Year: 1862




spiroccs not Constitutional Stoits, NOR e"n',d 10


STATE Rights.


Tnr House being in Committee Of the
Whole on the State of the Union


Mr. BINGHAM said:


Mr.. CHAIRMAN IL recognize the right


NJ" BGNGHAM.--1 will allow the gentle
IN his place here, if he is so minded, and if
it be according to his convictions. when q
bill is under consideration to impose taxes
upon the people to the amount Of Sl00000,-
000 or more, and oppose the bill ON the
ground that he has no confidence in the Ad-
mnistration, nor any part Of it,


Mr.. WADSWORTH,-- The gentleman
will excuse me; did not say that.


ofevery Representative of the people 20 rise
man to make his corrections in the Globe.
/ used the words which took down from
his own lips -- that he had no confidence in
the Administration. or in any part of it,


am very glad to know that the gentle
man has confidence in the Administration :;
but certainly understood him to announce
to tue House that he opposed the bill be-
cause he had not confidence in-thc Admin
istration, under whose direction the money
was to be dishursed and understood per-
fectly well, as every gentleman understands
perfectly well, that it is the duty of the
Representatives of the people to refuse to
raise revenue, which they believe is to be
expended through an executive department
of the Government, in which, and i'll the
members of which they have no confidence
The first duty they owe to themselves and
TO the people they represent, when the at
tempt is made to raise revenue, which they
believe is to be controlled by a corrupt Ad-
ministration, for corrupt purposes, is to re-
sist that attempt, and assist and demand, in
the name of the people, that the corrupt Of
icials be impcached, and hurled from the
high places which they have dishonored
and disgraced.


The gentleman, however, now dsclaims
an entire want of confidence in the Admin
istration, and also dsclaims opposition to
this bill. If the gentleman has confidence
in the Administrations and is in favor of the
bill, why did he start out in lis speech in
opposition to this bill, and end in opposition
to the Administration, and the friends Of the
bill and the Administration The gentle
man in his opening remark, declared his op-
position to the bill ON the ground that it
created offices unlimited as to time. | beg
leave to say to the gentleman that, as |
read the hill, 1t contains no such provision
it creates no such Offices It is ono of those
statutes which expires of its own limita-
tion, or rather that it is intended to meet
temporary demand, and all Offices which it
creates fall with it. The bill provides only
for the creation of such offices as are required
to execute it, and such other acts as have
been or may be passed for the imposition
and collection of internal duties. stamps.
Licenses, and taxes, direct and indirect


The gentleman is aware that it is not in
his time or mine hitherto that IN this Re
public there has been such legislation
placed upon the statute book. 1t is only
once in generation that such legislation is
required and hclievc the day is not far
distant when this bill if it passes into law,
as hore it may, will together with all like
cnactments be no longer needed, and cease
10 he law.


The gentleman will observe that the va
rous Offices created under the bill are nee
essary to the execution of its provisions
and that the bill would be useless without
them, If, therefore, his objection prevails,
the bill is substantially defeated. For
aught that the gentlemen has said. the of.
fees created by this bill are essential to its
practical operation. | submit therefore,
that this objection, so earnestly urged by
the gentleman, falls, and is not valid. Sure
ly, sir, am justified in saying that the gem
tleman seemed to be against the bill. Ger
tainy, if he was in favor Of it, and of its
passage he pursued very singular course
in attempting to aid its passage by insisting
that it contained provisions WHICH he could
not approve, and not even intimating that
in any of its provisions he did approve it.
or would in any event vote for it. Having
TINS stated his objections TO the bill, tue
gentleman proceeded to arraign the Presi-
dent of the United States before this House.
and then. directed his attacks against the
venerable Chairman Of the Committee of
Ways and Means, through whose instru-
mentality, and that of his worthy colleagues
on the committee, this wcll-cOnsidered and
digested measure is now before the House.
for adoption or rejection. For an hour
the gentleman ramhes through an excited
speech, to show the House why its members
should distrust those whom he pleases to
admit constitute a majority of the Repre-
sentatives upon this floor, and who are the
known friends Of the bill, and of the Ad-
minstration.


The gentleman says that before he votes
for this bill he wants to know what the
money is going to he used for. | suppose
the gentleman has some recollection OF hav-
ing INDUCED in some utterauces of that
sort. The purpose for which the money is
" NC lhlScH l" heCidItu III SeUeIal terms ny
the title of the bill, to wit TO support the
Government, and pay the interest on its
debt. \ bill to raise money to support the
Government, and sustain its credit, ought
to command the unqualified support OF eve
ry patriot. But the gentleman. before he
can support it, wants to know the special
uses to which the money is 10 be put
Why, sir, to limit the use of the money
specially in a general revenue bill would be
a novelty in legislation. Whoever heard
before of inserting a bill for raising gene
raj revenue, to supply the treasury Of ma
ton, limitations, declaring precisely how
and for what purposes, and no other, all the
money to be raised should be applied Z?
That would indeed be most extraordinary
proceeding. Why, sir, that is a novelty so
strange and new, so unheard of in the his
tory of our legislation, that | think neu-
tr;d Border State alone, is entitled to the
honor of originating it, and should be ell
titled in all coming time to have a special
patent for it. The doctrine that there is to
he no revenue raised until you have careful
ly guarded the bill, so that the money can
only be applied TO this or that particular
object. is, repeat, novel, and without pre-
cedent in our history. Ii will be time
enough specially to appropriate the money
after you shall have provided for raising it.


Mr.WADSWCRTH.--I hope the gentleman
will allow me for moment TO explain my
seeming opposition to the bill. The gem
tleman will recollect that was yesterday
exceedingly anxious to deliver some opin-