sideration of the arguments of that gentleman, allow me to remark that we have been required to act upon this subject rather in the dark; that we have had no official information as to the extent of the relief asked. We have to rely on the verbal information of the friends of this measure, who, I suppose, have it from those who are asking relief, and who, it is to be presumed, would feel no interest in magnifying the amount upon which they ask indulgence without interest, and who, because of their interest, would be held in all legal tribunals as incompetent witnesses. Taking, then, the account of the friends of the bill as correct, the first section of it embraces bonds for about $700,000, and the second section about $3,000,000. Predicating my calculation upon this information, I find interest on those bonds, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, renewable annually from the time they respectively fall due up to the period to which it is proposed to extend the credits, amounts to something upwards of $318,740; an amount greater than is required to pay the two hundred and forty three members of this House for one hundred and sixty days, and sufficiently large, especially when taken into consideration in connexion with the importance of the principle involved, to induce this House to examine well into the subject, and weigh well the probable effect and consequence of such a precedent upon the future legislation of this House. We, Mr. Chairman, I am fully apprized, are most delicately and peculiarly situated in reference to this as well as all other claims that come before us; we occupy the attitudes both of party and judge; and, whilst we should be careful not to let self-interest bias us on the one side, we should not be less careful to see that we are not driven into error on the other hand from too great an apprehension of doing injustice to the applicants. But, sir, let us now proceed to consider, in detail, the arguments of the friends of this measure. The honorable member from Massachusetts, as has been remarked, having covered all the grounds taken in support of this bill, I will confine myself particularly to his remarks. The first ground taken by him is, that the Govern ment has such an amount of surplus revenue now in its Treasury, that it would have no use for the money if the bonds were collected, and that it would be suffered to lie in the deposite banks without interest. Is it true, Mr. Chairman, that this Government has no use for money at this time? Is it true that the different States in this Union have already done for themselves all that can be done, in the way of promoting the interest and happiness of their citizens, and that they are now reclining at their ease in consequence of having nothing to do calculated to advance the public good? I humbly conceive not. Look abroad in the land, and what do we see? Within the last year or two, the public spirit of our fellow-citizens seems to have received a new impulse in almost every quarter of this vast republic. A new era seems to be bursting on us. The people are aroused to their own best interest. We see the different States, situated on the different extremes of this vast Union, contemplating and moving in the work of connecting themselves with each other by inland communication that literally conquers space. We see the Legislatures of the different States providing for works of internal improvement upon a scale that is truly worthy of a free people. They are not contracting loans of thousands and tens of thousands for the accomplishment of this, that, or the other, little local improvement, but of tens of millions, for objects embracing the improvement of the whole extent of their territory. Never, in the history of this Government, was there such a spirit of enterprise abroad. Never was there a time when there was such a demand for money on the part of the different States, for their respective im [FEB. 17, 1836. provements, as the present; and are we to be told we have no use for the money in the public Treasury? I readily agree that it is better that these importing merchants, who are engaged actively in enterprising commerce that adds to the wealth of the nation, should hold this money, which belongs in common to them and the rest of their fellow citizens, without interest, than that the deposite banks, in whose vaults it is to be placed, should be allowed to fatten and grow rich on the interest paid them by the people, for the most gra cious privilege of using their own money. But I am not willing to stake the fate of this bill on this issue. It is not the true issue. I, for one, sir, intend to legis late upon this and every other subject calculated to affect our finances, with just as strict an eye to economy as though I knew this Congress intended to obey the voice of the people in their demand for an equal distribution of the surplus revenue among the States. I am not yet prepared to anticipate a failure of this most important measure. Government is a moral person, possessing, in reference to its property, all the natural, moral, and legal rights of a private individual; every citizen constitutes a component part thereof, and his right in every thing that belongs to the Government, whether it be in the public lands or bonds upon importers, or in whatever the right of property can exist, though small in point of size, yet bears the same proportion to the entire thing which one bears to the number of citizens in this Government, and is just as perfect and unquestionable as though the right to the entire thing was vested in him; and the same policy which is observed in the fiscal concerns of a wise, prudent, humane, and just private individual, should control and regulate the financial ope rations of every Government, where the interest and happiness of the great mass of the people are the paramount considerations. Hence, we should adopt the same process of analysis, the same rules of investigation, in arriving at the relative rights of the Government, and such of its citizens as are embraced by the provisions of this bill, as though it were a matter between two individuals. His second ground is, that it is the interest of the Government, acting as a prudent creditor, to extend the proposed credit, in order the better to secure the collection of her debts. The Government holds the bonds of its citizens for duties; and when they fall due it has a right to expect payment, without some sufficient cause against it. The merchant, in the present instance, says to his Government, you hold my bond, due on such a day, for such an amount, for duties; from an unexpected misfortune, I am in some degree crippled in my commercial operations, and it will be your interest to indulge me for four years after my bonds become due, without interest, in order that your debt may be the better secured. Ought not the Government to act as any other prudent creditor, and say to its debtor, you must give me some evidence, in addition to your own sugges tion, that it is my interest thus to act? Would not any prudent private creditor require other proof than the statement of his debtor, before he would thus prolong for four years the time of the payment of his debt, and that, too, without interest? Being, then, altogether without proof that it is its interest to extend this credit, I think the Government on this account alone ought not to do it. I will conclude my remarks upon this branch of the subject by asking whether it is supposed, by any friend of this bill, that one of those importers would agree to extend a credit of four years, without interest, for the price of a quantity of goods purchased of him in New York by a merchant from Louisville or Cincinnati, and lost by the purchaser in descending the river, or by fire INDEX TO THE DEBATES IN THE SENATE. Abolition of slavery; (see Slavery.) day of adjournment fixed for the 4th of July, 1780. pre-emption rights; a report on the memorial of the and Mississippi five per cent. fund; a bill to carry Appropriation bill for the civil and diplomatic expenses Appropriations for the army for 1836, 1413; read three Indian department, 1458; passed, 1739. to carry into effect certain Indian treaties, 1928; a bill to provide for the admission of Arkansas do. in addition to the above act, 1577; passed. bill to increase the military peace establishment, Bayard, the Hon. Richard, from Delaware, took his seat Bond and Douglass, Colonels, a bill for the relief of the /Brahan, John; report of the Secretary of the Treasury, in answer to a resolution on the subject of mo- Bullion for the mint; a bill to supply the mint with bul- Carey & Lea's History of Congress; a joint resolution reservations; (see Pre-emption claims.) treaty; a bill for adjustingc ertain claims under 1 Colonization Society; a petition from citizens of Ken- resolution to authorize the commissioner to rent Congress; a resolution proposing that the Judiciary Com- a bill to appoint a day for the annual meeting of above bill returned, vetoed by the President, as the subject taken up, 1859, 1878; bill rejected. Cumberland road; a report from the Secretary of War, a bill to continue the road as proposed, 390; ta- a bill making an appropriation for do., 4633. Dade, Major, petition in favor of, referred, 613. Deposite banks; a motion to print extra copies of the Sec- Duties on imports; a bill to repeal the duty on certain ar- wines; a bill to suspend so much of the discrimi- imports; a bill to amend the several acts imposing Electioneering agents; a resolution calling on the Secre- Executive patronage; (see Officers.) Florida post roads; a joint resolution authorizing the es- Florida war, a bill making further appropriations for, banks; a resolution instructing the Judiciary Com- a bill prohibiting the incorporating of banks in Foreign paupers; a resolution in relation to foreign pau- Fortification on Lake Champlain; a resolution proposing from the House, reported with amendments, 1877; France and the United States; (see United States.) French and Neapolitan indemnities; a bill to anticipate Globe newspaper, Mr. Webster's complaints against, Grant, Joseph; a bill to extend his patent right for ma- Haight, Stephen, re-elected assistant doorkeeper, 8. Harbor bill, for the improvement of certain harbors, &c., 1397. Hill, Hon. Isaac, the resignation of his seat, 1616. subject to a select committee, 26; agreed to, 33. a bill prohibiting postmasters from transmitting Indian claims, speculations in; a memorial from Missis hostilities; a bill for suppressing them, 103; passed, 291. Lands; to appropriate, for a limited time, the proceeds of Land the committee on, moved to be discharged from two bills on the subject of pre-emption rights, 836. resolution authorizing the payment of the ex- a bill to change the mode of conducting the sales Office; a bill to reorganize the General Land Office, Lake Champlain; resolution directing the Secretary of Library of Count Bourtoulin; a resolution directing the Light-houses; a bill making appropriations for them, 1930. Louisville and Portland canal, a bill to authorize the 1563. Lowrie, Walter, Esq., re-elected Clerk of the Senate, 8. Mail contracts; resolution instructing the Post Office Maine boundary; resolutions of the Legislature of Massa- Maine resolutions, on the subject of abolition, 1109. Marine corps, a bill to regulate and increase the pay of Marshall, Humphrey; an unfavorable report of the Com- Metropolis Bank; a memorial for a recharter thereof, Mexico; a bill to carry into effect the treaty with that Michigan applies for admission as a State, in a message credentials from its Senators presented, 6; ques- bill for the admission of Michigan into the Union, school lands; a bill supplementary to the bill to Michigan Senators; resolution for paying them agreed a bill to provide for the execution of the laws of Mint; (see Bullion.) Missouri land claims, a memorial respecting, 799. a bill confirming the claims of, 964; passed. a bill granting a certain quantity of land to, for 1123. resolution directing the Commissioners of the National defence; resolutions offered by Mr. Benton, Naval service; a bill for the enlistment of boys, 1413; Naval academy; a bill to establish one, 1453. a bill for organizing the navy, 1855; laid on the Naudain, Hon. Arnold, from Delaware, resigns his seat, New Hampshire resolutions in favor of the expunging New Orleans custom-house; presentments of its dilapida- New York; a resolution instructing the Committee of Fi- memorials on same subject, 46, 391. a bill for the relief of the sufferers by the fire, a bill to extend the relief of the act now in exist- Ohio; report from Secretary of War respecting the a bill to define the northern boundary line of, 14; a joint resolution respecting do., 35. 1021. Page, Hon. John, from New Hampshire, took his seat, Office; a bill to provide for the erection of a build- Pension bill, which grants half pay to the widows and Post Office accounts; a communication from the Postmas- the bill changing the organization of the Post Of- Post routes; a joint resolution for the establishment of Pre-emption claims, a bill to extend the time for receiv- President's annual message received, 4; (see Appendix.) on the mediation of Great Britain in relation to concerning sale of lands in the vicinity of Fort with the result of the mediation of Great Britain, respecting French spoliations, 662. on discriminating duties with Portugal, 679, informing Congress that France had paid the four returning the bill appointing a day for the annual enclosing a report from the Secretary of State, in relation to Texas, 1871. President pro tem., Mr. King, from Alabama, appointed, Printing; a report of the committee on the contingent Protection of the frontiers; (see Defence.) a supplementary bill, 1913; passed. a resolution proposing a reduction of the revenue, Ripley, General, a bill to audit and settle his accounts, School lands; a bill to authorize the relinquishment of Secretary of State's communication, enclosing a corre- Senators, a list of, 1. Shackford, John, re-elected Sergeant-at-arms, 8. sider a bill in addition to an act for providing for 1199. Arkansas; petitions against admitting the State into the Union except on certain conditions, | Wabash, a bill to improve the navigation of, 563; order. Smith, Hon. Nathan, from Connecticut; his death an- Smithsonian institution; the President communicates cer- a joint resolution authorizing the President to ap- Statuary; resolution in relation to statues for the east Suspension of the rules; a suspension of the 17th rule several memorials praying Congress to acknowl- proceedings of a meeting in Warren county, Mis- a memorial from Shelby county, Kentucky, pray. resolutions of Legislature of Connecticut, on the report of the Committee on Foreign Relations, report from the Secretary of State on the subject, proceedings of a meeting of citizens at Nashville, Tobacco trade; a resolution requesting the President to Transfer drafts; a resolution calling on the Secretary of proposition for printing an extra number of copies Transfers of public money; a resolution on the subject, Treasury, Secretary of, his annual report, 4; (see Ap Treaty with Spain; a bill giving effect to the 8th article a proposition for appointing a board of commis- Tyler, Hon. John; his resignation, 636. President for information on the difficulties ex- militia; a bill to provide payment for their servi- Western boatmen; a memorial on the subject of a marine Western frontier, the bill for the better defence of, Wetmore, Alphonso, petition of; the Committee of Claims Wildman, Hon. Zalmon, of the House of Representa bill to create the office of surveyor of public Yeas and nays, on a resolution to supply the Senators the judiciary bill, 63, 65. regulations of the Senate chamber, 71, 72. on reference of the Michigan memorial, 289. resolutions in relation to national defence, 572. Ohio boundary, 785, 799. slavery in the District of Columbia, 787, 804, 810. bill for relief of the corporations of the District bill for graduating the price of public lands, 1032. bill for the admission of Arkansas, 1056. bill for payment of revolutionary pensioners, 1094. establishing the Territory of Wisconsin, 1177. Mr. Clay's land bill, 1254, 1301, 1302, 1305, navy appropriation bill, 1299, 1427. fortification bill, 1524, 1550, 1576, 1592. cases of B. F. Curry and S. Gwin, 1668. extending the charters of the District banks, 1695, bill for extending the time for receiving proof of the bill supplementary to the bill to establish the |