Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-11
raIRrY.F1fra coNGREss.-sEcoND SESSION
WEDNESDAY,, FEBRUARY y, 1913.
SENATE

rmarY.r1rra coNGREs.-sEcoND SESSION.
WEDNESDAY. FEBRUARY =. 1898
SENATE.
Mr.. Douglas presented the petition OF citi-
zens of Illinois, praying that further provision
NAV be made for the soldiers Of the war oil
1912. Referred.
Mr.. Hale presented the petition Of the New
Uanpshirc Baptist State Convention, praying
that the regulations of compelling Chaplains III
! the navy to Use the Episcopal form of service
be rcscindcd. Referred.
Mr. Davis said there was no such regulation
in the navy. r,.
Mr.. Houston called up his bill 10 consolidate
the two judicial districts Of Texas INTO one, ana
had il referred to the Committee on the judi
ciary.
Mr.. Bayard. from the Committee on the jar,
dietary. to whom was referred the memorial OF
Mcssrs. Pryor 4 lleisS, in relation 10 the a"'
v~crtising of the Departments. asked TO be- MS
charged from the further consideration OF ''e
same, and that il be referred 10 the committee
on Printing.
Mr.. King offered 4 resolution requesting the
Committee on Finance to inquire into the oPc,,
ration of the Canada Reciprocity treaty ana
the expcdirncy Of giving notice TO terminate IL;
which was agreed To-.
Mr.. Benjamin called up his resolution that
the Senate meet at II, \. NJ, alter Monday
next, for the remainder Of the session; when
was agreed to-ayes "a. nays "a.
The hour Of l o'clock having arrived. the
special order, the revenue resolutions, were
taken up, and
Mr.. Toombs addressed the Senate At great
length. lie said that the resolution seeming
" asserted a truIsm. but il WAS only seemingly
there was not 4 single sounl principle in II,
in its Lroadcst terms. The fist branch dc;lar-
c the c. ga ion of a large public debt in time OF
reace to be inconsistent with oar true policy.
Large and small are relative terms, 1.-THE re-
solution intended simply to say that it was Il
wise policy to meet the ordinary expenses o.
every government by its ordinary revenue, that
would meet his hearty assent. But the CON
verse of that proposition equally met his as
scnt-that the extraordinary expenses, or e'tn
the ordinary expenses, which could not DC
reached by the revenue in cDnSc Iucncc oil tran
sient causes, should be met by extraordinary
means. Ii would be unwisc TO change the re-
nue system, especially when the revenue Is
raised from duties upon imports. and more par
~ticularly when those duties are levied on the
ad ral0rem system, because in 4 single year The
receipts happen to fall below the expenditure.
He would admit that it was wise to raise d!'
ties. large or small, To meet the extraordinary
expenses by extraordinary means; but 1t Wa
yery unwise to increase the general revenues Of
the country; no matter how levied, to meet ten
porary deficiencies. This becomes very lmpor.
tant under our system. where taxes are mlinly
raised BY Gu ,tom>. The second branch Of the
les blu .iJu asserts that the present rcvr-
nucs are insufficient 10 meet the una
vo:dable expense; Of the government, AMI
therefore Congress should proceed With
out delay so 10 re-adjuSt the revenue laws ~
not only to meet the current expenses, but also
to provide for the gradual cancellation OF the
public debt. But the Senator does not say that
these expenses are necessary or proper or wise,
he does not say that the public interest requires
such an amount Of annual expenditure. but
that il is unavoidable" lie took issue with
the Senator on that question. lie declared that
these expenses were neither necessary. 'ior
wise nor proper, and that they should be avoid
cd. lie proceeded to show that the tariff 81
1857 would bring into the treasury AL the re
venues necessary for an economical and proper
administration of this Govcroment, ana pro-
missed to do so for long years To conc. IN d.
monstrating this matter, he said he should avail
himself of the experience of the past, the lights
NJ the present, and the shadows of the future.
According to the official report Of Secretary
Guthrie, the average Of the annual cXpcndl-
lures for the five years previous TO 1851, waS
ONLY about SIS, 01D, 600, and Congress wa>
called upon to reduce the revenue and rcplc;e
the overburdcncd treasury. In conformity with
that recommendation, the subject of the tariff
was taken up, and Il new law was made. This
thing was not done in darkneSS aud without
consideration. 1t was done By the deliberate
cooperation Of the executive and legislative
departments Of the Government; the House
being largely in opposition, and the Senate
largely in support OF the Administration
But that measure received the support oi
Goth parties it WAS Il measure not dis
turbci BY sectional feeling. South Carolina
and Massachusetts, the eyponcntS OF the NO
extremes of this country, combined in voting
for that bill in the Senate, and also. he bc!icv-
OIL. in the other branch Of Congress. The tariff
of 1857 did not propose to cripple ans branch
of the industry of the country, nor did he pro-
pose to do that now. lie was prepared TO car
~ the public expenditures not only to eighty
or 4 hundred, but even 10 one hundred and lilly
millions of dollars 4 year, or any other amount
that was necessary for the legitimate objects OF
the Constitution that are truly and justly for
the benefit Of the country. The people are
able to pay all the legitimate expenses Of the
government. His desire for economy would
not lead him to cripple any branch; but be-
cause We were a great, rich and powerful peo'
pie, he desired 10 keep us 50. He desired the
government to confine itself to legitimate Oh.
lcctS, not only in order to save It's money. but
for the higher and better reason OF not corrupt
ins the very fountains Of political power; we
should prepare for the future bv making the
country powerful and happy.
lie proceeded to alludc TO the remarks Of
Mr.. Biglcr respecting the inequalities of the
benefits derived by the different sections from
the postal system. lie thought the whole ope-
rations of that system were 4 mon>tronS out.
rage upon the laboring classes, ami he wished
to wash his hands Of the whole matter. The
expense of that department was constantly in.
crossing, and honesty demanded that it should
be diminished. But he denied that the figures
presented by the Senator from Pennsylvania
showed the real truth Of the matter. Accord.
ING to his reading Of the statements Of the de-
partment, the only States where the postal sys.
TEN was selfsustaini1g were Massachusetts
New York, Rhode Island and the District OF
Columbia. In the two latter the territory WAS
so small rs 10 account for this. and in the two
former more than two millions Of dollars were
received in hostages from foreign countries. In
all the other States, including Pennsylvania, the
Post Office Department was a burden. II was
unjust to lew postage ont Of the labor;ns classes
for the benefit of the commercial and manuiic-
turing classes: it was plundering the poor for
the benefit Of the richr These evils, in his
opinion, had sprung from the reduction OF
postage to three cents, and he hoped it would
be raised to 4 point where tina; department,
would be self,sustaining.
Now, when the revenues are insufficient 10
meet the expenses Of the government, he pro.
posed to remedy the difficulty by Topping oil
expenses; whereas the Senator from Prnn>yl'
vania proposed to lay new burdens on the bac">
Of the ncnnlc. The Senator had said that