Year: 1868

law and the equalization OF the taxes.
Ben. Butler gave notice last week that
he should move the postponement of the
further consideration of the tax bill un-
til the first Monday Of December next.
He announced that, in connection with
this motion, he should ask for resolu-
tion instructing the committee of Ways
and Means to report in separate bill
the sections in regard to the tax ON dis
titled spirits, malt liquors and tobacco.
This, he said, ais practically all that we
can do" His plea was want of tine,
and that, if they undertook to go through
with and pass the whole bill, it would
be August or September before they
could go home. In commenting upon
this proposal to evade the performance
of the most important duty resting upon
3 Representatives, Mr.. Schenck, the Chair
man of the committee of Ways and
Means, said:


81 am very much afraid, sir, that the
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr.
Butler) takes counsel from his wishes
rather than his fears when he speaks of
the impossibility of getting this bill
through. What are the facts? The
gentleman speaks of the length of time
occupied in preparing the bill. A good
deal of time was so occupied, and the
work is before this committee. The
committee of Ways and Means are not
disposed to feel any shame for having
bestowed so much time and labor in
what was so onerous an undertaking, the
condensation, collation. and codifcation
of all your internal revenue laws.


The delay, however, has not been
alone that of the committee of Ways
and Means. There are other circum-
stances which have protracted this ses-
sion. The gentleman does not need to
have me specify them. But how do we
stand? After the determination of the
delays arising out of impeachment, and
since we have been enabled to bring the
bill before the House, there have been
but three full days work upon it. Last
week we were interrupted by privileged
questions of various kinds, and by some
allowance of general debate, demanded
upon all hands, so that until the middle
of the day on Thursday there was no
opportunity to consider the bill in de-
tail. On Saturday we were once more
interrupted, and again yesterday by
questions arising out of matters over
which the gentleman from Massachu-
setts has more control than anybody else
in the House. Yet, occupying this com,
paratively small portion of the time Of
the House, what have we done? We
have gone one-third of the way through
the bill, or nearly that. We have con-
sidered one hundred and eight pages out
of the three hundred and sixty, consid,
erably more than one-fourth. y n


And now, having commenced the con.
sideration of that bill only last week, and
having devoted to it only three full
days, we have shown, as predicted in
the beginning, that this bill can be car.
ried through in this House with ten days
of work altogether. 1 say again that
if gentlemen shrink from the perform
ance of this work now, they take coun
sci from their wishes rather than theil
fears. If we really wish to pass the
bill, there is no difficulty in the House
of Representatives doing its share o.
the labor, and doing it properly. If the
Senate chooses to take another response
bility, it is for that body, not for us, ant
for one will not consider that question


y


One thing further desire to say. i
this House of Representatives, with &
Republican majority, shrinks from meet
ing all these questions and making pro
vision for the revenue of the country
with reference to the necessary demands
upon its resources, their constituents
will understand that they have shrunk
from labor that was expected from
them, and they will, think, be kept al
home Individually in consequence of this
failure upon their part to do the duty for
which they are sent here. And think
if this House of Representatives and
this Congress, because of any supposed
inconvenience of sitting week or a
month longer, or, if necessary, month
or two longer-though no such necessity
is developed upon us in disposing of the
questions involved in the business now
before the House-they do not deserve
to come back again or to retain power
in the country, because they shrunk from
that responsibility the people of the
country expect them to take. 1 speak
plainly, because l desire to be under
stood; and 1 speak earnestly, because ]
feel earnestly in the matter"


1t appears that the remonstrances
made by Mr.. Schenck against the pro
posal to lay on the shelf, for six months
bill in the passage of which the people
are vitality interested, produced no effect
The telegraph announces that yesterday
Mr.. Shanks, of Indiana, introduced &
resolution directing the committee O.
Ways and Means to do substantially
what Mr.. Butler gave notice he should
move to do, to take out the whisky and
tobacco sections of the bill, and report a
separate bill. A motion was made to
lay the resolution on the table, which
failed. An excited debate and much
confusion ensued. Mr. Schenck de-
nounced the course proposed as "cow.
ardly," and as prompted by purpose
to "choke down" the committee Of Ways
and Means After debate, in which
many members participated, the resolu
tion of Mr.. Shanks prevailed by vote
OF rs ayes to 62 noes. This is para
mount to an abandonment of the most
important bill of the session, and ar
utter neglect of the finances for six long
months. Sat


The plea of want of time is shame
full one to come from party which con
sumed three months in the foolish anc
and wicked business of impeachment tc
the great detriment of public interest
and the disgrace of the country, and