Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-03-09
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF.

The House then resolved itselfnto n Commit
tee of the Whole, Mr.. Condict in the Chair, ON
the State of the Union, on the bill for amending
the several acts laying duties on imports.
Mr.. Tod moved to amend the 5th section of
the bill by adding to that article which lays du-
ty on windowgass, of several different sizes, the
following proSiso, Ito prevent the laws being
evaded,) viz; {" provided that all window glass
imported in plates uncut be included in the a
bovc duty.n
MIR. Tod moved to add to the clause which,
lays duty F." on iron, in bars or bolts, not manu-
featured, in whole or III part, by rolling, 81 IL
per hundred weight,n the following words, (for
the same purpose of preventing the duty's being
evaded, 'On plough plates or share moulds a
duty of one per cent and a half per h."
On the motion some conversation took place
between Messrs. Cambreleng, Brown, Sand
ford, Udree, 8nd Cobb.
The amendment was rejected-ayes 80, noes
63.
tanning a duty on Brussels, Venitian, Turkey,
and Witoncarpets and carpeting, the words con
all ingram carpets and carpeting % cents per
square yard :" which motion was carried.
MIR. Tod thenmoved to add to the clause lay
ing duties en- nail rods sheet iron, and iron slit
and rolled, the following words, &C on pig iron
10 cents per cwt." On this motion prolonged
and desultory debate arose, which continued I'M
til past four O'clock.
The speakers in favor of the motion were
Messrs. Tod, Brown, Stuart, Udrce, Forward,
and Garrison.
Those in opposition to the duty were, Messrs.
Cambreling, Reed, Murcer, Fuller, Ponsett,
Sterling, Crowninsheld, Floyd, and Fott, of
Connecticut.
1t was advocated, first, on the general princi-
nj pf no that ,f,f,1
should, whereycrit was practicable, be.encou-
ragged in preference to those of foreign countries,
in order to promote internal trade, and the indie
pendence of the country, and to provide re-
source in case of war. The article of iron is a.
bundant, being found in almost all the states of
the Union; its quality is equal to that any in
the world pig iron is its very rudest form Of ma
nufacture--it employs labor that wonld other
wise remain idle; duty has already been laid
on bar iron which will lead to the importation of
pig, unless that Importation is met by duty on
pig also: none was imported previous to 1918 :
in that year one hundred tons were imported,
and the Importation has already reached thirty
one hundred tons year. This goes TO keep the
native riches of the country buried in the earth,
white foreign products and industry are promot-
cd. This is an article that, OF all others, should
be encouraged-because it converts that which
is worthless, land worse, into an article of great
value, general utility, and ofindispensable ne
cessity. Nocountry that produces iron encou-
RACES, but on The contrary, prohibits, the impor-
tation of the raw inaterial-and piguron is little
else.
1t was opposed on the general ground that, in
stead of beneittng manufactures, this duty
went to inJure them. Pig iron is not imported
in any very large quantity--and that which is
imported, is not brought from abroad on account
of low price, out of a peculiar quality. 1t is
the Scottish grey iron, which has degree of
fineness and solidity, which renders it peculiar
ly fit for small castings used in machinery. 1t
must be mixed with our own iron for certain
kinds of work-we have no substitute for it, and
the duty is only SO much laid on the manufactu-
rer; so that this is, in truth, strife between
manufactured and manufacturer, and not queS-
ton whether the general interests of manufac-
lures are to be promoted. The present duty Is
sufficiently heavy; and the fact that Scotch pig
iron continues to be imporrtd under that duty
shews that the article is needed. For species
Of iron analogous to this, the manufacturers OF
Massachusetts send all the way to New JERSEY,
and bring the raw ore 400 miles by water and DC
by land. It's not correct that England prohi
| bits the importation Of the raw material. She
lays on it tax of no more than l A shillings and
8 pence sterling ton, and great quantities are
still imported into that country from Sweden and
Russia, although the application of coal to
smelling the ore, had led to vast production OF
English iron. This duty is not needed by the
makers ofpig iron; they are already growing
rich, while the manufacturers of bar and bloom
iron are growing poore--the duty will go to in
crease the profits Of those already thriving, ant
to add the burden OF those who are about TO sink
as the makers of pig iron have already duty
which gives them the market, all the duty now
added will only be SO much added to the price
paid by the consumer. The argument used by
the friends of the bill, in favor of admitting
South America and Smyrna wool will apply e
qually to admitting Scottish grey pig iron, Boil
are articles which cannot be raised in this coun
try, and yet are ESSENTIAL to very valuable brau
ches eff its manufactures; and every argumen
i against the one, goes equally against the other
| The New Jersy pig iron is no substitute--hea
ven defend the merchants who have had on,
Consignment fit, from ever receiving another
especially if they have the Scotch pig at tn
| same time for sale. If you prevent the importa
ton ofthe Scotch metal in pigs, you will on
have it imported in manufactured form, whic
would be worse, on the principles of those VIII
would lay this duty. Surely, if the manufac
turers of Massachusetts, can afford to go 30
, miles for the raw ore from New jersey, and max
it into pig iron at their own furnaces the manu-
facturers of New Jersey cannot need the dut
now proposed who have the ore at their door,
The foreign pig iron is used i'll our foundres
cannon,
1t was rejoined, that the quality of the SCOTS
I pig iron did not depend on any thing peculiar i
the ore, but in the manner of preparing it; an
, that the iron of this country could be SO mike
as to be made either into what is called grey iro
or ,UItite, at the will of the Ion-master, land dc
tails of the process were given.) There was