Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-05

What As the STAKE oi The .aastor. IL. REGARD 60 ,
which information is sought, and to attain which |
this compulsory power is demanded The attempt !
TO protect the domestic industry of the country is
not new; il has been often made, and has often |
failed. IL has for mauy years past agitetcd the
whole nation. In 1916, 20, '2S, '21, and '26
the question of revising and increasing the tariff
was before Congress, with view TO protc c,ion.-
great OF facts and information was collect
ed, and may be found in the records and proceed
ings of this House, in the shape of memorials and
reports of debates. The people are still alive upon
this subject, and every thing seems to have been
elected IN relation 10 1t which be Of any pyacti-
! cal utility.
! But if this enormous power of sending for per-
I sons and papers be given 10 the committee, what
will be the progress of IFS execution? win the
| committee conne its exercise TO the District Of
! Columbia? No. To gain all the information
which the committee seem 20 want, they must send
| 10 Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston
nor is this allthcy must also send to Charleston
Savannah, and NewOrleans. Can they perform
their duty without collecting all the facts within
the scope OF this power, from Machias TO the Gulf
OF Mexico? And when they have done, what have
| they but the disagreeing opinions of men? But,
SIR, can the information be obtained in the cxtraor-
binary way in which il is asked for, in twenty, or
thirty, or even sixty days. Why incur this delay .
III the power be exercised, there will not be time
TO report ana pass the bill during this session. The
| tariff vii! not be revised. The industry of the
country win not be protected against the ruinous
effects OF foreign competition. This propositions if
adopted, VIII delay, and probably put off altoge-
ther, the question of protecting the great agricul-
taral' manufacturing, and navigating interests Of
! the nation.
| But, Mr.. 8. said, there was another objection.
which he though OF some weight What is the
nature OF the power proposed to be given TO this
committee is 10 send out the Sergeant at rms
clothed with all the power of this House. TO sum-
mon persons in any and every part of the nation,
and to compel their attendance here in this Capitol
There Is no dispensing power. Whoever is sum
ihoned' whether he hive in Maine OF in Louisiana,
must come, or be guilty of contempt of the atho-
rity OF this House. And for what purpose is this
leariui power TO be given TO this committee Is il
10 elicit fraud crime in order that the offender
may DE convicted and punished? No. sir-But il
Is 10 enllghten the Judgment of this committee as
they say, upon mere matter of ordinary legisla-
ton Sir, the rightful exercise of this power is
confined to a few cases These are, where frauds
or crimes are imputed, and where the sole object is
to detect, expose, punish the guilty. There *
no instance under this Government withinp my
recollection, where this power has been given for
the mere purpose of enabling u committee of this
fouse TO adjust the details OF an ordinary bill
" bat, sir; is this enormous power TO he qiven
over inlo the hands of a committee of tribunal of
seven men, in this land of freeInen TO drap before
them by force, if need be, the citizens Of this Re
public, TO instruct the members of that committee
or OF this House, in the common and ordinary du
ties OF legislation? Mr.. 5. said he hoped not and
| he trusted the House would reject the proposton
MI. Storrs said, that he had heard this proposi-
uon from the Committee on Manufactures with
some surprise. He had hoped that, instead OF
asking Tor the aid of the House TO obtain infor1na
ton, they would, by this time have reported hill
That should give the farming and manufacturing
interests OF the country effectusl protection we
nave, SAID Mr. d, been in session nearly q month.
ana seem to have only discovered, at this day. that
the Committee on Manufactures need this @ xfraor
binary nterpoSition OF the power of the House he
fore they act at all the numerous petitions and
memorials already before from our constituents
The power they now ask has not heretofore been
thought necessary TO enable that Committee TO ac-
quire correct information of the depressed state of
our Woolen Manufactures, or the necessity of
| protecting them. At other sessions and for sue
cesSlve years, uliS subject has been considered by
the committees on Manufactures i'll both Houses
and bills have Leen reported and passed without
this appeal to US Tor our interference TO coerce orr
constituents 70 come here and inform us in per-
SON OF the ruinous condition of their interests
| The representations made to us in the memorials
on our tables, believe TO be true and that we can
draw from them, and other sources within orr
reach here, abundant information to enable us TO
act on the question, 80 not TO disappoint the lust
expectation OF the country. 1t is unnecessary IN
vest the COMMITTEES with this power of issrnc be
parliamentary process of the House There con
be no difficulty in obtaining the attendance of the
manufacturers, OF this city if the Committee re-
quests il ofthen. So far as we desire TO knop the
opinions of the wool growers and manufacturers of
the country, they have already anticipated us
Their petitions daily furnishing us with all the
information that can be necessary TO satisf us that
1t is our duty not let this session pass without
doing something to convince them that we are
looking after their interests. Instead of waiting to
| he brought here by conpulsion, our tables are
grooming under the weight of their petitions
believe, TOR one, that find all the informa-
tlon we want, - to the details of any measure the
Committee will report to us, without first resorting
10 TINS legislative chancery process and bringing
the petitioners here, TO be personally subjected ~
catechism from the Committees of the House
Ihey VIII answer interrogatories truly, If gentle
men wish them to do so, without asking that the
Committee shall delay acting at all, until they can
send to Boston or New Orleans, or any where
else, to ascertain if they sincerely believe the re-
presentations they have themselves made on the
thousands of sheets that are spread out before
1T may be that the Committee, or some one of its
members, may desire information even from New
Orleans and we all know that if nothing is TO be
reported until they bring Witnesses from that
quarter, we may not expect 10 hear of any bill un-
~ towards the first of March. We are not so des
titute Conformation here in nv opinion soid NJ
D, IRON other sources, too than the memorial, Of
our own constituents. The Report of the Secreta-
ry oil the Treasury has presented us with body of
valuable information the principal subjects that
we shall act upon, if do any thing OF this Ses
sion. IL furnishes such mass of useful facts am,
presents to US, in such clear and convincing lights
the necessity and policy of sustaining, by an ade-
quate increase OF duties, the manufactures which
te recommends TO our protection, that we can
hardly expect 70 be better satisfied than we must
be- IL we canddly examine it, With al the means
,n our hands that VIC may have, if we prosecute
TINS SUBJECT diligently, the vestng Of this unusual
power in the Committee, is, in my opinion useless
Ihe Committee may differ essentially in their view
IRON others in the Ho5ue who are irien div tn fbe
system OF protection They may come TO con-
cIuSlon on general principles Of policy widely diff
ieIent from tie House, as to the particular inter-