Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-07-01

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and England lies in this, that there
gaever has been in England more than
one assembly that could supply the
aodnts Of The sOUereiyR. This has al
ways kept him in state not of seem
ing but real dependence on the repre-
sentatiyes of the people for his neces-
sary supplies.
We have said that De Llome was in
frequent conference with Franklin
when they were both in England, and
according to his statement this very
subject was discussed between them,
De Llome maintaining that, if the
American claim to separate parlia-
ment having exclusive right to tax the
colonies were granted, it would alter
this cardinal principle of the English
constitution, and suggested that in
stead of 4 separate parliament the
American colonies should send repre-
sentatives to the English house of
Commons.
Now Benjamin franklin is the very
man who, in the constituent assembly
which formed the American constitu-
tiOn, introduced the clause we have quo
ted limiting the rights of originating
money bills to the House of Legisla-
ture. How irresistible a power it is
! if duly asserted is well expressed in
De Llome whom we cannot forbeaT
quoting once more.
1.-The King of England, therefore,
has the prerogative of commanding
armies and equiping heets-but with
out the concurrence of his parliament
he cannot maintain them. He can de-
clare war-but without his parliament
it is impossible to carry it on. For a
word, the royal prerogative, destitute
as it is of the power of imposing taxes
is like a vast body, which cannot of it.
self accomplish its motions; or, if you
please it is like ship completely
equipped, but from which parliament
can at pleasure draw off the water and
leave it aground, and also set it ahoa
again, by granting subsidies.
Franklin in proposing the claus,
showed plainly by one of his pith!
sentences why this exclusive power
had been delegated to the House il
preference to the Senate. He said
is maxim that those who feel car
best judge::" that is the idea, the Com
mons in England, the Representatives
in America are more directly in con
tact with the popular feeling than tn
, Lords and Senate respectively, tn
Lords are hereditary the Common
elected; the Senate is six years dis
tant from popular election the Hous,
only two.
1t remains now to be seen how tn
House of Representatives have carries
out this their undOubted privilege
their weighty responsibility, and hoV
it has been attempted to thwart ant
battle them by men interested in keep
ing up the proAigate expenditure o
the last ten years.
A most important preliminary wa
the change made in No. 120 of tn
Houses rules of procedure by which
as it stood, the committee on appro
priations was forbidden to propose al
amendment to a general appropriation
bill which changes existing law, witt
the one exception, that amendment
! increasing salaries were permitted. A
amended il was only the diminution 0
salaries that was permitted,-the Orde
as it stood had been in favor of inoreas
ing expenditure and against its reduo
tion,-but as amended this provision
was directly reversed.
They were now ready, and through
out the session the House has beef
toiling at its tedious work of curtail
ing the extravaganza of the last tel
years till its retrenchments amount Il
more than forty millions of dollars.
But here commences obstruction
2 these retrenchmeDt bills all have Il
pass to the Senate in which body al
most every one of them is nullifed b.
the insertion of amendments Festorin
the existing rate of expenditure. |
this is allowed the provision of tn
constitution which limits the introduc
ton of revenue bills to the House fall
at once to the ground; for any one Cal
see that if the Senate has the pOwe
of amending half million grant so a
to make it read million, then it real
3 ly originates half million grant of it
own: but see how carefully the Consti
tuition forbids this indirect neutralizn
of provisions,-its words are:
1.-THE Senate may propose or concu
with amendments as in other bills"
, 1t may propose amendments but no
, pass them except in concurrence wit
the House.
Of course the House returns tn
, billsI with the Seuates amendmen
stricken out,-the Senate refuses t
pass them in that state and there tn
, matter rests.
The result will be very serious
Congress should adjourn without tn
difficulty being adjusted, The pos
Office department. and all other branch
. es of Government administratio
would come to a stand still, and tn
Senate is trying to shift on to tn
shoulders of the House the responsible
: ity should this Occur-we think how
e ever that we have made it clear tina
D the responsibility will all be on the pal
of the Senate which is usurping funC
= tons expressly withheld from it by tn
5 Constitution.
1t is quite clear that the House {
! Representatives cannot recede. Wer
they to do so they would not only /
T turning their backs on their speci;
sworn duty, that of controlling an
e checking extravagant expenditure, bI
= they would be abdicating for themselv,
: and their successors forever prerogi
tives granted them for most weight
: purposes, responsibilities the mo-
$ solemn, duties the most imperative,-
d they would be complimenting away I'll