Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1865-01-31
C0SFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS
iaD C0NaREsS.-ao SESSION.
SATGspAH. JAN. 2S. 1865.

Chair.
Payer by Rss Dr.. Burrowp, Of ihs Baptist
Chnrca.
: Mr.. BAHxa, Of Fla, eff:rsd rssclutioh
II i.ng tho tsy Of adiournmeat. on February
10th. 1865. which wss laid OH the tsblo.
Mr.. WtoFALL offered tho following bill:
A BILl. 10 DO eutitlsi an act tn rraside that
certain evidences Of debt shall Is rsceiE BIS
ia payment Of taxes.
Sec. l. The Congress Of the C,rfsdorais
States do enact, That sll receipts. osIt ii sd
accounts, or o,hsr evidenoes of tda 7siuo Of
property puroh based or Impressed for tho use
Of tho Ccnlelerats States, whioh bavo bsen
o. shall hereafter be received hJ tho owner Of
the property from tho imrrssIrG offiNr CT
agent. .hsll be receivable FOR anJ tsx wh;ca
by law may be payable in CJnseieIata Tea
sury nosee; Provided, Chat such reooipt, C r
t.i.d account or evidence CT tho dchi as ntorss
said, shai! be rscsived by the collector onl7
from the swper tr party named th:reiG: but,
after deducting the amount Cf his tag.s, The
eollaotor rhail gi,s q recsips payable to the
ordsr of the party, for any bslsno6 THAI HAY
be due him; and ina suid reaaips shall te 10
esirabls By the collsG:o: who issued it in Fay
mene o: TIE taxes Of any reltcn who may PIE
SEM 1t, and shall give rsoeipt ss in ths hEs
instance, for any bslsncs dus. Every reoeipt
So ISSUED Ly q cOllsosvr shall bs receivable fol
taxes as aforesaid, and tho person presenting
il be tnitlsd to a reasipt far the balance
dus.
MIR. WIaraLL ssid that ia cT:.iaG t:.a bi!
hs was so,ussed by desire TO sss harmony
ouos moro restored, and to preveht hots o
oppression on the part cf officers of this gov
eminent. After briefly explaining ths bill
he sI!d be would no. press il q! this *ime, ::
any gsntlen,an desired 70 have isrsfsrrsd.
Mr.. WATSON would liks to tsa tho bill rla1si
on its passage at onoe.
Mr. Ssmxss said it wes en- imporssnt mse
cure, and ore effso.ine to very e?sst 1,en
toe currency of tho country, and hs rrelsrfct
having the bin referred to tho Usramit:ss
Finance.
There being 70 oshir n0tian, The l!il '.as 81
referred.
t!r. SruXsa introduced hill to "srsduat
the rsp0f central ofi, ,eso," whiah wa1 pss,
Mt. SPARROW, frem .hs Military COMMITTEE
reported hack sundry important bills, ant
usked to bs discharged from their further con
sidesA!ion.
Mr.. SluHIs proeert.d tho memorial Of @
@. Sseever, ag.ns of the Rank Of 'Louis;a5a
praying tho restoration Of cola seized, unds
suoc restrictions as Congress may iippotc
! wh;oh was referred.
Houae dill for the relief Of Tbs t,tsinf1
Mechanics I1stituLs, was read snd reicrre'.
The Senate than proceeded to tie oonsids
rston of Ssnuse bill authorizing nsWsFireT
! 10 bs mailsi ta nGldiors free Of p0a;ase,
Thioh wus passed several days siuos, hdF: q
| tie Presid ant for bis sig nature. aud rcsurae'
b3 that cfh,sr without his signature. A'9arn
psnying il was the fo!iowinE niossags, g:yir,
Lila Yess 1nb for snoh refusal:
ErsaAGE tF TEE PsLsrDENT.
To the Senate IF the Confederate States {
return to yodr hjhorable body. w:th2at hi,
approval, an 40. which originated 10 tt
S,nate, entitled " An act e. sutl0rizs nswa
nspers TO 10 mailed to sold,era ireo & pas
tsgs." ,,
The &C. provides thst all newspapers mail
ed Is sny officer, nausisn or private. eDsaged il
the sotual service Of tho COME iera.s Hsatsa
may bs transmitted thrcugh the mails lseo o
postage"
Tho Constitution, art. l. $50. s. clause !
gives power to Congress "to establish pos
tfioes and post routes; but shs expenses &
the Post Offl.,s Department after The first de,
of March, in the year Of our Lord, siShteaI
hundred and si1ty'th shall bs paid Out
its own revenuea."
This provision that tho Pest Ofios Dspar!
msut shall bo self-su:tainiug, Was noa hon
tanned ID the Constitution OF Our fIrmar adT
eenmsnt. IL is important that it's spirit sn'
object should be correctly determined now
hscauss many members of the prsscns Con
press wsre also members of tte Pruyisioni
Congress which adopted this now clause, an'
legislation by them will be deemsd hsrsp!te
to possess peculiar vslus as q PRECEDENT ant
ss oontemporsneoue Interpretation Of III
Constitution by tho.e be't acquainted With it
meaning.
1. was generally understood that the 0 ans
under consideration was intended By it
trainers to correct what was deemsd to b.
tw, great vices that had he.n developed In ta
postal system OF tho United States. Tho frs
was, tbs Injustice Of taxing ,hs whole reopl
for the expense Of the mail facilities aiio'd:t
to individusIg, aud the rem:dy devised vas t.
limit tho government to tho furnishing OF th
m machinery for carrying the mails. ard aom
polling those who might use tho facilities thu
furnished to psy tho e1penso thereof,
The second evil against Which .h's nlal4'
wa, intended as q taiegussd, was tie wsstesu
extrayagauns which grew out OF ito fraskin;
privileCo, with its attendant sbuss5 Of la'p'
contracts for stationery, printing, binding
3d., and increase government! patronage Nist
iss train of ocrrupting Influences.
With tsis knowlel lgs of ths purpose Of th
trainers Of tho Constitution, and Of ths esll
against which tboy intended to provide by tn
olsuse undo, confederation, cannot esosp
the co ,clusion that to authorizs the TRANSMITS
sion of any mail matter free Of postage. ia T.
violats tho trus ictsnt sni meaning oil to-
Constitution.
yf tho aot now before mo should bsaone
law, tho Post Msstor General wouil he boun'
to pay railroads and other carrier, Tor con
vsyipe newspapers to tho armies without r.
inburssmsns from nny,souros whatever. IL
could not be paid ont Of the general Ttessnr,
without violation Of tho letter of tho CGls.l
tuition; nor ont Of tho other revenues OF hi
D,psrtn ont without, in eHIeot, imposing ii
those who pay fJr carrying thar oN.a o1Fias
pontsnco. an additional charge TO oslro5 III
cost of carrying newspapers for o,hsrs:.
Ii IL be competent for Coeg'ss5, undsf IN
CLAUSE, 10 order newspapers to ha carried lfe
ii possase, the power exists @ ordcr tbs irs
tfaosmission of any other r1sil n;ats.T. Bn
ws must ever rsmsmber ,ha: Congress can ez
etcise No implied poxers.-eertsiaiY mono ~
necessary to csrry into eHsos the poRsss *
pressy granted; end whore shal! We h.d II
the Constitution, any power 10 tho Conieder
sts Government, expires or implied, Tor dif'1in
either the people or the publ, .eresn;a int
classes unequslly burlhentd with r1s'a
ohsrgssf :, ,,:,.,... ,,,,,
sn.O,slly treats Of Tho burthen ct tesat'on
sssIv preo.ution bas besn taksn to secure dn'
for,nity and to guard sgains: bountiss or pre-
fsrsnoos of any kind. and although not directl
applicable to tho subject Of post'g'. tho spir,,
Of tbs whols provision is 50 opposed % lntqo.'
itY II legislation, that tho passage may we