Mr. MORRILL. I have no question but what it is the purpose of the House to leave the law so that we shall obtain a larcc revenue from this source, butI very much doubt whether when we get through with this bill the law will be such as to accomplish that object. As it now stands the law is more etiective than we have ever had. We are receiving a larger amount of revenue than we have ever before received from this source. The present law in relation to this particular artic e perhaps is somewhat oppressive in this: that the manufacturers are not able to dispose of their stems, and these to a large amount are now on hand and in order to accommodate the trade and not to be oppressive in any quarter the committee have, after hearing gentlemen from all arts of the country, West as well as North an South, come to the conclusion that it would be better to fix the tax so as to embrace smoking tobacco in one description, so as to include stems or not, as the parties might choose, and let the price regulate that matter. As the law now stands the tax on smoking tobacco of all kinds and imitations thereof, not otherwise provided for, is 35 cents perpound. On smoking tobacco made exclusively of stems it is 15 cents a pound. The committee came to the conclusion, after a long and patient investigation, that to impose one rate was better for all interests and perhaps might give the Government an equal amount of revenue. They therefore agreed upon the rate of 20 cents perpound instead) of 35, only 5 cents more than it now is on smoking tobacco made exclusively of stems, and 15 cents less than under any other provision in the law as it now stands. We believe that that will be satisfactory. Certainly, if we expect to derive any considerable amount of revenue, it ought not to be reduced below that. The amount of revenue received from all kinds of tobacco in the 3 quarters of the present fiscal year is almost 9 million dol ars. The amount received for the whole of the year 1865 was only $8,000,000, and in 1864 $7,000,000, showing that the law as it now stands is better at any ratethan any laws here tofixe enacted. I trust the committee will reach the conclusion thatweought not to change this provision as reported by the Committee of Vays and Means.