Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-29
coNGREssIoyAL.
me rax Biil-the House insists ON Five
Cents ON Cotton

GhlSNOLD expressed his belief that Eng
laho would gladly consume 100000 bale:
OF American cotton at price not less thar
| 70 cents per pound. No branch of industry
couldso well contribute to the national reye-
nue..
Mr. MORRILL, said that the general
| purpose OF the Committee of WAYS and
| Means had been to follow the vote of the
House IN all questions debated and acted
on by the House, except the amendment In
regard to cotton. The House, by very
large decisive vote, had put the tax at five
cents per pound, and the Senate had reduced
1t to two cents He for one much preferred
to have the tax FIVE cents, and at all events
it should be nothing less than three. He
believed that it would inhict no injury on
the people ofthe South but that they would
be earnestly in favor of the reduction on the
tax from five to two cents, which would
make sad tear in the revenue of the Gov
eminent.
Mr.. RAYMOND inquired what would
be the probable amount of diminution in
duced to two cents.
Mr.. MORRILL, gave the estimate at 81
millions.
Mr.. RAYMOND inquired further what
the denomination would be with the tax at
3 per cent
Mr.. MORRILL, estimated it at eighteen
millions. He spoke about the tobacco
amendment, and declared his opinion that
a tax of 20 cents per pound was little
enough. In regard to the amendment, al.
lowing gas companies to add a tax to the
price of gas, where such is fixed by law, he
thought refusal to concur in it would be a
species of hardship and tyrany, which he
would not like to be responsible for.
Mr.. GRISWOLD expressed his concur
renee with the chairman of the committee
of Ways and Means, on the question of tax
on cotton, when the subject was under dis
cussion before in the House, he had stated
that at % cents pound, American cotton
would be used in England in preference to
the cotton Of other countries.
Mr.. HOOPER, of Massachusetts,, thought
the sources of information rather suspicious,
as that great cotton spinner might be inter-
ested in the growth of cotton in India, and
would prefer to have American cotton taxed
cents per pound or more
Mr.. GRISWOLD expressed his belief
that England would gladly consume three
millions of bales of American cotton at a
price not less than % cents a pound. No
branch of industry could so well contribute
to the national revenue.
Mr.. KASSON thought he (GRIswoLD)
had entirely overlooked the fact that the ac-
commodation in England had been ex-
hausted during the war, and consequently
there was an extra demand at the West and
that the tax would have to be borne en-
tirely by the people of this country Under
this tax, and with a drawback on manufac-
tured goods exported, home goods would be
sold cheaper abroad than at home. The
profits of the Manufacturer would come not
from the foreign but domestic consumer
He was informed that at the present cost of
labor cotton could not be produced for less
than fifteen or sixteen cents pound, and
tax of five cents on that would be equal to
thirty-three and fourth per cent.
Mr.. STEVENS said that any man who
had studied history of soils, climates and
productions, must know that America could
produce cotton at less than half the cost of
its production in other countries. If the
cost of producing it in the East were 80 cents
pound it would be all bought, and tax of
cents per pound would not. therefore, stop
the sale of pound of it, neither would tax
of 10 cents if Congress had been wise enough
to adopt the Constitutional amendment. He
had proposed to levy an export duty of 10
cents a pound on Gotten. 1t would have
produced revenue Of from $20,000,000 to
S30,000,000, and the country would have
got some little pecuniary aid from those who
had caused the mighty debt of the nation,
but as that was not done Congress should
levy tax of cents.
A r
on cotton as one of the means of deriving a
revenue to pay the debts of the government
He believed it could be raised for q cents
per pound. Heretofore cotton had been
produced in only five States. He believed
it could be grown more or less proftably in
twenty States.
The debate was closed by the previous
question.
The House proceeded to vote. The yeas
and nays were called ON the latter motion,
and reported, yeas 81, nays As.
The motion to reconsider was laid on the
table.
The next amendment was to insert pro-
vision authorizing all gas companies, whose
price for gas is fixed by law, to add on the
tax. The yeas and nays were called for and
refused, ard the vote was taken by letter
48 to SO. So the amendment was concurred
in.
The next amendment, increasing the tax
on ready-made clothing, from to 5 per cent.
was non-concurred in. Also, the amend
ment on the same subject, making exemp
ton apply to those whose annual product
does not exceed 81, 900.
The next amendment, imposing tax of
five per cent. per pound on shoddy wool
from woven cloth, was nom
concurred in.
The amendment reducing the tax on to-
bacco from zoe. to 15c. per pound was con-
Cured in. The amendment in relation to
cigars was Eon-concurred in.
The next amendment, that of authorizing
railroad companies to add the tax to their
rates of fares, the amendment was non-con-
Cured in.
The amendments as to the income tax
were non-concurred in.
The amendments taxing State bank circu-
lation 10 per cent after the LIST Of August
next was concurred in.
The amendments as to dressed leather
were non-concurred in.
The amendment allowing apothecaries to
sell wines and spirits on physicians prescrip-
tions without paying retail dealers license,
was concurred in.
The amendment requiring the Inspectors
of Internal Revenue to diyest themselves
within sixty days of any Interest they may
have in the manufacture of tobacco, whisky,
etc, was concrrred in. This disposed of all
The House voted to insist on its disagree
ment with the Senate, and asked for a Com
mittee of Conference
WASHINGTON, June 8.-SENATE.-Mr.
BROWN offered resolution, which was
adopted, instructing che Committee on Ju-
dietary to inquire into the expediency of
by law for such reorganization of
the civil service, and particularly as 70 the
Postofice, Treasury and Interior Depart
ments, az will secure appointments after
proper examination. and to regulate dis
missals and promotions as they are regu-
lated in the army and navy, to the end that
the patronage of these Departments may
not be used as reservoirs of political power.
On motion of Mr.. RAMSEY the Com
mittee on Post Offices and Post Roads were
discharged from further consideration of a
petition for general law on the subject of
bridging the Mississippi river.
Mr.. BROWN offered the following reso-
luton:
Resolpod, That the Committee on Judi
eiary be instructed to inquire into the ex-
pediency of provisions by law, for such re-
organization Of the civil service, especially
Of the Postofice, Treasury, and Interior
Departments, as shall secure appointments
to some for specific terms after previous ex-
animation by proper boards as shall
provide for promotions on the score Of
Of merit or seniority and authorizes