Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-03-19
SPEECH OE JAMES EARbCC (. EsG
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SPEECH Of JAMES EARb( Z !, ssts
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Mr.. SEDDoN-l did rot vote Tor any 'a road in
1855 or SO
Mr.. BARBOUR sir, hs voted for little navi.
CATION schene. refer IL this with avew OF trsiing the
credit that ia to be given To the Recommendations Of
these gentlemen on the subject q, finances They
forward Last session with ,cit Of 81 6OO OOO and
the gentleman from Stafford could vote, under these
circumstances for appropriation OF $50 0GO 20 the
Co.l River Navigation Company, snd could the gem
ilemap from Harrison. With d-fcit Of SleOO 600.
they voted S69, 900 to little river navigation compa.
py, ou: somewhere in the Weston mountains. wise
foresight, magnificent fsrsser of the future The
gentleman from Stafford can contemplate with n. com,
posare deficit of $67 600; but deficit OF " 6'Uo
was nothing at all. With deficit Of $loUOOOO The
gentleman could appropriate money out OF an empty
ressuryhe could fpd out then how 70 gel money out
Of an empty treasury. The gentlemen rom Stafford
and Harrson standing there, in signt OF deficit o;
81 voted $50 900 out Of this empty treasury
6s applied to tho construction OF certain navigation
works on Coal river. Cannot the gentleman favor
this House with ha mod reasoning by which they
could arrive at Sapsev 10 s se S0oooy ou'
refuse 10 appropriate anything now, with prospect
of deficit Of only $o1 ,utO
M. SEDDON-Thst deficit was provided for in
stanty by an increased ts1aron and if the gentleman
will look into the record, he will find that dehoit to be
pearly $S00000 instead Of $4,000. He tells US the;
there are trsasurv notes that are included in this.
Mr.. BARBOUR will show the gentleman that
that argument will not signify and that be mis- under
stands the statements OF his own report.
Mr.. SPEAKER, the disbursements for the year 1888 :!
Estimated in this minority report. pays of .v.fy
dollar at treasury notes. and leaves deficit OF wv
In 1858 g. We pay of, act ordng to this minority re-
port. every dollar OF former d-hc'e, every delsr OF
treasury notes. and leave the treasury with oaabc7
against Of 8i2 snd in that .'ata OF things hesn
two gentlemen come here and tell this House that Il
is moral r3oesoy to appropriate aoaf eo %n men
they themselves in 1856 with dcnc" OF - oyv o.o
ern work. The chairman Of The Finance Committee
CT last sea-ion (Mr. GARSErT) voted an appropris
ton of 900 for the Virginia and Tennessee Kali
road. do not say anything that the record does not
eus,ain me In. Mr.. GARRETT ALEC voted for the ap'
preparation 10 the Coal River Navigation Company
aud Mr.. Seldom voted for it. Here is the Journal
and the record of the vote. Mr.. B., here read over
the the passage Of the Coal River Navigation
bill in 1856 The names OF Messrs. GARRETT. SEQ
Dos and JOHNSTON, were recorded In the sfh.ma
dive
Aud am Informed. Sir, by gentleman who was
q member Of that House, that the chairman If tho
committee on finance declared that he would have
voted, in addition to the half million to the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad, aoother half million to the
Covngton and Ohio Railroad, but wss cut of by the
operation OF the previous question, from the expaua
tloo with which he wished TO accompany his vote.
Are you not prepared, NJ. SPEAKER, TO withdraw
your charge, that il is fraud upon the Legislature
Of 1855 to make appropriations, when these gentle.
men, in eight OF deficit OF rearly two millions OF dol
lars could, at that very session, make appropriations
without committing q fraud How do you throw
that charge in our teeth hen We stand in sight of
deficit Of only $67 QUO asking loan o. $500 600 TO
railroad cannot charge that that $6U, 0OO to the
Goal River Navigation Company was not obtained
The log rolling principle. Sir, surely there could
not have been sEyhBg Ut that sort influencing those
e ntlemen IN voting tor that appropriation. They
must have voted for it out ofthat pure regard for the
public interest which told always con,rol their
action II there was any log rolling would Ike Ia
know what il was about. These gentlemen appro
prsed $50 0OO Of tha public money out of empty
treasury with deficit of nealy Two millions and now
they come here and say they cannot appropriate dol
lar when you have only deficit OF $67,OOO. The
gentleman from Stafford and the gentleman from
Harrison did q thing then, which they endeavcr 10
make you believe you cannot do. Now what be
cam. OF these $6O 900 voted away by these gentle
men think, sir, that when 'he winds oea and the
rains fell upon the chores o. the Coal river. that
$50 0U0 was found 10 be upon sandy foundation
oar much public money, appropriated and voted Tor
by these statesmen has been swept away by the ood-
They could give to the WINDS and tbs rains $6O U0O Of
the peoples money in 1856, and they cannot give
cent towards the crying wants OF your public u
provemen,s nov. They could thyop atedy public
money 10 sight of deficit OF nearly two millions o:
Jo!.ars, and they will not wisely invest the public
money in sight Of deficit Of S67 ,O0u Does not the
House see into the objects of these gentlemen Now
they are alarming you. exciting clamor and clangor
here, frightening you from your proprie'y, while
they themselves have acted upon principle utterly
at war with what they urge upon you. They rals-
ciamor that to do this thing. would be public iiiu
ry. These two gentlemen have not charged II a. 3
fraud because it would be rather cklish matter
make such charge after their own votes. but the.
operated upon the gentleman from Northampton (Mr
YERBY, who occupied the chair,l and excited
him 10 such degree, that his reason is blind
Cd, and be steps forward and auys, that thes-
appropriations outreges upon the lest Lsgisia
tu:e. Are any more gentlemen going TO be deceived
by these astute hpsnciers I do not weh TO touct
upon the sensibilities OF gentlemen The gentleman
from Harrison excepted to my calling him cunning
6nsncer do not wish 20 repeat these expression.
which seem TO Infringe upon his s-asib;ii,ies. nu;
really, must be allowed 10 admire that fnancs!
skill which eau get money out OF treasury wien
there 10 nothing 10 IT, and when il is overlad BY lie
hcit Of 81 $4,000, but who cannot get any out OF il
when there lie deficit Of only $4,000.
Mr.. JOHNSTON.-As far as the appropriation to
Coal river 10 concerned voted for il upon grounds
which cannot detain this House By explaining; bu:
voted for increase Of TAXATION TO cover that sp
propnstion.
Mr.. BARBOUR-WeN now, sir, the gentleman
says he voted for H. but he raised the taxes to meet
il. How much of this forty cent tax Gid he raise OF
account af that little Coal river navigation appropr:
ton Why, sir, on examination II will be found
that the bill reported IL passed, before The
Cosl river bill was passed. But how much did he
raise upon this forty cent tax to Offset that eppropra
tom Why. sir, the charge on the treasury was
about IS 900 year. One cent on the $lUU. raj ca
10000 revenue. 80 that the gentleman. AFTER voting
for tho 500 UO appropriation the Coal river nsvi
CATION company. may have voted to raise The tax
seventeenth of one cent on the BOO VIII the gen
t!eman explain 10 me, in what par! OF the tax bill Ie
pu, in shat seventeenth part Of a cont do not
see any fractions in tia bill. s.e onlC .nrnf
tax Of forty cents on n. SlG0 and do rot see the
;ax bill changed after tho passage Of The Goa
river bill. Il the gentleman believed that session
as he believes now, DO ought 20 have Increased the
amount Of the tax by putting on, in addition 10
the forty cenfs the seven. enih par! Of cent.
In what position does thi. place. the gentleman
!ron Stafford. Nr. SEDD"S) His vriaous indgua
tlon s raised at the proposition to Vote tho public IN"
pey to the completion OF the Or.nss and Alexandria
railroad though he comedies THAT II WILL in dc
gree promote The Interests Of his cnn-tuen's. H..
canna consent 10 vote the peoples money to ioca!
improvements like that bat, III 1856 he could vote
$50 QUO # the peoples E"ney TO build Nesterh
canal intended to enhance tho value Of eprou!a,io,s
10 certain coal lands in that remote locality. The
sptculaiors in GOAL lands secure the aid OF his
vote but his principles arc in HIS way when the in
terests Of the aardy and marofous agrcultu:alists
Of his own vicinity are 10 be promoted.
Mr. SPEAKER, my views in reference 10 our finances
fully pr scented to the House and to the country,
In the report of the majority OF the Finance Commit
tee. and there 10 no occss on for 10 enter upon
repetition of those views. If the results stated in thar
r.por, correct. then the pu-poes contemplated
by the Legislature If 1885, when they raised thr
e 10 40 cents on the hundred dollars, have wholly
failed. For what purposs Was that ~ o-n's ladi
When the last Legislature were in sss-ion ii was
ported. by the Finance Committee, that the st of
October. 1856 there would be deficit in the trea,
sury of 81 65O GIG 10. The Legislature OF 1851,
reposng misplaced confidence in tho official esti.
mates Of the Auditor, Mr. JoHEsToE, Of Harri
SON. bad failed 10 provide sufficient reve.
nue. for the current demands Of the three years ter
minatng. October lot, 1856. And the accumulated
de6cits of those ibree years, would that day, nc
c"rdng 10 The es'imatse, amount 10 the sum of
$3.50 606 ~ The Legislature OF 1856, had to levy
a tax which would bring in revenue sufficient not
only 10 meet the current charges upon the treasury,
but also TO discharge this large deficit. They deter
mined by mesns OF treasury notes TO distribute the
liquidation of this aefci; through period of three
years. This tar of 40 cents accordingly levied
sufficient to meet all he current charges upon
treasury, and in addition TO that, 10 pay of within.
the three yeara. the large deficit then existing speak