Year: 1864

The Wheeling Inteliigencsr has been kind
enough to make allusion tome several times
lately, BY name, and in every instance had
been unfortunate enough to place me in a
wrong position before the public. In the daily
issue of the 22d find the following edito
rial paragraph: 5j5aAlid6Ri 'aOH "a
v "The whisky spectators made their point
in Congress. The bill exempting their
stocks on hand passed the House, as has
been noted in the dispatches. by a vote of
II to g. Mr.. Whaley, of our Third Dis
trict, voted to exempt. When the bill was
first up be voted not to exempt. Mr..
Brown, of the Second District, did not vote
at all. Mr.. Blair, of this District, voted
against exemption. 1t is estimated that the
passage of this bill deprives the Govern
ment Treasury Of five millions of dollars,
and puts just that much in the pockets of
the speculators. The New York Tribune
urges the President to veto the bill."'


Now, no such bill ever passed the House
of Representatives. On the, 22d of Janu.
ary last the House passed bill by vote
of 81 to 81 taxing, among other thugs, the
stock of liquor now on had, as well as that
to be thereafter manufactured; provided that
when the stock on hand had already paid a
duty the amount SO paid should be de-
Quoted from the duty imposed by the bill
This particular feature was engrafted upon
the bill on the motion Of Mr. Wood, Of
New York, much against the will of the
Chairman of the Committee of Ways and
Means.


In all financial matters | am much in,
clined to follow the lead of the Committee
of Ways and Means, but in this instance I
supported measure originating with the
opposition. The bill went to the Senate
and it was there amended in several par j..
ticulars, one of which was striking out the
provision taxing the stock of whisky on
hand. | was absent from the House some
three DAYS, confined to my room by Sickness
and when returned to my seat found
the bill still suspended on the disagreeing
votes Of the two Houses, and | voted on
yesterday against the report Of commit
tee of conference because il yielded 10 the
views of the Senate exempting the stock
IN hand from further taxation Who from
reading the article of the IatelHgencer would
think that the bill was vet pending; who
would doubt that the spectators had made
Lle1r nVe HlllloHS VI uolldTS anu ueJTQuutQ
the Treasury OF that amount; who
would understand that the friends Of equal
taxation in the House were yet holding out
in the unequal conflict against the Senate
and the well deserved influence of the
Chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means; who could conclude that I
had voted for Mr.. Woods amendment
against Mr.. Stephens substitute, and for the
bill as it passed our House aud lastly
against the report of the committee of con-
ference because that report proposed ex
empting the stock on hand? The wisdom
of the provision contained in what is known
as the fourth amendment may be question
ed. The array of talents and influence
against it may we'll cause modest man to
distrust his own judgment; but my con-
victions are, and have been, from the time
Mr.. Wood proposed it in committee, in ia
vor of the justice of the measure and do
not want to be misunderstood on the sub.
ject. Whiskey is an intoxicating subject,
and makes the best of US zig gag little,
but think on ''sober second thought" the
editor of the Iateltigencer will Place me
among the consistent supporters of the mea
sure which he thinks wise and good one.


..s. W. G. Brown