Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-02-15
THIRTY-FIFTH coNGRE Second Session.
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SENATE.

SENATE.
Messrs, Seward and Fessenden respectively
presented memorials from New York and
Portland respecting the reciprocity treaty.
Messrs. Lane and Smith, senators from Ore
gon were sworn, and took their seats.
Mr.. Hunter presented the credentials Of Mr..
Toombs, who is elected for another term from
Georgia
Mr.. Hunter then spoke upon the tariff He
began by saying, that the present issue is be-
tween high taxation on one side, and moderate
expenditures on the other. His personal con.
nection with the tariff of 1857 induced him to
review the circumstances under which it came
into operation, and the principle on which it
it was established. Secretary Guthrie had
founded his estimates on the opinion that the
expenditures for the preceding years, exclu-
sive of payments for the public debt, hal never
required more than S4S, 100000. The tariff
was therefore reduced by the consent of all
sections. Unfortunately, in the first year OF
its operation, it encountered the great financial
depression. But, in this year, as far as it has
gone, it promised to attain the amount esti-
mated by the Secretary. The senator from
Rhode Island had estimated that it would pro-
duce but $40000,000, but during the first two
quarters it has produced S23,000000, and the
probability is, that the last two quarters will
produce fully the amount of the estimates 1t
has done what it was expected to do, and the
question is shall we continue to use it to carry
on the requirements of government. The
President and the able head of the Treasury De
partment thought insufficient, but, after earn
est thought, he (Hunter) had come to a different
conclusion. He went on to show that the esti-
mates of the receipts from the public lands are
not overstrained, and that the unexpected bal
ance of appropriations, if cut down as proba-
bly, they ought to be, would reduce the esti-
mates S12,000000. The War expenditures
might be reduced nearly $4,000,000, the Navy
the same, and then would have as much as
was actually expended last year, and, if the
Post Office be made self-sustaining, it will
economic $9,000,000 upon the estimates for
the year, and we shall Chem reduce the total
expenditures to $55,000,000
There are many moral political, and fiscal
reasons for this reform in the Post Office. AS
il at present stands it is a vast machine of
irresponsible power. Here he read from the
table to show the steady and alarming increase
of the bureau of the Post Office on the Treas
ury, which, if continued at the same ratio,
would soon make it more costly than the
Army and Navy with 26,970 postmasters ex-
elusive of route agents, special agents, local
agents, and other officers, who make total Of
nearly 10000, outnumbering the Army and
Navy.
Next, he proceeded to demonstrate that the
estimates of the revenue for the fiscal year,
are not exaggerated but are rather below than
above the probabilities. He proceeded to argue
deliberately the advantage of ad valorem over
specific duties.
In addressing himself to the particular ar
gument Of Mr. Bigler, Mr.. Hunter said that
he did not believe that protection benefits even
th0se interests which it seeks to aid were II
for no other reason than that it induces com
petition and brings down the level Of the
profits
Mr.. Hunter concluded by saying that he
would open wide the door for the Seli-develop-