Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1856-02-19
IHEss..XTEE& isg stEGaHs1.
TDErEKEp PRocExpISas.-THCnsDAr, Fey. lit
NGCsE OF

/ up I1IltN ~, I.Uil W rs li'1
By Mr.. FLoYD-Thst so much of the Gav"rnc"'s
message as ~relstes to the subject Of raising money
10y loan. be referred 10 n special committee, with i'll
stluclione to report therein.
Mr.. GARRETT contenA.d that this RESOLUTION WAS
entirely unnecessary, as the suhicc, to which it refers,
was already bstore the committee Of Finance unh
party acted upon.
Mr.. FLOYD saiI:-In offering that resolution, I do
not intend to cast any impeachment upon the com.
mlttee OF Finance. | disclaim any tu n purpose. |
an aware that that committee has had this subject
under consideration for some time. and has given tho
House the benefit Of Its lucubratiuns. Tho proposi.
ton which | make now, Is one in reference To n ne"
financial plan, which has arisen since thc committee
have acted upon this subject. If it was n matter
that had been before the committed there might be-
some reason for the structures Of the gentleman from
E.sex tMr. GARSETT.l
Sir, the ressons which have induced me to offer this
resolution. are Of a two.iold character. The first Is
that the Governor has proposed a new mems OF ra'5-
Ing fands Ia cxtricase us from the difficulties in which
we arc now placed. This ia n novel and peculiar
mode. il is one OF his own Conception, and one
winch, / trust, viii be successful. lie thinks 'hat the
ordinary mode Of obtaining money, is not one which
VIII loT sub'erre The purposes Of The L=slslnturci
and | am inclined to agree with him. | nun disposed
10 agree with him as TO the mode in which he pro
poses 10 raise money, and by tho resolution when l
oier, | merely propose that such steps will DO taken
by thia special committee, a. will most rftctual!y tend
TO carry out the Governors plan-a plan which l
have no doubt be has fully digcsted-for | tnka IL tor
granted that tho Executive would not undertake tore
port any plan 10 this Assembly which lHd not been
fully inHtured.
| entertain a high respect for the committed of Fl.
nance, and | have 7rad their report with n good deRl NJ
interest; but, cir, | differ altogether from The oonciu-
sious at which they have arrived. | deny the c-
hc!ency oi those %nivhsures at relief which they have
reported TO this House. After q labor OF two and u
hall months, they come here aud propose 10 relieve
the Commonwealth from her difficulties by q bill,
which, in my conception, is absolutely and un4usl!
iedly by unco1siitutional-a fact fully authenticated
by IN adjadica,ed case which now stands upon the
record OF tie Federal Court of this Commonwealth
Sir. this strict construction committee comes here
and proposes as II mode of relieving us from our dill.
fuuities, the making of bills of credit. Now, Sir, |
speak not Of the policy Of Tint means OF relief. ]
speak merely OF the constitutional difficulties which
stand between us and the relief which they propose.
The Constitution OF the United States says that no
State shall emit bills OF credit, and here We have this
proposed measure running on all fours aguost il, not
withstanding that an adjndicated case upon this point
stands upon the records. /, for one, cannot consent to
the relief Of the commonwealth upon any such terms
ne these. Sir, my objec. il offering that resolution, is
that tie plan Of relief proposed by ihc Governor
shall at least DO tried and, in doing this, | intend no
dlsrespect ~ any committed. | did not intend 10 pre-
sent tiitse VIEWS nj Ibis Stage, nor should | have done
so We're il not for the REMARKS Of the Chairman Of tic
Committee cI FinariC" SIR. GARSETT) ! had IN.
tended merely 10 sia!c the reisuns "!!:ch Infused ~
10 offer this resolution.
Mr. GARNET saii-Mr. Speaker: The rnInarks -;
tie gentleman from Washington, (alr. FLoTD,I make
il, necessary Tor re 10 lay so'nsinin. in r.ply. in do
Ing 50, | hope | shall not EXHIBIT any undue sensibiii-
~, It b.InS my purpose merely 10 vinGicn.r the
cours, "f tho committee OF Finance over which |
have the honor 10 preside. For M part, and ] b.
have can say the sam. of every DINER member al
iia: committee, | would willingly ccdc 10 ,oune more
worthy Individual that position which it please! tho
Speaker Ia assign 10 me. We have iahorcd diiigeit.
iy and earnestly to ~dlscbarge tie duties which de-
"niced upon u, aud il we hnvc failed Ia do 80, we
are perfectly willing that some more effective mss-
sure than we have proposed shall be adopted.
l will say 10 the gentleman from Washington mr..
FLOYD that If | was wrong in my riaws With refer.
enct 10 the ccnsilre upon the committee U! Finance,
iinplied IN the resolution which lie offered yrstsr-
day, ! lid not stand alono in that miscunceptipn, if
sucli It wes. Sir. | AK It such m Inference was not ie-
eirinaie. in view Of the fact that that resolution
prupoacd TO refer the whule subject OF F.
nance TO n special committee. / submit 10 this
House whether il WAS not taking ont Ut the hands Of
the committee os Finance, the whole butisrt which
properly belongs TO i'll Who. having heard the re.
marks vi the gentleman from Washington, can enter.
tain n douh, that he disapproves OF ii. ineasure6 pro-
posed by the mi Of Finance Sr, | do not
regard The method proposed by tbs Governor 10 raise
lnars as anything new ut all. 1t Is, to my conception.
n very old thing for n government 10 advertise fnr
loans. II lie Il method tia, has 'eon pursued by the
United States government; it is q iucihod which
North Carolina is now pursuing. anu which New
York has also pursued. | am not prepared 10 say
that il is Il vcrv visa method. Indeed, il wds II sub
jrrt vi frequent md prolonged discussion i'll the COM
mittcc over which | have the hnnpr To preside.
But, sir, il seems thar tn: duties Of this special
Committee will not merely have reference 70 tbs sub.
ject ut loans, which the gentleman di-dpprnyrs, Lu.
shall as" embraces The qIesIIon "a 20 Whether OF MOI
II VIII he c~Iprcicnt tG propose o:i;rr means JlIan those
proposed by the Finmicc Committee, which The gen
r!rniau de-iyna:-s 'the trio. construction committee
| do not knew that hi, ia = rep.uaCh. am :G"sclf q
str!ct constluct;onisf, and | an prepared, a: the prop
cr TINS, 10 maintain the strict cca5.!tui!nGa!ity OF this
bill, and TINT lhe ,rcasury notes ard BILL prIynsed 10
hu issur't arc not bIlis of Credit; and, also, that the
Supreme Court Ut the United STATES iuis 80 decided.
Sir, | think that II what the gentleman desires is,
20 place his own measures before the House, he will
have n full opportunity o! doing 50 in the sIGps Of
amendments. or h substitute. The sco,lelnGn las
not hitherto found II difficult Ia place before the
House such measures Us lie thought proper. II the
Committee OF Finance is entirely incorrect in its
views upon this subject, ii is no, for tho want Of sns-
gestions from tho gentleman from Washington, Mr..
FLoYD) Hu did not aid and assist us with merely
resolutions Of inquiry, as othe. gentlemen have done,
but he actually aided us with n bill. prepared section
by section. Sir. the Committee Of Finance has been
peculiarly favored in That respect. 1t IL the only
committee, probably, in tho annals Of this Houde,
tina. has bad a tux hill sunt TO it prepared, as | have
said, section by section. We hnve Ind the lllumina-
tions Of that gentleman massive Intellect, and if hei,
disposed still further to illuminate NJ, he IS at perfect
liberty 10 do 20.
Sir, If any or. can doubt the intention OF tho reso-
luton, tho genileman's remarks distinctly show it.
| propose. in the course OF tbs day, to ask this House
10 fix upon some early day TO consider this Who'll:
question. | sanil then b. prepared 10 vote for any
other measures which may DO presented, ii / ain sa:-
isied that they are more ratc.uul than those which
have been proposed. I shall he glad il better mea.
sures shall be prepared, Gu: when the proper time
comes, | shall be prepared To show the strict cnl-titu-
tjunHIIty and efficiency OF those which have been
prepared by the ommittc Of which | have the hon.
or 10 br Chairman.
Mr.. FLoYD-I have but a solitary remark to miko
in reply to these remarks which have fallen from lbe
Chnirtnnn If the Committee OF Finance.
Tits hardly necessary for me to di.claim again any
intention ns casting Il reelection upon that committee.
I have sa;d enough upon ;bat point.
1 an sorry, indrcl, that my efforts 10 illuminate
that cunLnIltcc, have SO signaiIy failed, a. least 20 lar
rs some of lis inembers are concerned. That com.
mite. had Il ::ullrt large ei'on.h to swallow Tie
mammoth bill cooke! up for it, feast, and no" it can
not let down Il little norsei that comes in the
shape OF q fcsD!uilrn, end comes when the gentle
men are shifted idii, nId wieg they iave gone
through the Conmonw salfh, aud through the Union,
into a corner of il, taking from every dish they could
lind, every mor,tl that wa. good aud properly cook
cd, uld after having di.csted il themselves, they are
not satisfied that this House should be entitled To any
morsei, except what is cooked in their own sauce
pans.
Eut tho gentleman asks me far the rensors TINT in
duced me to Offer this resolution. / say l Ooiy want
another hAl; for however much I cnni!e in the wis
lull OF that committee, / may DC excused Tor saying
that | DO not think them altogether infalllble. ltnay
bs great presumption in me 10 make such n remark
abou, the Communities ot Finance. but upon my word
| do not think them wholly inla!lible.
Suppose tina. In the Providence Of God ami the
mutabili,y Of human affairs, it sl0uld turn out that
the proposition Of the COMMITTEES ri Finance should
not relieve Us from nrr difficulties. VIVA; alternative
would b. LETT va This [ know is violent prc~ump.
ton, n mofstrous presumption in fact. Bu! suppose
,ba. these gentlemen may fail in heir proposition IN
pass bils ofcrcllit, may fail to raiee the money necessa-
ry to cxtricate us from our difiru!tir., where is the
harm, | hnmb!y ask, TO offer another proposition hay
!ns q like object in view. Why, air, when these
gentlemen With c"lors flying. and sail. spread,
aud steam uP-whi'st they aro flashing through the
mighty ocean Of politics and finance in their Irsn;
Collin i,na-why. i cay, deny to Other, the privilege