The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-20
CONGRESSIONAL.
Thirty-Fifth Congress First Session.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1857.
SENATE.

compliance with resolution of the Senate an estimate
OF the OF appropriations necessary to erect fort
at New Inlet North Carolina which referred to the
Committee ON Commerce and ordered to be printed
The Joint resolution from the House of Representatives
in relation to extending certain privileges to the clergy
of the city OF Washington who may ofcate chap
ans to the Senate and House OF Representatives read
twice, and referred to the Committee the Library.
Several petitions presented among Others
from upwards Of five hundred citizens Of the United States
praying for the establishment of the Territory OF Arizona
Mr.. CRTrTENDEN submitted the following resolu-
tons which lie until Tomorrow, under the rule
Reolped Jy the Senate That in consideration of the inan
cal condition the country and its industrial interests
az we'll as Of the and endorsements of the
ny the United States the rates Of duty levied under the
tariff act of the 3D. of March, 1857 ought to be materially
increased.
Resolved further, That experience having demonstrated
that the present mode of asceranng the duabe value
Of imported goods is productive of monsrous frauds in
furious alike to the government and the honest importer
system Of home valuation ought to be Immediately SUBJ
stituted therefor
rnEAsuRY-NoTE
On motion by Mr.. HUNTER, the Senate resumed the
consideration Of the bill to authorize the issue Of treasury
notes.
Mr. WILSON hoped that Congress would turn its atten-
ton revision Of the tariff and advocated restora-
ton Of the duties iron, and woollen and cotton
goods the fixed by the tariff act of 1885, which
he believed would have the effect of increasing the
something like two millions Of dollars. AS to the
bill under consideration he felt bound to vote for
ducton Of the amount of notes to be issued to ten mil
lions of dollars. aHR
Mr. HUNTER insisted that the issue of ten millions of
dollars in treasury notes would not be sufficient meet
the wants of the government and hence it would be
cessary pass another bill in January providing for
He thought 1t much better to raise all at
that would be wanted to give the Secretary of the
Treasury power to raise it as it might be needed.
Mr. WILSON said he should not be at all surprised it,
before the close Of the present session, should be
on for m mi Nv he
OF the Secretary Of the Treasury would fall
short nearly twenty millions Of dollars during the current
year Mr.. w thought the receipts somewhat
estimated and that the deficiency would amount to eight
ten millions of dollars than the Secretary of the
Treasury supposed In addition to that the Secretary of
War had asked for four regiments and the Secretary of
the Navy had also asked for increased expenditures his
department ard all this asked without any recon-
mendaon for an increase of the revenue, but on the
other hand the President in his message advised that the
tariff system should not be changed.
Mr. BENJAMIN advocated the passage of the BILL be-
the money needed to pay the debts not of the
Executive but of Congress As Congress had authorized
these expenses to be incurred it ought provide
for their payment and it unfair to charge the ad-
ministration with extravaganza because they
compelled in consequence of the peculiar and cxtraod
nary financial condition of the country ask for tenn
porary measure of relief
The bill further discussed to some Of its pro
visions by Messrs FESSENDEN, BAYARD, and others
Mr. SEWARD was not at all surprised at the late pan
ic md wondered that any else should be- He had
IL
not to the conduct Of the banks but the excessive
mporatons Of foreign goods and the diversion of CAPT
tai from the East to the West in the building of rail-
roads and the settlements in that section of the
country
Mr. DAVIS thought the discussion had taken a very
wide range but the proposition before the Senate
an exceedingly simple It merely to borrow
money to meet the wants of the government. These
wants had occurred in carrying out the laws which
enacted by Congress and why should there be any OBJ
lection to sustaining the credit of the government in
the manner proposed He referred to the remarks made
yesterday and to-day in favor Of protective tariff and
advocated the system of free trade far could be made
practicable
Mr. SIMMONS spoke at length, proposing several
notifications of the bill.
Mr. HUNTER was willing at the proper time and in
the proper place to go far he who would go urhest
in taking to prevent frauds upon the revenue
but this not the time for such This
bill of imperative necessity and he hoped it would
be encountered with amendments which irrelevant
Let the Senate perfect it, If it should be deemed imper
feet in its mode of attaining the object desired but he
earnestly hoped it would be allowed to come to vote
without prolonged discussion. At future time the tariff
bill or the warehouse system could be discussed just
well
Mr.. DIXON and Mr.. CoLLAMER expressed their views
the protection of American industry the sub treasury
SYSTEM and other topics to which ason had been made
during the debate.
At four clock Mr.. TRUMBULL said that he supposed
good could result from attempting pass the bill to-
night and several senators DESIRED to speak the
question: he would therefore adjournment.
Mr. HUNTER hoped the motion would not prevail as
il the understanding that the bill should be passed
tonight it would be remembered that the from
Pennsylvania Mr. BIGLER had the floor for Monday next
another subject and he called for the yeas and nays
the motion.
The question being taken the Senate refused to ad-
journ-yeas Is, nays ~.
Mr. TRUMBULL then proceeded to denounce the ex-
tTavagance of this and the preceding administration
ing that 1t was desired to expend seventy millions of
dollars in six months He also denied that any necessity
had been shown for raising twenty millions Of dollars or
even half Of IT,
The question being taken amendment proposed
by Mr. FEssESpEN, to Limit the operation Of the bill until
January. /, 1859, it WINS agreed to.
Mr.. SEWARD moved to strike out twenty millions and
insert ten millions and also to reduce the maximum rate
of interest from six per cent. to four per cent Both
and nays.
Mr. WILSON moved to strike out /" fifty and insert
ton hundred, that treasury notes should be
issued of less denomination than hundred dollars
which agreed to-
Mr.. PUGH spoke in opposition to the BILL He regard
cd it a strange proposition to from the demo-
cratic side of the chamber, to issue twenty millions in
shinplasters, for they nothing else He willing
to vote for it, il il could be reduced TO provide only
for the raising of much money wanted imme-
diately. He submitted amendments making the
treasury notes payable to order and requiring special en-
dorsement when they should be assigned transferred
Mr.. BAYARD thought these amendments would be |
very unjust IL would be morally impossible for the Of
fcem Of the government who obliged to receive
these notes in payment of dues to the United States
test the genunenes Of the signatures where there were
half dozen dozen endorsements and If there was