The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-20

menI OF congress was eAPI0ooS~ 40
silence on the subject. II 10 to be re-
GREETED that the Executive does not con-
cur in these views, and again calls on
Congress to revise it's action, and to
suspend the writ of ha6eas corpus IS .
"almost indispensable TO the
successful conduct of the war" 1t the
facts stated in the Confidential Message,
alluded to by the President be the basis
Of the opinion that the suspension Of
the writ "is indispensable to the sue
cessful conduct of the war;" the Con-
gress does not concur in thst opinion
The writ has not been suspended since
August last 1t is not perceived that
the military reverses Of the country
since that period were occasioned BY the
absence of the legislation asked for.
In regard to impressments, Congress,
at the present session, has passed bill
declaring that the terms ''just compen-
sation." as used in the Constitution, en-
title the owner whose property is inn
pressed to the market value thereof at
the time and place Of impressment- This
legislation was considered necessary, in
consequence of judicial decisions in some
of the States, and because Of the diff
Guilty of procuring supplies on any other
terms. Indeed, it was supposed that
the Executive had reached the same
conclusion, as the Commissary- General,
on the Goth December, 1864, had adver-
tised that he would pay for supplies the
price fixed by local appraisement; which
is, in fact, the market price. The Presi'
dent, in his Annual Message of Novem:
Der last, did not call the attention of
Congress to any difficulties attendant on
the execution Of the impressment laws.
The present message, for the first time
during this session, suggests modihca-
tions of those laws and the rccommen-
dations Of the President will doubtless
receive the respectful consideration OF
Congress. 1t may we'll be doubted,
however, whether the present specie
value, payable in the future, will induce
the owner of property to part with it ;
and whether the passage of such mea
sure would not result in general con-
cealment of provisions, and consequent
starvation of the army.
1t is apprehendedj by the President
that some degree of embarrassment in
the management of the finances will be
felt in consequence of the inadequate
provision made by Congress and it is
intimated that some of the measures re-.
commended by him were 50 retarded as
to lose much of their value; and others,
after being matured, were, for the same
reason, abandoned, because no longer
applicable to our altered condition. Inc
only financial measure abandoned after
being matured was the currency bill, re-
commended by the Secretary Of the
Treasury and Endorsed by the President
in his Annual Message. 1t may be re.
marked chat the failure to enact any fiscal
measure, which has not sufficient vitality
to render it valuable and applicable fo'
the short period of four months, does
not deserve much regret. The currency
bill was recommended to Congress, AND
based on the condition the finances pre-
sented by the President in his message
and by the Secretary of the Treasury II
his report. 1t was abandoned wlthou
regret, because, at a subsequent period o
the session, it was ascertained that tn
arrears of public debt constituting cash de
mands ON the Treasury exceeded, by neal
lv four hundred millions, the amount or
c;ually reported to Congress by the Sc
cretary of the Treasury. The currenc
bill contemplated the reduction OF tn
currency to one hundred and fifty mi
lions by q conversion of treasury note
into 1.-THE certificates, payable after tn
war. and by an annual application OF
portion of the taxes in the nature of
sinking fund. The treasury notes r.
ceived for tithe certificates were to
Cancelled. The military 1everses, whic
impaired the credit Of the Governme1
t, such an extent as 70 destroy the sale
bility of any of it's bonds, left little hoI
that treasury notes would be exchange
for tithe certificates. AS soon as Il
. enormous increase in the arrears OF de-
, was discovered, as above mentioned,
, idea of reducing the currency was aba
doned as impracticable. For these re
r sons. the committee of conference ha
, ing charge of the currency bill agre
8 to abandon it as useless pledge OF +
ture resources without correspondil
present advantage. Indeed. if the b
had been passed the first day OF the 81
sion it would have expired from ina
I. ton on the 9th of January, 1868, I
day on which the Secretary OF t
, Treasury reported to. Congress the 9
ficit of four hundred millions, and
). commended an increase Of taxation
: meet it.
d The tax bill is regarded by the PR
It dent as liberal, though inadequate.
Y nation on earth ever conducted P
.. tracted war by resources derived II
d taxation alone. The message intlma