The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-02-15
Continued from First PAGE.

Mr.. Hill, OF mime. inquired whether the gem
tleman Endorsed the prosecutions that have
NE. Gibson replied II these men were guilty
of violation OF the law the prosecutions were
MT MI. Hale said as he understood it the gentle
man did not discourage these prosecution. a..
MI. Gibson-I inquire ia a. turn ,ara,r whethef wy
repiea hat 6fi The gentleman wanted
his views. he would say he regarded the prose,
cuton as the greatest outrage In our poeiahai
MI. Gibson said that Mr.. Hale had awnys de 70,
noIlpced the people Of Louisiana, ana ne trestteu
the gentlemans remarks with coatem ~, ,a .ao
trials referred to were conducted under the l,tWs
Of the State and he wanted to know by what rlRas
the House could be made, y revisory BOARD .L o.
Whale effort Of tbe Nichols govern ment was to
restore law and order The. personal liberty p! OF
the citizen was as secure IN Louisiana w. ~
Mime IL any Ong WAS done to the persons
Under trial they had the right Of appeal Ii
after conviction ii could be shown that 1T re,
suited from vicious public sehsineas a ng nau
nous gentleman who was Governor 81 Aoahsi-
ana would grant free pardon. a aas,rea
to ask question. ICries Of moi" MOP On the
Democratic sided ,
Mr. Leonard insisted upon being heard, and
was met with calls for tho regular order.
Mr.. Hale. of Maine, asked to be heard, pus CD
jeetion was made to him ALSO.
Mr.. Hale said he would lind an oppor.nn11. Ivy
to speak and he then moved to adjourn. the
purpose being apparently to delay tune anu
force consent to his speaking IN reply TO Mr.
Gibsor.
The Speaker said he had an important com
mum, alton from the Secretary Of the TREASURY,
which involved no political question. but when
astea permsston e b present Il g the House.
Mr.. Hale withdrew his motion for that pur-
pose. and the Speaker then had reaIsa ie.Ier
copy Of communication from the onmm,s-
sioner OF Internal Revenue, stating Una. me ~
,rtt fho ia m
a decrease of 81 ,969, 2ts Sc. g.
One cause of the decrease was suggested TO
be the agitation Of the question OF the reduotion
OF The tax On spirits and tobacco. The attention
of Congress is called to the subject. and as there
is prospect OF a like falling Off in the coming
year. the Secretary fe els bound to recommend
either a reduction in the appropriations Tor the
expenses of the government or an increase OF
The letter of the Commissioner Of Internal
Mr.. Wood. of New York. thought Il was an
to tha the ,e 81
ton had the effect Of causing this diminution Of
revenue. II the letter was construed to imply
would take issue with the letter. Congress, has
taken 9n The Way
questions, and pending action values are more
or less affected. and he attached no Importance
he 81 the Treasary to die
tate to Congress. he goes beyond his executive
prerogative -, :, ,..,a
penses of the government and the appropria-
priations therefor ought to be reduced and cur
tailed. and he would therefore move the refer
ence OF the letter to the Committee on Appro-
Mr.. Atkins of Tennessee. inquired II it would
not have been proper for the Secretary while
suggesting these resolutions, TO send in revised
MIR. Wood thought the inquiry pertinent, and
when, the Secretary performed. u, that duty 1t
the curtailment Of appropriations could affect
current fseal year, and for this year the appro.
priations and expenditures had been made. and
no reduction would afford relief for this year.
The true remedy was to definitely and imme-
diately settle the question Of the taxa ion OF the
two great staples of taxation, whisky and to-
baeco. Great wrong was being done to the rev
ing the question unsettled. Let the House take
direct vote, and decide and fix the matter.
Hesitation PROPOSED " The he question q taxation
was one which should be SCI tied as whole.
Mr.. Tucker ot Virginia. said the letter showed
system OF taxation. It was SO great that the tax
could not be collected. and thatis what the Com
mittee on Ways and Means has said all along
resolutions. One has passed the House
declaring that the. reduction Of the tax
on spirits is nexpedient. and another resolu,
ton Is suggested to cut off all hope of relief
taken out of the hands of the committee2 Is
hs snapE e p He ee
would be done with the letter except to refer it
to the Ways and Means COMMITTEES. Il did not
Mr.. Harrison, Of illinois, made point Of
order against the communication, Under the
constitution. the President could. OF his own
motion, send information to Congress. but the
Secretary could do 30 only, when requested by q
resolution. In support OF the dignity and IN
send the communication back. Ii the Secretary
wants to communicate to the House. let hlm d9
50 through the proper channel. inc evils ana
dangers that have come upon the country are
due to the man who sits In the Treasury. and
who. by his financial policy. has brought the
country to the verge M q rnln oer If the
Senate appeared Mt the bar and announced
that the Senate had passed. without amend
dent TO reduce the tax on distilled spirits.
The Speaker overruled Mr.. Harrison's point
Of order. ON the ground that, under section 2is
right to communicate with Congress- on aues-
tions affecting the finances.
Mr.. Foster. of Ohio, suggested that the tax
Just received from he Senate.
MIR, Wood. of New York. and Mr.. Saylor. OF
Ohio. intimated that that did not settle the aues-
ton, as there was no instruction to the commit
H. 2 F su said he regarded the vote by which
nrey In his opnon
settled the question definitely. In the course Of
his remarks Mr.. Foster Endorsed Mr.. Sherman
as one of the best officers that had ever been at
the head Of the Treasury Department. and said
that he was engaged in d laudabie effort to keep
down the expenses of the government
Mr.. Wood again stated that he objected to any
premature action by ths House in advance Of
the action. Of the Committee on Ways and
action. but would leave the committee alone,
the questions Of revenue would be settled all
the sooner.
Mr.. Harrison again insisted that his point OF
order was correct and that the communication
had no business here.
The Speaker said 1t had always been the pol
Icy OF the House to receive such communities.
tions and lay them before the. House. and that
sound and good policy dictated such q course
Mr. Whltthorne, Of Tennessee. said IL that was
the policy of the House, it should be changed.
The House should guard and maintain its in
dependence of the execu tive departments.
Mr.. Garfield. Of Ohio hoped that at least the
right OF the Secretary to petition Congress
would be preserved.
Mr.. lephens. OF Georgia, said that Mr.. Sher.
man had right, as citizen of the United
States. to send any. communication to Congress
touching public interests. and the. fact of the
Office he held should give added force to such