New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-13
Mr.. SUMNER ON APPROPRIATION BILLS

WWhn,eyer the Senator from \ ew- OK VI. se"arIl
teaches lie handles with completeness which y apt 10
nd, auvbipp superfuous from one who follow on
he same side. but the opposition which bis views have
encountered from the Senator from rgina MI Hun
teri and also the intrinsic import ance o. lne @
NAV u,fy an effort 20 state anew the argn nent We
are carried frst 10 the words OF the CO9sthucon'
which are a. follow
I'm bill, for raising revenue .h. originate IN. Hone
Of RepeseIt,;iyes; but the senate may ppoe OF conc WIZ
Amendments. a. with otter bti. -
Under this provision tie ANIMAL appropriation bil-
for the Army, Navy Post-Oice, and civil aud diplo-
matte service from the beginning OF the Government
baxe originated in the House Of Repr senatves, aud
this kns ALWAYS been done, believe, without question
II Is now proposed TO reverse this standing policy ana
10 originate hese bs in the Senate; ana TINS propo
,ition has the sanction Of the COMMITTEE on tnance o.
this body. The proposition Il clear deparure from
aud on this account must he regarded with gus
picon. slight examination wall demonstrate that
lends 10 a subTertiOn of w.-eetablshed Iandnark-.
Rv looking al the debates N the convention whlch
f3med the Federal Constitution. will be found that
ts cause yfs not hastiy carelessy adopted; thit
il was the subject Of much discusslon ana that II wa
viewed as essentially important IN establishing tne
system OF checks and balances peculiar 10 our kepuo
lkc II was indeed. a part of the compromise be-
tween the small states and tie large States. After
much consideration, the eqn0l"g Of me Std<' was
recognized in tie constitution OF the senate, anu s
states Ike Delaware and Rhode Island, were allowed
in this body equal power with large States Ike frgn-
il and Massachusetts. But this great concession 70
the small States was coupled at the time with con
diiCn that =" money bills thOuId Originate III INC
House Of where the people were repre-
Feuted according to numbers. The language finally
emrloved wac " All bills for raising revenue saal
"orieinate in the House Of Representatives, Ana
tLs was adoptedas compensation to the large 8au
ropuous States for their comparative weakness IN the
senate That do not 20 too far when eau II a parI
Of the compromise between the great states and snaA
Siates let me show, from the authentic report Oy NJ
Madison. Of the debates in the Federal Convention,
how il was regarded there. 1t owes IT authoritative
introduction TO Dr. Franklin, who moved 1t IN the
Committee which subsequently reported It. tElot
Debates, vol. v, p. 274.) Aterward, IN ConVeh'ou
Wien tie clause relating TO eguGlty Of r0ies was IN
DER consideration, have this report of what be sad
Dr. Franklin observed that this question could not be
1yt1aI eondition, of ea.h other could
FOR it sIsatey tskeni but should vote for t1e %n'e
iogciAer." Ibid P ~
Col. Mason of Virginia was of the same opinion
and desired "tbat the whole might be brought INTO one
r7nr." Mr. Gerry Of Massachusetts followed up the
idea Of the mutual dependence OF the two propose
"He would not say that the concession Sufficient one
on tsrt Of he small States but lie could not but rad IN
eJe that the second branch not Possessed Il rae conn
dence Of Die IeoIle In p0aey Hdtfe lr,eS-e s, 10 L,
breadth Of this eHIresonl which would lessen i I'LL
Mr. Pinckney of South Carolina followed, saying:
thought EVIDENT that tie concession was wholly on ono
side that Of the large States the privilege Of originating 'H'y
At later stsge Of the debates, the subject was re-
sumed and the two propositions still appear togethef;
Nj kuledse Of South fsTons PIoPosea TO & 5
H. she5,5a Of Connet wa. for the question the
whole II ne sSd, aeoneiao'gPan 1t had oeea
M Luther Marin Of Maryland urged the que'tion on the
whole lie aid no, like many parts OF the PLAN " lie
was willing however make trial Of the plan rather th,n DO
MI Gerry Of Massachusetts, did not approve Of recon.
sideet.on OF the clause relating TO money qua 80
suence. II was the eorHs''oRe nc
At sl later stage Mr. Pinckney moved to strike
ont the section money bills " as giving no pecu,dl
advantage to the House OF Representatives, ana as
" clcggiug the Government" Mr.. Gorham was
against allowing the Senate to origiHa'e, but was
"wling TO allow il only to amend Mr.. Gouyerneur
Monia urged that it particularly proper that the
" Senate should have the right OF originating m0nty
"b,Hs. They will sit constantly, will consist OF
" smaller number, and will be able to prepare such
bills with due correctness, and 20 10 prevent deay
of business in the other House To all tins, Col.
Mason Il Piled i'll the strong language which seems 10
have been natural TO him, that " be was unwulhg 10
travel the ground again. 10 sTHe GU, III.
section t~aS 10 uyhinge the compromise Of @h'ca -
" made a pdrf." (Ibtd., 3st) might adduce other
authorities but here surely enough to show thet the
provision in question was IN reany one Vi 'he
important compromises OF the Constitution. Ana
this brings me, Sir, to the precise meaning OF
the provision. The seeming indehnteness OF me
fern, d" bil,s for raslDg revenue, may, perhaps,
fuuieh apology for the present effort. IL may
be argued thb' while the Senate is placed under CERTAIN
restrictions il NAV nevertheless, originate ApprO-
priation bills" This, OF couise, question OF lute
probation. Does this intedct upon the Senate extend
TO the bills by winch money i appropriation W Tic s
port Of Government well as to those bills by whch
i, is directly obtained Are appropriation bills IN
Guided under 'he term bills for raising revenue
Now cannot join with the opinions 20 confidently ex-
pressed by the Senator from Virginia Mr.. Hunter
ard the Senator from Georgia, MIR. Toombs. that 1t
was clearly the intention of the Constitution to concede
to the Senate the pewer OF originating oil appropriation
bills; nor Gil the other hand, DO assert that such ex-
ercse OF power Is in the strict sense, uncOntltulona
approach the question US an inquirer, anxious to mad
the real purpose of the fathers There are several con
derations which seem to shed light on the path to our
conclusion.
and lar-e States can be made completely effective,
according TO the obvious intent OF the authors OF the
Constitution only by interllctlng the Senate from
originating the great appropriation buls II this inter-
dict j. restrained simply tariff bills which only
at rare interval il becomes very inadequate COM
pensaton for the surrender made by the large States
10 the small States in the constitution II the Senate
According TO the of the rule, the great GpprO
priation bills must be equally within its intendment
The reason is strong in in the other. In
the &c bates Of the Convention DR.. Franklin said that
"as il had been asked what would be the u-e OF re-
"s;raiuing the second b.anch from meddng with
money 6.Hs he could not but remark, that it was
ALWAYS Of importance that the people should know
who lad disposed Of their money, aud k0'r Il had
been Disposed Of Please, Sir to mark these words.
4" 1t was maxim, that those who feel best judge.
This end would be best attained if money AFFAIRS
were 10 bC confined 10 the immediate representatives
(" oftLe people" lEhots Debates, vol. s. D. es4l NJ.
Gerry in urging the restraint upon the Senate, said,
Z" the other branch was more Immediately the rcnrs-
sentatives OF the people and q aarin "a
tie people on GIT 10 hold The pHrse-sfr,Hgs.' (I5d.,
lssD How sir, they hold the purse-,trngs unless
they hold the blls by which the pune is appropriated
Ard Col. Mason brUke forth in language which clearly
reveals s OF the danger against WI len we shcud
guard. :" Ii the senate" said be, "cau originate,
they VIII, IN the OF the legislative sessions,
hatch their mischevou projects for their own pur-
pose and have then n0ECy bills cut and dried 10
u. common phrase for the meeting OF the House
Of ReYrrst Natives" ibid, 49, | repeat then,
according the OF the rule the great appro-