The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-08-03
Congressional Proceedings.

| animated. Among llc OlllS passed was one
providing for the building Of an iron bridge
over the Potomac at Washington, enc order
ing b ,ard of Cor miSsioners to examine the
compensation Of all the officers Of the Govern
ment, one to punish fraud in Government
contracts, one to define and punish conSp-
racy, and one to provide for the suppression
of rebellion; besides jpint resolution dccla-
ring that the supremacy and integrity Of the
A.! Union uist he maintained The resolution
! for the maintenance Of the supremacy Of the
Union was passed by ayes 81 nay Mr.
| Breckenridge. Messrs. Pearcs and Kennedy
| did not vote. The bill to provide revenue
was discussed, but was not finally disposed
Of when the Senate went into Executive SEES
| sion.
In the House, after a discussion Of some
length in reference to the day OF final adjourn
nent, which led to no definite conclusion, the
| Direct Tax bill was taken up in Committee
of the Whole. Various amendments were
| proposed and discussed but the Committee
finally rose without voting, and the House
soon afterwards adjourned.
SATURDAY, July Pin the Senate, the
joint resolutions approving the acts of the
Tenn, made very powerful speech in sup
port Of them, which ELECTED great applause
in the galleries.
In the House, the Senate bill appropriating
$4,000 900 for supplying arms to loyal cti-
zens in rebel States was passed. The House
then went into Committee on the Direct Tax
bill. After the discussion Of various amend
ments the enacting clause. on motion Of Mr..
Mallory, of Ky, was struck out, ayes So,
nays So. Mr.. Wicklile Of Ky, moved to
reccmmit the bill. with Instructions to report
on or before the tenth day Of next session, "a
hill remodrlng the present tariff, with view
of increasing the revenue. A debate ensucd
in the course Of which Mr. McClelnand of
H., suggested, as an amendment to Mr..
Wick lifts Instructions, that the bill be
recommitted to the committee on Ways and
Means, with instructions to reduce one-ha If
the amount Of direct taxes apportoned to the
States in the first section of the bill, and to
make up the amount desired by extending the
list of taxable personal property. Mr. Nor
rill, of w., moved, as an amendment to these
instructions that the committee Lc instructed
to report forthwith bill on the basis of $50, :
900 900 by direct taxation, the remainder by
taxing personal property. After some discus
sion, Mr.. McClernand's motion, as modified
by Mr.. Morrill,, was passed-aycs IS, nays So.
MONDAY, July 29.-In the Senate, a sup
Elementary bill was passed authorising the
| issue of IS Treasury notes. Mr.. Trumbull,
from the Committee on the Judiciary, to
whom was referred the memorial of the Board
of Police Commissioners, and also cf the
Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, ask ed
to be discharged from the further considera
ton of the subject. Mr.. Bayard submitted
their rights and the delivery Of Marshal Kane
to the civil authorities. After some debate.
, the subject was postponed until Tuesday. The
bill making provision for the purchase of
arms, and also the bill requiring all officials
to take the oath of allegiance were passed
The bill laying an annual direct tax, which
the House Of Representatives has had under
consideration for several days, passed that
body on Tuesday, in modified form, by Il
vote of - ayes to 60 nays. Mr.. Thomas was
absent. Mr.. Calvert voted in the affirmative
and MesSrS. Webster, Lcary, Chrsield and
May in the negative. Under the provisions
Of the bill as adopted the sum to be derive
from direct taxation is reduced from $50.
600 900, as originally designed to 500.
900 ,000-this amount to be appoltioncd
among the States according to the population
The States are authorised to collect the
money, and each to be allowed Is per cent
on its quota for so doing. fla State decline
to undertake the collection of said tax. then
the Federal Government is to put into opera.
ton the machinery for the purpose. The
Committee also add tax on carriages Of
from one to fifty dollars ; gold watches. one
dollar silver watches, fifty cents; excise on
spirtuous liquors. five cents per gallon and
on fermented liquors, sixty cents per barrel
or two cents per gallon. All incomes over
5000 per annum, three per cent, including
money at interest, etc. The scope of internal
duties has also been enlarged and the tax on
landed estates reduced. Every interest in the
country is taxed in its fair proportion, inclu-
ding tax on the net incomes of the banks,
but not on their currency or bank circulation
Salaries, including members of Congress, are
taxed. $4,000, 900 was appropriated for
the purchase of arms for tn. Government Ser
vice. Senate bill, providing for the appoint
nent of Board to reduce the expenses Of all
officers in the service of the Government was
adopted Mr. Cox, of Ohio, offered a resolu-
tion based upon the duty Of the Government
to keep the door open for pcaceablc adjust
n,ent of the national troubles, appointing a
commission of one from each State to report
certain amendments to the Cons titution : and
proposing the Hons. Edward Everett Frank
| lin Pierce, Willard Fillmore, Y. Ewing, Jas
Guthrie, Martin Van Buren,, and Rcvcrdy
johnson as members Of Special Commission.
to meet at Louisville in September. next, an
equal number Of representatives Of the South
ern Confederacy, and arrange the terms Of an
amcabc settlement Of the pending difficult
| tics. The resolution was rejected by nays
|