Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-24

Kentucky is, on its first trial, 10 per cent.
stronger than the Hemp of Russa-but, il
was contend-d, became weaker by use. In
this respect, AIR. T. said, If the fact were as
stated, the hemp resembed some arguments
he had heard-they seemed strong at first,
but become weaker and weaker the more they
were tried. Dir. II. had some doubt of the
fact respecting the hrmp, however, not believ-
ing that there could he any thing in the eli
mate Of the country which, after producing
| the strongest hemp, should take away its
strength. Mr.. T.. replied to the suggestion Of
the gentleman, that. If this duty on baggipg
| were not laid, he would be willing to take oE
the duly on cotton. IL he did that, MIR. T.
! said, he would venture to say, that the gen.
tleman's constituents would take him out Of
this House, and send somebody here, in his
place, who would put this duty ON again. With
regard to the local feelings and interests, a
gainst the influence cf which the gentleman
from New York protested the other day, Mr..
T. said. that no man could discharge his duty
To The public at large, il, in making out a la
riff of duties, he did not look to local as well
as general interests. The tariff cannot he
equalzed unless by doing so, and it was the
duty ola statesman TO look TO such considera.
tons. To form an equitable tariff, the pres
sure must be lessened in some places, and en-
| creased in Others, &c.--and, after all that can
be done is done for this purpose, change of
prices would still mike change of pressure.
The amount ofthe existing duty, MIR. II. ar
gued, had been Overrated 1t was but %
per cent. and gentlemen who had made it
amount to more, had only mistaken the f.
cures with which they set out in their calcu-
lation. The whole country was Interested,
he further commended. in encouraging the
production Of hemp, it being an article MS ne
cessary IA war TO the maintenance Of the Ma
Wy as the hulls or any other parts Of the ships
| composing it. MIR. T. here entered into
calculation, which, he said, would shew what
the mighty burthen Of this tax on the cotton
planters amounied TO. The price of cotton,
he said, is higher than that of bagging and
bale-repe hut, in selling cotton, the bagging
and bale-rope are all weighed and sold as
cotton. Cost what it may, it brings 10 the
grower the price of cotton, and is, in point of
fact cotton, TO him. Five yards of bagging
are sufficient for bale of cotton, weighing
about l-2 pounds each yard: add to this
six pounds OF baie-rope, and there is total
OF something like 90 pounds weight. Say
that the cotton sells for 23 cents-and in his
country they never got it for less, though
they used it of rather inferior quality-multi-
ply the weight ofbagging sc. by the price of
the cotton, and it would be seen that the cot
ton planters make, upon every bale of cotton,
three dollars clear That is, upon every bolt
of bagging which they use, they actually
make clear profit of 90 dollars. There could.
therefore, be, and there actually was, no cause
OF complaint on the part of the cotton plant
ers. MIR. Il. here took comparative review
of the progress of the dsties on the importa.
ton of hemp, and of tarred and untarred cord
age. Beginning at the year 1885, when the
duty on hemp began al 80 cents per liz lbs.
and on cables, tarred and untarred, at IS
and so cents, he came down to the present
time, when the duty on tarred cordagei is three
cents per pound, aud that on untarred cord
age Is four cents per pound. All the protec.
tioI hitherto given by law, Mr.. II. wen. on to
| argue, had been tide-water protection. or
this he did not complain. All that he asked
was that some little protection sheuld be ex-
| tended to the industry and capacity for pro-
ducilon of other parts OF the country. With
| reference to the duties on sugar, rice, and
cotton, imported, whether they were intended
| to protect the home manufacture of those ar
| tIces, was, Mr.. 7. argued, of no importance
The matter of fact is, that they do encourage
| it-and the fact is all that is material The
whole people of the United States are taxed
to protect the sugar grower, the cotton plant
| er, the rice grower, and the indigo maker :;
| and he might go further, and he consid-
cred il no more than fair and just that some
| little protection should be given TO the staples
| Mr.. IT. was followed by Messrs. Brent OIL.
aud Mckim in favor Of striking out--Mr. Tod
| replied--Mr. Cobb supported the amendment,
Tor striking QUIT Alessrs. Cook and Tod again
| IN opposition-aad Messrs. Gurey Of Loujsi-
ana, Sanford, Of Ten. Rankin and Buchanan
OF Penn. in support of the amendment
Finally,
Mr.. CLAY then rose, and said that il had
not been his Intention TO engage in any discus
SION on the details Of the bill but this was
one IN which his own district was SO specially
Interested, and its provisions had now been
attacked from so unexpected a Quarter, that
he should hold himself culpabie il he refused
TO answer. He would therefore. saw TO the
gentleman from Pennsylvania that, if this arti-
cie would not bear the duty proposed to be
laid upon u, there was not an article in the bill
that would.
The great articles which il was preposed
to protect, were cotton, WOOL hemp' and iron
but IT the country could manufacture any
article whatever, that article certainly was
cotton bagging. Having personal acouaint.
ance with the mode of its manufacture. lie
Opgged TO State lew OF the facts respecting IL
to the House. The buildings in which il was
conducted were Of the slightest and chsapes,
kind, much resembling rope walks; the hands
employed 10 spinning were, for the most part.
small negro boys, and few negro girls. The
weavers are all either negroes or common la
borers and such is the facility with which
the manufacture can he extended, that, if the
bill shall pass, am willing TO pledge myself
said DIR Clay, in any form, that, within 10
months, 90 millions Of yards can be Produced
and almost withouta social effort. am well
acquainted with the article, and it is one
which, Of all others, should select to illus
irate the prnpriety Ofihe principles of the pre-
4 sent bill who are ou, c,,,o,,o.., +: -