Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-03-27
y-ssCOn Congress-
SECOND SESSION. Z
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4
the following resolutioR:
Resotged, That the committee OF
finance be instTucte& to report an
amendment to any tl reducing the
taxes which shall reae8l the insarnal
revenue laws now in force imposing
taxes, as follows: * on nlnmiua-|
ton; gas taxes impose by section Lie
Of the Internal revenue act ei 1854, as
subsequently, amende and all taxes
payable tIy stamps, eeept such IS re-
late to distilled spkits, feTmented
liquors, tobacco, snuff ana cigars.
Senator Morton obi issked TO its pres
ent consideration, an il Senator Nor
rill Withdrew the resolution.
The tariff bill then came up.
Senator. Scott moVed to lay aside
the tariff bill for the pRrpose OF taking
mp the house bill to make tea and cot
fee free.
Senator: Sherman said that the tea
and coffee trade was Earalyzed by un-
certainty as to the action OF congress,
and for the purpose of ascertaining
the will of the senate on the subject
hs would agree that the house bill
making lea and coffee fee should be
taken up, though he would not vote
for it.
The house bill was taken up, and
Senator Scott offered Ia amendment,
providing that it should go into effect
on the LIT of April next. Also, that
tea and coffee in bond ON the 1st of
July shall be free, and that the duties
that shall have been paid on tea and
coffee In bond on that day be refund
ed.
Senator Trumbull moved an amend
ment so as TO put salt on the free list
on and after the passage OF the act.
Senator Hamlin suggested that he
shSuid aid coal but Senator TfumbuIl
said be preferred TO have them voted
on separately.
Senator John Sherman said that il
these amendments were passed they
would defeat the object he had in
view in consenting to lay the tariff
bill aside.
Senator TrumbuIl said that he wish !
ed to bring the senate to direct vote
on salt, and he said that the people
would be relieved Of five times as
much per head by repeating the duty |
on wooden goods Is by making tea |
and cOffae free.
Senator Morton said that ne believ- |
ed We could make tea and coffee free,
and make the proposed reduction OF |
ten per cent. on the articles enumer- |
ated in the second section of the SEN
ate tariff bill, and repeal all the in |
ternal revenue taxes except on spir- |
its, fermented liquors and tobacco, |
and still pay of fifty millions of the |
public debt next year; and therefore |
he gave notice that he would offer an |
amendment, leaving tea and coffee |
1ree, and repeating ali laws imposing /
taxes by stamps, except on spirits, fer |
mented liquors, snuff and cigars, and !
all laws imposing takes on gas; the /
repeal to take effect October 1, 1872.
Senator Scott said that If Morton's 1
amendment should prevail, he [Scottl |
would think il a waste of time to con-
slider tho house bill further, and would
yield the whole subject again to the
chairman OF the COMMITTEES on finance.
On motion OF Senator Sherman, the
question was then taken on Trum-
BULBS amendment to include salt, and |
it was rejeeted-yeas 10, nays 20.
An amendment to include coal was
also reFicted-yeas II, nays %.
Senator Morton then offered as an
amendment to the house bill the
whole Of the tariff bill reported from
the senate relating to tea and coffee.
Senator Scott appealed to him to
withdriw the amendment, bat ne de-
elined to do so.
The amendment was then rejected
yeas p, nays 26.
Senator Morton then offered the
amendment OF which he had given
notice.
Senator Morrill, rof Vermont Of
fered the free list in the senate bill as
a substitute for Senator Morton's
amendment.
Senator Sumner said he would vote |
Tor Senator MOTton's amendment. al /
though he regarded 1t as ;neomDiete.
because it would leave undistuTbed |
the tribe of internal revenue ofiUe-
holders now burdening the country.
This ought not to be left to the discre- |
tiOn Of anybody. The bill ought to |
contain a positive provision OF exter-
mination OF the whole tribe.
SsnatOr Morton said the secretary Of |
the treasury had power to discharge |
unnecessary revenue officers, and that |
it must be left TO him or some execu-
tive officer to judge how many could |
be spared.
Senator Morrill's substitute for Sem
atOr Mort0n's amendment was adopt |
ed-yeas "a, nays 13.
A duty of ten per cent. on textile |
fabrics and manufactures of iron,
steel, earthenware, glassware, leather /
and lndia-rubber, was agreed to
yeas ~, nays17.
Senator Sherman gave notice that
tomorrow he would offer the tariff
bill as reported from the committee
on finance as substitute for the pend
ing house bill.
Senator TrumbuIl said he would re-
new the amendment to make salt
free.
Senator Robertson introduced bill
to secure uniformity in the gauge Of
the railroads of the United States,
providing that the pOstmaSter-general
shall require as one of the terms of
contracts with railroads for carrying
the mails that the gauge shall be four
feet eight and one. half inches, and
at the expiration of One-half of the du-
ration such contracts shall be subject
to reduction of one-fifth their pay
therefor, and also requiring the de-
partTnent in making contracts for car
rying through mails to discriminate
against railroads that have other
gauges. These provisions do not ap-
ply, however to narrow-gau roads,
gauges which do not exceed three feet
six inches.
Several other notices of amendments |
were given and the Senate adi0urned- |