The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-07

mat, sir, Is old-faShIOned Democracy.
Again, object to this bill, because |
do not at present perceive the necessity
of Its proposed measure. Why, even It's
friends say that they do not know that
they will be obliged TO issue the amount
asked for. 1t is kind of contingency
that they are contemplating. Advocates
of the bill have said-and desire TO call
the attention of the House to the fact
that they did not know as there would
be a single dollar of this loan needed.
Twenty millions asked for, and not dol
lar certainly needed Well, how can we
perceive the necessity Of this loan, if its
friends cannot Why do not the friends
of the bill come forward and make frank
statement, and tell us how much they
need, and for what they need it, so that
we can vote Understandings on the SUBJ
ject?
But suppose the money is actually ne
cessary, which perhaps we must admit,
is this the only mode of raising 1t? Why
not sell the custom-houses, where the In-
come does not equal the expenses Go
to Pensacola, and all along the coast, and
do it. Go to the interior, where officers
were appointed to receive railroad iron,
away out on your inland rivers and lakes,
so as to save the importers from paying
the duty for few months, till the iron was
ready to be laid. These officials swarm
over the country. The railroads are now
| built, and the necessity for these Offices
has ceased; but the officers and the sala-
ries have not. Why not retrench Mr..
| Cobb's recommendation to retrench and
economic was almost enough TO create
smile, if it did not excite a tear, upon
| very monument. Economic! re-
trench" Please let me have twenty
million, gentlemen" Economy, indeed (!
Now, for once, let us witness a cor
respondence between the practice and
preaching of the Democracy. This would
certainly be
"Rara avis in ferris, nigroque similima cygno."
Let the Administration call in nine-tenths,
perhaps ninety-nine hundredths of our for
eIgn diplomatic corps. Is there any need
for their services? Are there any very
important matters pending between this
country and Spain Cuba cannot be pur-
chased with an exhausted Treasury. Let
that extraordinary envoy come home, and
the place remain vacant How is it with
| St. Petersburg, Paris, and other places !;
Let cOnsuls remain at all these places,
to look after our commercial interests,
and those of our citizens who may be in
foreign countries; and let ENJOYS be sent
only where, as their names indicate, eX-
traOrdinary events demand their services
This was the practice of the eaEier and
purer days of the Republic. But now,
ENJOYS extraordinary have become ordi-
nary affairs. When individuals become
embarrassed, it is usual to dismiss all UNI
necessary servants. Let the Administra-
ton do the same.
But let us look at the estimates. The
Secretary, in his report, says that he had,
on the 1st Of July, 1857, S17710,000, and
that the collections for the quarter ending
September 30 were over twenty millions,
making in all S38, 800, 900 in round num-
bers. Now, if he collect $4,000, 900 for
the present quarter, which is his estimate
he will have had $50, 900, 900 to cover the
expenses of six months. Is not that
enough for an Administration that recon-
mends economy and retrenchment? Is
tins Administration going TO push the ex-
penses of the present year to one hundred
million dollars?
Mr.. ]. CLANCY JONES. The necessity
for this measure arises from the fact that,
instead of dutable goods being Withdrawn
from the bonded warehouses, and the
duties paid, they are still kept in the ware
houses. In consequence of consumption
having ceased, the Secretary has called on
Congress to give him the power to issue
these Treasury notes, in the contingency
of continuation of this state of things
Does the gentleman not know, that al
though estimates may be correct, yet, in
case goods are not Withdrawn from the
warehouses, the duties are not paid into
the Treasury? And does he not know
that there is danger Of deficiency in less
than month from this time?
Mr.. LovEJoY. | take the estimate of
the Secretary of the Treasury, as to what
has already accrued and come into the
Treasury, and it amounts to S38, 500 900,
up to the 30th Of last September, and now
he wants to pile S20,000,000 more on
that.
Another objection that | urge is to the
amount proposed TO be raised [ would
like to call the attention of the House TO
this fact, that have not heard any gentle
man urge anything that squinted towards
the necessity of this $50, 1000. They
do not know that dollar will be wanted
And yet they want to give the Secretary
of the Treasury the privilege of drawing
for $40, OO0, 000-more than half enough
to support the Government economically
administered during the entire fiscal year.
object, therefore, TO the amount. | want
TO propose an amendment to insert six, y
In lieu OF twenty" in this first section
Ii l understood the Secretary Alright, he
proposes to issue 100000 right off, on
these plates that are already waiting to
have the stamp, and then he proposes to
borrow the rest if he can. | move to
amend the first section of the bill BY
striking out the word "twenty," and in
sertlng in lieu thereof the word 'ssix."
The CHAIRMAN. That amendment will
take precedence of the amendment of
the gentleman from Massachusetts. IMr.
Banks.
Mr.. LovEJoY. | object to the bill in
the fifth place, Mr.. Chairman because
there IS no mode provided to repay this
loan. 1T seems to be a matter of com
mon economy, that when man runs in
debt, he shall have some idea of how he
is to pay it, if he means TO be honest.
There is no provision here, and no allu-
sion to any mode of repaying this indebt-
edness., How is it going to be done :
The Secretary of the Treasury says that
this state of things is temporary; that this
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