The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-15
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
THlRTY-FlFTH C0NGRESS---SECOND SESSION,
WAsHINGroN, Feb. IA, 1859.
SENATE

ment. Ten Senators appeared in their seats.
Mr. SEWARD presented the memorial of the Board
OF Trade of Oswego, New York, stating that the
provisions of the reel procity treaty between the
United States and Canada are not properly carried
out by the Consul-General of the province. Re-
! ferred.
Mr.. FEssENDEN presented similar memorial from
the Board of Trade of Portland Maine, asking that
the provisions of the reciprocity treaty may be ex-
| tended.
A message was here received from the Heuse of
Representatives, announcing that the House had
passed the Senate bill for the admission of Oregon
into the Union, without amendment
| Mr.. BAYARD introduced bill concerning the Of
| flee of the Attorney General of the United States
! Referred.
Mr.. BlGLER presented the petition of citizens of
pennsylvania praying for an increase of the tariff.
| Referred
| Mr.. DAVIS moved that the engineer in CHARGE of
the Capitol be admitted to the Senate floor in order
that the heating arrangements may be tested, which
was agreed to.
Mr.. SLIpELL said he decidedly in favor of the
! motion. AT bis seat the thermometer now indca-
| ted ~ degrees; while just in front of him, five
feet) at the seat of the Senator from Rhode Island
the Thermometer stood at 81 degrees. He could not
| stand this fire, and, if some measures were not
taken, he should make retreat, he was not ac-
customed to it.
Mr.. DIXON, from the Committee on the Post Of
hee and Post Roads, reported substitute for the
| bill aboshing the franking privilege
Mr.. GREEN moved to set apart Saturday next
for the consideration of territorial afars-the bills
for the organization of the Territories of Arizona
and Dacotah. -.
Mr.: CoLLAnER-T object, and suppose it there
Mr.. G. then called up as privilege question
the Indiana Senatorial election case pending the
consideration of which the revenue resolutions
| were taken up. .- .......
| Mr.. HUNTER addressed the Senate at great length
He remarked that if he had not been so intimately
connected with the tariff of 1857 he should leave it
where the Senator from Georgia Mr.. Toombsl had
lett 1t. The question whether they should
raise the revenue by increasing the tariff; but he
thought that if the expenditures of the Govern
H nsht were reduced, the present revenue would be
| fully equal to them. '-.
| The War Department had made too large an esti-
mate for its expenditures, because it had not con-
sidered the balance of the unexpended appropria-
tions, and besides, the Indian wars on the Pacific
| were now at an end. So with the Navy Depart
ment. As regards the Post Office Department, the
SIX millions OF deficiency could be done away with
Dy making 1t selt-sustaining-the expenditures of
the Government could be thus reduced to tifty-fye
millions per years. The postal service could also
be pruned The mail service to California could be
carried on for much less than it is now and better
service obtained. The Post Office Department was
vast machine which could be controlled by an
| irresponsible power. The Postmaster General had
under his control more men than were in the army
and navy.
Mr.. H. read statistical table to show the
alarming increase in the expenses of the Post Office
Department for ten years. Congress should con-
troll this. But allowing six millions out of the
treasury for this Department, the estimate of the
expenditures.
He believed that the public lands for the next
hscal year would yield a much larger amount than
the Secretary had estimated. All the great staples
OF production had increased in price, except the
cereals. He thought that, all things considered it
was unwise and mpolitic to touch the tariff of 1857
yet he admitted that that tariff was not strictly
revenue tariff, but he preferred it to that of 1896
he proceeded to review the tariff of 1857 and the
objections made to it.
With regard to the specific and ad palorem sys-
TENS, the former makes the consumer pay most
when he Is the least able, and least when he is the
most able. The specific system was open to fraud
while the dd udlorens was stable, and allowed
the consumer to see just what he paid. The
specific system concealed the taxation from the
consumer.
message was here received from the Presi-
dent of the United States, stating that he had
signed an act for the admission of Oregon into the
Union.
Mr.. HUNTER contended that there was no moro
likelihood of frauds under the ad valorem than un-
der the specific system, and the former was prefer
able to the latter; because man then knew
whether he was paying fifth or fourth, or what
ever proportion 1t might be, of the cost of his
goods If the present system of rotation in office
were done away WITH there would be no difficulty
In fndlng men able and willing to make faithful
valuation-as it was the temptation rather was to
oVer-estlmate the value off goods, as could be shown
py statistics He had caused to be prepared table
showing the home and foreign valuation of goods
imported into this country from France and Eng
land, and they showed remarkable corresnondenca
between our valuation and the value as shown by
the export returns of those countries in some wears
the difference being not than two or three per
cent, which was not sufficient, when losses by
sea, damage, &c., taken into account
ne felt assured, therefore, from these
facts, that the revenue suffered no loss
by the home valuation under the ad valorem
system.
so mucn Tor the uar1u 1907 Ia. ill.,. .-,oo, h,,.
the great State of Pennsylvania complains that it
does not yield sufficient protection to her iron inter-
est. He found that the duty "a per cent and then
there the additional protection of cost of trans
portation by sea- and the expense of getting the ar
ticle from The interior. He thought this was sufi-
eent, but at any rate he did not believe that pro-
lection here fitted the interests which if was nten-
ded to serve. The depression of the iron interest
results from the arrangement Of the currency and
the financial revulsion of 1857, and the iron men |
OF England have suffered much the same class
in this country.
Pennsylvania, with duty of "a per cent ON |
iron, came now asking for protection. He did not |
believe that protection aided those who sought it;
Tor under the tariff OF lS46 the iron trade
prosperous than ever. The manufacturers of Eng |
land had asked the of Sir Robert Peel, but he
wisely refused it. He believed that if the credit
system had not caused revulsion, Pennsylvania
would not now be here asking for protection.
He believed that could produce the manu- |
facture of iron cheaper than in England account
of our great national resources, and if the iron
manufacturer could be protected from these revul-
H.,
concluded by an eloquent peoration to the Ameri-
can laborer and American industry.
Mr.. PuGH presented the credentials of Hon. Jo- |
seph Lane Senator elect from the State of Oregon
MIR. GwIN presented those of his colleague, Hon. |
ID. Smith.
The credentials were read, and the Senators |
elect. Messrs. Lane and Smith, were conducted to |
the Vice Presidents desk, and the oath admins |
tered. On choice, Mr.. Lane drew the short |
term for seats, and Mr. Smith the long one. The |
galleries were densely crowded.
The Indiana contested election case was taken
up.
Mr.. CoLLAMER at some length advocated the |
claims of Messrs. Lane and McCarty to admission |
to the floor to defend their alleged rights to seats
as Senators from Indiana.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN desired that the contesta nts |
might be heard.
Dir. PUGH said they were not contestants but only
the bearers of petition from the Indiana Legisa-
ture and had no right to admission on the floor
There was no vacancy in the Indiana delegation.
Mr.. TRUABULL contended at length against the re-
port of Messrs. Bright and Fitch to their seats
Mr.. GREEN replied and said it was dsrespectful to
the Senate to ask 1t to reverse Its decision after hav-
ing once settled the question.
Mr.. BAYARD thought the decision giving Messrs.
Bright and Fitch seats was wrong, but like that of
a Court of Law was rreversible
Mr.. SEWARD said to declare the decision final was
to claim for this body infaibity. 1t was not a
Judgment in judicial sense because the Senate only
had constitutional and not judicial powers. He
should move to expunge the resolution of June 18th
and continue to do so as long he had seat here
The subject was debated with considerable as
perity up to O'clock when the resolution was
finally adopted affirming the right of the sitting
members by yeas 80, nays Is, Messrs Douglas and
Broderick being the only Democrats who voted in
the negative.
The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MIR. ENGLISH, from the committee on Post Offices
md Post Roads, reported a bill for the establish
MI. ) ONES, Of Tennessee, asked for the reading
Of the last section, which authorizes the Postmaster
General to contract for carrying the mail upon all
public roads when in his opinion the public interest
requires it.
Mr.. ENGLISH said this provision was similar to
one passed in 1852, with some unimportant change
Mr.. Houston, of Alabama, objected to throwing
my such responsibility upon the Postmaster Gene
al. He thought the House should regulate these
post routes and not expose the Postmaster General
% the opportunities of powerful and influential !
combinations.
Mr.. GARNET, of Virginia, desired the End section
o the Pacific, and to prohibit the Postmaster {
General from exceeding the amount of appropria-
ion in any year.
Mr.. 3ARKsDALE asked if the section applied to the
contracts made last year.
Mr. ENGLISH replied that it applied to all the pub
ic roads now in existence, or which may be de- |
,ared to be highways hereafter.
Mr.. kILGoRE, of Indiana, moved to strike out the
md section. i
Mr.. HoUsToN, of Alabama, favored the amend Q
nent. Whenever the responsibility could be kept |
rom the Departments, the better it was. When t
the door is opened to unlimited applications