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Domestic News
January 14, 1805
Jenks' Portland Gazette
Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
What is this article about?
Debate in Congress on Mr. Thomas's motion to reduce salt duty reveals that despite a reported surplus of 4,885,255 dollars, only 210,000 dollars remain unappropriated, preventing any reduction.
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FROM THE NORFOLK LEDGER.
It appears from the Debate on Mr. Thomas's motion, in this day's paper, for reducing the duty on Salt, that, notwithstanding the vapouring accounts of an overflowing Treasury, that no reduction of duty on that article can be made.
It comes out also that out of the enormous surplus of 4,885,255 dollars, that only 210,000 dollars remain unappropriated—this mode of stating an overplus is ingenious, and but for the motion of Mr. Thomas many of the honest citizens of this Country would have believed that that enormous overplus stated by the Secretary, was really in the Treasury, and ready to be appropriated to any valuable purpose—
When we speak of an overplus, we should not understand it to mean that which is liable to be demanded at any moment, and yet that was the case in this instance—it were to be wished that the Secretary in future, would divide the overplus into two distinct parts, the appropriated overplus, and the unappropriated overplus, by this method members of Congress like Mr. Thomas would be able to take a more clear view of our finances.
It appears from the Debate on Mr. Thomas's motion, in this day's paper, for reducing the duty on Salt, that, notwithstanding the vapouring accounts of an overflowing Treasury, that no reduction of duty on that article can be made.
It comes out also that out of the enormous surplus of 4,885,255 dollars, that only 210,000 dollars remain unappropriated—this mode of stating an overplus is ingenious, and but for the motion of Mr. Thomas many of the honest citizens of this Country would have believed that that enormous overplus stated by the Secretary, was really in the Treasury, and ready to be appropriated to any valuable purpose—
When we speak of an overplus, we should not understand it to mean that which is liable to be demanded at any moment, and yet that was the case in this instance—it were to be wished that the Secretary in future, would divide the overplus into two distinct parts, the appropriated overplus, and the unappropriated overplus, by this method members of Congress like Mr. Thomas would be able to take a more clear view of our finances.
What sub-type of article is it?
Politics
Economic
What keywords are associated?
Salt Duty Reduction
Treasury Surplus
Congress Debate
Mr Thomas Motion
Unappropriated Funds
What entities or persons were involved?
Mr. Thomas
The Secretary
Domestic News Details
Key Persons
Mr. Thomas
The Secretary
Outcome
no reduction of duty on salt can be made; only 210,000 dollars of the 4,885,255 dollar surplus remain unappropriated.
Event Details
Debate on Mr. Thomas's motion for reducing the duty on salt shows that despite claims of an overflowing treasury, no reduction is possible due to limited unappropriated funds; criticism of how the surplus is presented by the Secretary.