Texas National Register. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 7, Ed. 1, Saturday, January 18, 1845 Page: 1 of 8
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VOL. L
WASHINGTON TEXAS SATURDAY JANUARY 18 1815.
NO. 7':
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TEXAS NATIONAL REGISTER
-PUBLISHED ON SATURDAYS .
f SD Yo M I L L E 11 & CUS II KEY
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'public printers.
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Athci tising. For each square of 100 words or un--der
first insertion one dollar. For each subsequent
insertion fifty cents. . -.
A deduction of fifty per cent will bemadc upon
yearly advertisements with the privilege of renewing
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Announcement of candidates for ofiicc ten dollars
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.
Monday Jan. G 1845.
Petitions Presented.
By Senator Roman ihe petition of the
citizens of Victoria in favor of annexation :
referred. By Senator Greer the petition of
Samuel Brooks: referred. By Senator Grimes
the petition of John Tom in relation to land.
Also the petition of the people of Iluntsville
in relation to the introduction of merchandize
bv A. MeGee free of duty: referred.
Reports of Committees
Senator Smith from the committee on pub-
Jic lands reported a bill for the relief of John
Tomlinson; also a bill for the relief of the
Jieirs of Benjamin Parker deceased and re-
commended their passage. Senator Kinney
from the committee on military affairs re-
ported a bill for the relief of W. M. Harrison;
.also a bill for .he protection of the frontier.
.Senator Smith from the committee on public
lands reported a bill for the relief of Joha
Morris.
Senator Pilsbury on behalf of a minority
of the committee on finance made the fol-
lowing report:
"T Vhiiuority of the committee on finance
which have had under consideration the reso-
Jution to repeal the tariff" have duly considered
the same and ask leave respectfully to report:
That the committee have referred to the able
statistical report of the late Secretary of the
. Treasury for such action upon the tariff as
would be just to the people. on whom it bears
.heavily as well as the Government which
'relies mainly. for its maintenance upon this
.efficient scarce of revenue.
In the iiaeijaient issue of the exchequer bills
ihey were intended to be confined alone to
the future maintenance of the Government
and give to it a temporary support until the"
operation of the tariff act added to the direct-
tax lasv should gradually supply their place.
The payment of nearly 50000 dollars out of
this fund accruing long before the act pass-
ed prostrated measurably the plan of finance
then adopted. To remedy the evil an act
was passed at the extra session of Congress
requiring them to be received at the offices of
customs and for licenses at their market
value. This with the rigid economy which
characterized the administration just termi
nated raised the exchequers at its close to
par with old and silver.
Had the funds raised by the issue of ex-
chequer bills and the proceeds of the tariff
and direct taxes only been applied to the
disbursement of the actual ordinary expenses
incurred during tiie three years of Presidetit
Houston's administration the whole issue
would have been redeemed ; anil there would
have remained in the Treasury more than
' me hundred thousand dollars in silver and
old. That many extraordinary expenditures
have prevented so desirable a consummation
has been owing to the calamities of war and
short crops ; proving inconteslibly the effi-
ciency of the tariff system which has enabled
the Government to sustain itself under such
untoward circumstances. If we leave out of
the estimate what was paid accruing before
the system was established tlie revenue would
have been sufficient to have absorbed all the
issue of exchequers and have left 6000 dol-
lars in the Treasury v These facts warrant
the conclusion that a considerable reduction
may now safely be made in the tariff with-
out in any degree impairing the ability to
rneetpromptly the just demands against the
Government for all that is necessary for its
economical maintenance. The- exchequer
now afloat is 44000 dollars. This amount
would be reduced to 24000 dollars provided
a settlement takes place with Gail Borden
. .
jr. Esq late collector of Galveston under a
resolution passed the present Congress; and
your committee confidently believe it will.
The amount expended the last year ordinary
and extraordinary was 147850 dollars. The
extraordinary expenditures or nearly all that
may be so styled including Indian expendi-
ture 10025 dollars ; Mier prisoners 45( 0
dollars; keeping the navy in ordinary 10.400
dollars; back pay of navy officers and sea-
men 10021 dollars and cetera; amount in
all to 47747 dollars. In estimating 6000
dollars for Fndiantlisbursements which should
include the 4000 dollars deficit (and why
deficit is unexplained by the documents be-
fore referred to) and 8000 dollars for taking
care of the navy and the amount of arrear-
ages due the officers making altogether
.$14000 would admit 33747 dollars to be
left out of the estimates for the present year.
The amount which can he saved by redu-
cing salaries and abolishing offices nearly
useless agreeably to a retrenchment bill now
before the Senate would admit 12650 dollars
more to be left out of the estimates for the
present year.
Should the foreign ministers and Secretary
of Legation to the United States of America
be dispensed with two of which of the iirst
named and the Secretary. cost an expendi-
ture of nearly 20000 dollars and agents
substituted as occasion may require it would
be a clear saving ot IoUUU dollars per an-
num.. This amount is nearly all spent
abroad and consequently bears more oner-
ously upon our finances.
Your committee believe there is another
minister for whom no provision has been
made by an appropriation ; but to whom
they suppose the Government is indebted
13500 dellars for services the last three
years.
The enormous disproportion the amount ap-
propriated or to be appropriated for the
maintenance of foreign ministers bears to
the whole support of the Government (nearly
eiie-third of the estimated amount) makes this
branch of expenditure sufficiently odious and
oppressive without comment from your com-
mittee. Should however two foreign ministers be
continued at a salary of $3000 per annum
including outfit as is provided in the re-
trenchment bill heretofore alluded to a saving
would be made of nearly 14000 dollars.
If the Congress should carry out a discreet
system of retrenchment a further saving may
be made (by transferring the War and Navy
to the State Department ; the Treasurer to the
Department of the Secretary of the Treasury;
and confide the Superintendency of Indian
Affairs to some chief clerk) of about 3500
dollars; all these offices being in the opinion
of your committee the worst kind of sine
cures because the form of business remains
without the substance.
The committee are aware of the opinion
entertained of the necessity of checks and
balances in regard to the money in the trea-
sury. They would ask have all these
checks heretofore prevented the public mo-
ney or the substitute for money its paper
from being abstracted"?
The vast amount of paper disbursed in '40
and '41 (2700000 dollars) might require
it is true two or three to count it out but
now the principal business is done by drafts
from the Treasury Department on the Col-
lector of Galveston; and by the change in the
system of finance the Collector of Galveston
is truly the Treasurer of the Republic.
The several items of reduction in the esti-
mates heretofore mentioned make a tolnl of
03897 dollars from the cxpendi'tureoflast
year; and leave the estimated actual require-
ments for the present year 83953 dollars.
These reductions will not in the opinion of
your committee impair the respectability of
our infant association or deprive the Execu-
tive of the power of fulfilling the high duties
for which he has been selected by a "coufiding
people.'
The nett revenue from imposts and ton-
nage the last year was 177861 dollars; the
amount received for licenses under the direct
tax law 6000 dollars; and the amount of
direct tax 30000 dollars making a total
revenue of 213861 dollars. If the present
system of taxation were continued it would be
fair to estimate 10000 dollars as the lowest
average annual increase making the total
estimate for the present year 223801 dollars
from all the sources above referred to.
Your committee however cam scarcely
doubt that double the amount would be nearer
the average annual increase. The reason for
this opinion may be found in the confidence
exhibited throughout the country that we
have even thing to hope and nothing to fear
in the prospect before us. We arc in a stale
of repose. It is clearly in our power so to
continue.
The U. Slates have recovered from a com-
mercial embarrassment unparalleled in her
commcreiii.'-wtstory. feho is now prosperous;
Bordering on her territory and connected
with her by commercial as well as social ties;
as we have suffered with her in her depres-
sion we may well expect to share in her
prosperity.
Your committee are of opinion that the
unpaid amounts of direct taxes for '42 and
'43 (53575 dollars) and the 20000 dollars
for '44 as estimated less than the assessed
amount will as they come in meet the
amounts nppioprinted for private claims.
Tliey would therefore most respectfully urge
upon the Senate the propriety of confininii
the appropriations for the more urgent and
meritorious private claims to this fund and
no other.
The committee would most respectfully
suggest that no alteration take place in the
salaries of collectors of customs the present
year for the reason that a more enlarged im-
provement can be made at the next session of
Congress ; and for which a sufficient time
would not be allowed at this period of the
present session. The next Congress would
be better able to make the necessary changes
after the experience of the working of the
tariff under the changes contemplated by
the bill accompanying this report as herein-
after described.
The bill herewith submitted contemplates
reducing the duty on coffee to one cent per
pound. The amount of cost of the importa-
tion last year being estimated at 85000 dol-
lars out of 220350 dollars the whole amount
of importation under the head of specific
duties makes a reduction on this item of
10625 dollars taking off the discriminating
duty of live per centum being oirthe amount
of 593225 dollars imported from the United
States amounting to 29661 dollars. The
reduction of this amount would only be 20791
dollars on the receipts of the last year be- j
cause nearly 9000 dollars was refused to be
paid at the north or east by those who paid
the other revenue exactions.
Your committee have no hesitation in re-
commending to the honorable Senate to lop
oft" his onerous exaction it being founded on
a principle u retaliation upon the U. States
and they believe it is a fatal system for the
weaker party.
Your committee have further recommend-
ed a reduction of five per centum on all the
ad valorem duties which will operate by re-
ducing 35 to 30; 25 to 20; 15 to 10 and 10
to 5 per centum. Keeping up the discrimina-
tion heretofore made and which as the com-
mittee believe has worked favorably on the
industry of our country and given inciden-
tally protection to our own mechanics and
artisans.
These changes give no trouble or further
cost in the collection.
They recommend a further reduction be
made in the specific duties on all other than
wines and spirituous liquors sugar coffee
and salt the first because it is not onerous
and its operation is in favor of law and order;
sugar because it will soon be a production for
exportation; coffee because it was deemed
best by the committee as it was of such gene-
ral and almost indispensable use to reduce it
more considerably than was deemed expedient
on the articles included in the per centum
deduction ; and salt because the whole amount
is small and the reduction would hardly be
felt.
The committee find the amount of the re-
maining estimated imports which pay a spe-
cific duty to be $81946 on which the
bill contemplates a reduction of 10 per cent.
to say allow the duties to be estimated as
per their present respective rates and then
discount 10 per cent. so that the form and
manner of reduction may leave the tariff act
untouched in its main features and should the
exigencies of the government demand a return
to it it will only require a repeal of the pre-
sent and revival of the act of which this is
an amendment to effect the object.
These severui reductions will amount to
$62788 beside $6000 to be received for
licenses according to the estimate making it
total of $687SS. The committee recom-
mend that the license money heretofore paid
into the Treasury of the Republic may be
given up to the several counties from whom it
has been collected in the bill lobe presented
to the honorable Senate providing for th'j
better collection of the direct taxes. The " ;
above sum taken from the amount of esti-
mates for the present year ns heretofore
stated would leave the revenue from a41rtg:;r-
ces $155000. without allowing any sum for
the increase of importations by reason ot
decreasing the duties which may fairly be
estimated at $10000. The above amount
after taking out the estimated ordinary ex-
penditures for the present year about $84000.
wuiiiii leave iuuu dollars. -
Your committee would 'respectfully sug- ;
gest that twenty-five thousand dollars of the
exchequer bills might be continued in circti-
lation at the disci etion of the President of the
Republic and in the event of failure of the -'
estimated revenue or other cause of deficit
come in iid of the appropriations. The re- "'"'
mniniug $19000 should it not be received '
from Gail Borden Esq. would be redeemed
out of the $71000 estimated balance leaving " f
$52000 to cover any increase of appropria-
tion over the expenditure of la?t year or-
deficiency as before stated in the receipts.
Your committee have included in the bill
to reduce the tariff" theological books and pig
iron as free: the first is of small amount and
would encourage a most worthy class of men
whose lives are spent in endeavoring to culti-
vate and improve the minds of their fellow
men by disti Uniting these books. No dtj-
has been received on pig iron and no impor-
tation could ie expected of this article except
for the purpose of manufacturing into cast
ings.
Tl
The committee ask leave to report that it
is inexpedient in their opinion to repeal ih
tariff taw and even were it expedient in point
of principle the situation of our finances-
would not admit it to he-done without hazard
of breaking down the credit of the govern-
ment. They therefore offer a bill for reducing ihe-
same and tnost earnestly commend it to the
favorable consideration of the honorable the-
Senate. All which is respectfully submitted."
A BILL
Amendatory of "An Act sup-nlementarv to arc
Act entitled 'an Act to raise a Revenue by.
Impost Duties1 " approved the fifth day.
of February one thousand eight hundred
and forty approved 27th January 1842..
Section I. lit it enacted by the Senate
and House of Representatives of the Republic
of Texas in Congress assembled. That from
and after the day of
there shall be
levied and collected one cent per pound
import duty on coffee in lieu of two cents per
pound now levied and collected the discri-
mination duty of five per cent. as is provided
in the Act to which this Act is an amend-
ment shall not hereafter be exacted? the ad
valorem duties of thirty-five thirty twenty-
five fifteen and ten per centum as provided
in the Act aforesaid shall hereafter be thirty
twenty-five twenty ten and five per cetitmn
respectively in lieu of those paid under the v -provisions
of the Act to which this- is an
amendment.
Sec. 2. There shall hereafter be discount-
ed ten per centum on the amount of duties on '
all the articles subject to a specific dutyrother
than wines and spirituous liquors sugar
coffee and salt.
Sic. 3. Theological books and pif iron
shall be imported free of duty. :.v.f
Bill Introduced. ;
Bv Senator Caldwell to amend the act in-
corporating the town of Bastrop.
Orders of ihe Day.
The bill for taking the census; amended
and made the special erder of the day for thu
Sth inst.; the bill for the relief of Alexander
Stephenson passed ; the bill requiring th
government to relinquish its title to two lots in
the town of Quintann laid on the table ; the
bill to incorporate the town of Huntsville
passed ; the bill authorising S. J. Redgnte to
adopt a certain person passed ; the bill for the
relief of JYeely Kimbro passed ; the bill for
the relief of the heirs of T. R. Townsend en-
grosssd; the bill authorising the Comrossiour
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Texas National Register. (Washington, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 7, Ed. 1, Saturday, January 18, 1845, newspaper, January 18, 1845; Washington, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth80101/m1/1/: accessed June 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.