dollars ton. At
thirty per cent, the duty would be twelve dollars
a ton-making an annual revenue of three mil
lons; and on this sum credit Of FIVE years was
be given-a credit to railroad companies of over
Twelve millions Of dollars for FIVE years. 1t would
not stop there. When the same thing was done
before, Congress at the end Of the five years sur
rendered the bonds to the railroad companies and
released them from the duties. The same, doubt
ess, would be done now.
Mr. HUNTER said he did not desire to prolong
his debate. By the consent of every member of
he Committee on Finance, except the one speak
ng, he was authorized to withdraw the amend
nent.
Mr.. MILLER. certainly give my consent.
Mr.. HALE objected to Withdrawing the amend
nent.
Mr.. BUTLER said the amendment ought to be
withdrawn. He was in favor of the principle of it;
,ut it not fair legislation to make the appro.
,riaton bills vehicle to carry all kinds of ques
ions pleasing to the majority.
The CHAIR decided the amendment might be |
and it was.
Mr.. MASON moved an amendment-that there
hall hereafter be allowed and paid to the Minis.
ers to Great Britain, France, Russia, and Spain,
he sum of six thousand dollars EACH for a house
md four thousand dollars to the minister resident
Turkey; this to be in addition to their outfit and
alary. Adopted.
Also, providing for Assistant Secretary of
State, at three thousand dollars per annum.
Adopted.
Mr. MASON moved to amend the bill by adding
hereto a section repeating all duties on railroad
rom He said he offered it in obedience to insruc-
ions from his Legislature.
; Mr.. DOUGLAS moved to amend by providing
or suspension Of those duties for three years.
de said if that was voted down he would vote on
heir repeal.
Mr.. CLARKE gave notice he would move to
lmend by including the duties on iron in bloom,
bars, SC. a
Mr.. COOPER followed, in earnest opposition to
he AMENDMENTS. 1t would have the effect of
building up few furnaces which had been able
to survive the ruin which had fallen on most of
those establishments. The condition of the coun-
try was such, and prices now were 80 favorable,
that unless Congress- interfered to crush them,
large portion of those engaged in iron manufac.
tories would in short time be able to resume and
and prosperousy carry their busi-
ness. There were but few furnaces now under
way. This amendment would forever stop others
from resuming operations.
Mr.. SEWARD opposed the amendment He re-
garded that spurious free trade which abolished
the revenues, and made no provision for their sup
ply. Why not connect this abolition of three
millions of annual revenue with provision for rails
ing an equal amount by liberalization? The State
ne represented had comparatively but little capi-
.al invested IN iron Her capital was engaged in