Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-08-16
SUSTAINING THE GOVERNMENT.
A SPEECH BY THE HON. JOHN A. BINGHAM or OTTO,
In the House Of Representatives, July ~, 1851,

ON THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE BILL.
Pending the consideration Of the bill, Mr.. wckGc OF
Kentucky introduced the following resolution:
Resoired. That the bill be recommiiied 10 the Com.
tnce Of Ways aud Means with INSTRUCTIONS To report
an or befe the eighteenth day u tho session,
bin remudcing tho present tariff n duties on imports,
with view to the production of revenue. and H. IN the
opinon " the Committee, snch notifications will not
produce cquh to the demands of the Government,
meu that they 80 modify this bill as 10 Impose aH
money stocks aud mortgages In ihe list " taxation
Whefeupon Nc BfSoHAN, obtaining the floor. spoke
as follows!
Ma srglKBn The resolution " the gentleman from
snucky rontnins Two propositions one Is 10 postpone
tbc further sidcrttipn " This bill until the next sea
son NJ Congress aud the other proposition change
te MOLE N taxation from direct tax u unlinrm tax
uDn pcrs nal property, the wealth. A. the gentle
man says u HE country Touching the proposition VI
che pas'pIncmnnt have q word To say. 1t l. well
known 10 gentlemen every side VI the House that an
cucY % our Constitution aud laws thnndcfs this day at
he gates uftho Capital II Is also well known, sr that
the hus a, your very door, aud threatening
overthrow u our institutions, Is powerful In numbers.
a.drewlyed 300 purpose. Sir, ono hundred thousand
mcu az east armed rebels, within forty miles Of the
.JIi upon which nov stand. conspirng 10 shake down
th- p of your temple " liberty and 70 blot out Tor
ever Ibis last experiment " free representative g'ycru
To hi. view n ariirs. gentlemen on every h.nd say
chat ht loyal men uf The country n every section
bc called fron thc peaceful ayocsiias II lie, from the
quiet and sccluHou Of nome, % stand as wall oi hre
aloli your belcagcfcd capital Sir upon the first note
OF alarm. 20 thr first blast OF the trumpet, she loyal c-
hurAnN 20
huudred thousand sIong and hourly increasing The
mcnofNcw Eug where every sod sa soldiers scpul-
cher are here, ~ do their whole duty In this hour ohe
lau1u', extremity. Men u the Empire State orchcrc.
an oyal 20 the Constitution, The Of the good
old hyrouc state here, ready lay down ihcir lives
sacrifice iu defense of the country aud ts laws The
" he West, ofihe Great West. covering the valley
Of tho Mississippi arc here, aud they canning here hN
thousands and " tnn sands while speak upon the
cam, great purpuseihe defense Of the Constitution aud
Gentlemen concedc on every hand mon ofeycry side
hiatt Hrat.
about your capital FOR the defense N the Constu-
zion. cannot be sustained from this until your next
sHu uf Cmgtrss wiihnut nuucy The munitions n war
"i'h winch D hght your battles caunot be provided Tor
tIrn without MONEY. the bread which IL To sustain
ru n hc camp aud the march aud he field cannot be
furnished lhcm withou money, Tents and clothing TO
shelter acH 0om ihe storm cannot be Supplied githout
money. ihe transportation ncccs.sry fur successful
Yudcauun of hc Constitution by arms, and by the dread
nrtfamcut " battle cshnot be provided without money.
iH we'll known tht your Treasury Is empty AID in order
o. supply deficit and supply the necessary wants uf
te Government 100 this war 10Y the Unon against arued
already provided Tor oan N $3.50 Coz and you have
Ec 90 me u1ney market for the purpose ofobiainngii.
l fuu mot provide tie iusand that il what have
t-ay UPON The question " pnsplnement-ifyon do not
uHrcfsnr Another extraordinary session 20 be
'ed after as ' closed, % meet the interest upon this
cat Joan VI S2j000 900 and to supply the deficit which
t.c w W ahcr exhaustlng all other sources u revenue
i carrying lu even the peace establishment 81 the Gov
tnmtnt, desire 10 say, that II . my conviction that
"i'n e next W Jays IN view " the peris when SUI
r.uud us, aud in view " the present condition u thc
ney market, your bonds and notes will AL To 60
"lue dollar What will be the resu - Furiy millions
uucyoy hundred million " paper will 90 into The
c.tt. " thc Shylncks NJ Wall street.-The money men
90 hr uori A hundred million out Of the $3.50 00l CO..
t a} o discount ou yOuf Treasury notes aud nuuds, Is
O. ino the pockets ofihc stock gamblers aud dealers
htale 81 We postpone the bin and adjourn without
U.Uvdts additional revenue do not say that all The
mueyed mcu of The country would take this advantage
81 he pubii want aud tho public nccesstts but say
wat kune 60 be aiact NJ history. that IN all great cne-
pHar, uhpil au material interest. were Imperfect when
h interests dearest TO the human 'rtmb,d in The
balance, the mcu who The very first 90 bctfsy all
hat was sacred and worth piesefhy we're the money
That remark holds good. sir, ffgu the day
f Judas took the thirty pieces u silver fr the betrayal
d" Dis master untl ths hOuf am not here by The post
1ucmeut " this ball, uuy other bill which may De- Of
fred tp accomplish the purpose ~ this 10 play into
zoe hands " these the sacrifice n the material 10
tctcsts u the country That, sir, .s part which
afford 20 play, aud which 40 patriot will play IA this
rat national conflict
uu that we're all the sacrifice N material interests
81. ". % would Dc with a comparatively small euusI-
crtnua But hat saeihec Is not all which ia my Ipdg
untfp II ynu do not take some such measure tins
psen'y-apH-io sustain and uphold the country, you
% not he Anc 20 obtain any considerable PARTON ~
ny at aand 1t 20" fail IN his YOU viii not be able 10
, ,feutc 1ont var aud It may result that you will not
Do able 90 defend the CAPITAL against INVASION, be able
' SUSTAIN tr nre fragment ~ TIE Army uf The Union
nov here ] ufos out these remark. not alaunis
but FOR The consideration o. gentlemen
'if Sirs ker--1 have re'peiks make IA refer
ccr TO the other proposition ~ The gentleman irpm Ken
o. ky, which IT, that the Committee u Ways and Means
b. instructed go rep1rt bill assessing taN Hnf0rmiE
d. on she vhoc wealth Of the county The House know
vel that there is but kind Of lax under The Cons
lotion nf the United States that can lc appoftoned a.
uug che ycral States upon population. aud that IS
dIreet tau which idoludcs upon and, per capita
iS upon persons, or tax upon slaves 10 the extent
ttAf they are made the basis Of representation.
Sic Wickline--Do understand the gentleman to take
'nc position that the Congress Of the Uned states have
mode Of raising money BY what is called the taxing
system, han by direct tax upon land and slaves
Mt. Bipgham--i took no such position. statcd-and
repeat my prop0son-ihat there Is only one Kind OF
H under the Federal Constitution which can be laid by
appointments according TO population among the States
aud that is direct tar, as its called IN the Constitution
say that the Constitution confors upon the other hand
upon Congress, power to lay and collect aties which is
TAX aud 70 lay snd collect customs. which is tax to
lay aud collect cycises which Is tax and all these
frus " tsxaiion, Duties mposs. and eNeses, must
be- laid according the individual wealth Of the citizen
Of me- United states wherever he may BE- la ,he Union.
Ani irrespective Of The population OF the state IN which
De- may csidc; and all suh must be laid uniformly
THIS is 20 new idea. lis ic decision Of your couus.
Its the lanluage " your Judges that the word uniform
u.od ia lhe Constitution applies 10 al taHe-, other
tan dyer fares raised by he Federal GJyernment aud
therefore they mast be lai ua.foraig all the ciu-
sas u hc United states irrespective Of the population
OF the States 20 shieh they t.loug
Sir Il is because VI lhs limitation u the Constitution
upon your general power Of taxation thst oppose me
second proposition Of the gentle nan from htntucky
The second proposition Of the gentleman from Nentucsy
IT, lepeai that You shall not lay dfeettaE, but gen
ca tax not 10 be- appropriated among the several STATES
according a. their respective numbers representative
upplauon but be laid uniformly upon the wealth Of
the country This general thus laid would impose
undue aud unjust burdens upon the loyal citizens Of the
loyal STATES and almost exempt the Rebel States from
taxaon 10 reach the Rebel states you must lay dl-
Icct tax
Mr. Oln-Let me interrupt the gentleman. Do IN
dcrstud him 20 assert here that the Government uf the
United State, cannot levy tax of SO 900 go IN pre-
oisc the way that Ohio leylcs tax upon her ei'i
gems
Mr. Bmeham--I have not said any such thing. The
great trouble with the gentleman fum New York is ih-
that DE does the fact that while the grant II
power IL made Congress 10 lay aud collect taxes u-
posts, aud rxcseS, there Is thls further Limitation ~
the Cnnsitunn. f,t "lha capitapn or other direct
tax shall b. laid, unless 10 proportion TO the census oI
enumeration hercinbeiore directed To be takrn thus
clearly showing that capaiou l. di'rct tax, because
the Constitution SAYS cspitaon other drect tax
II the gentleman from New York will turn TO the other
provision 81 Constitution Ia reference " direct taxa
ton, he will discover il is provided that direct taNe
shall be apIor among the several States, accord
ing 90 their respective numbers, sc.
Mr.. Whit lad ~ wish u ask the gentleman whether
ehnpret Tor Congress TO lay an ad udsofeD' taH up
on and and slaves.
Mr. Bingham--I have no doubt direct isH. duly Ap
p'rlucd may he changed on land aud slaves IL was -
decided iuug ago The Of 1913, in aging direct tax
included jus, land and slaves aud nothing else. snd
never heard the eonsituiionaiy Of the act questioned
Mr.. McClenand-l find that the act Of 1913 includes
slaves with land, the subject 81 the direct tax Ae
oodng TO the view presented by the gentleman want
enquire OF him upon what principle i ia that slaves "e
Included in that act whether islands, or personal prop
cry, or as persons
II M Bngham-lhey were included as persons, hecaus
they made the basis Of representation, and It Is II