Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-10
TWENTIETH CoMGRDss.
FIRST SESSION.
MONDAY, DEcEsIBER 81.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
IUebate ConcIuded.
OF THE DRAWBACK STS-
TEN

| Mr.. Wright OF N. " then addressed the House
and said that, he had been honored it'll a stu
alton III the Committee on Manufactures, ne iel'
me more entitled ask the indulgence OF the
House, in offering 4 few statements, and eXpana-
tons, i'll reply To what had been advanced on the
other side and he would first mark, that IL was
three weeks, and not four weeks, rs had been
SAID, since the members composing that Commit
Tee, had been announced to the House. For some
Gays alter their appointment, not single memo
Hal, either or against alteration III the pre-
sent tariff OF duties, had been laid before them
ihen few petitions, very briefly and generally
expressed, ;.ere received from two or three OF
the States; and II the gentlemen, who seemed TO
censurc the Committee Tor negligence, had had an
opportunity Of examining these documents, they
would nave found that they oil had relation TO what
had been denoniinated "a National Conv ention
III Pennsylvania" Petitions of this kind were all
that the Committee had before them for conside
raDIe time. When he said this, he meaut, official
~ before them, in such manner that the Commit
tee could act upon them. lie admitted, indeed,
That the members of the Committee had, ndividu-
AIRY, seen pamphlet which had been very free
~ circulated, anu which had respect to the doingS
oil that Convention. But it WAS never placcd OIL
rIaliy before either the House, the Committee,
uhul about ten days ago. This was all the time
the Committee had had TO deliberate on several
distinct propositions submitted to them, and he
might be permitted to refer TO the proceedings of
'his House, and tor its progress in business, an
answer 10 the imputations thrown out as 10 the in
dustry oil the Committee. The resolution which
had been this day offered, had been resolved on,
III committee, some days ago, and it was presented
10 the House on the very nrst opportunity that of
tered. He had been an advocate for its adoption
anu he would now briefly state some OF the reasons
mat had influenced him. 1t had been said. that
ali the information, necessary to right decision
on the general subject, is already before the House
and the Committee. This ght be true, for aught
ne knew. Ills own experience in legislation had
been very short, and he was unable TO say what
amount Of knowledge might he possessed by o.
Tiers, but, Tor HIMSELF from the industry which he
mad been able 10 bring 10 bear within the short
uine allowed him, (and he had examined diligent-
ly all the public documents and rcports of former
Committees, which were said TO contain this spe-
cies OF iniormation,) he found himself still greatly
Ut d loss, anu IN want OF much information, OF
winch the public documents were destitute The
whole subject stood i'll need OF the exhibition of
more precise detail. Two questions had been sub
united TO the Committee the first was are any
alterations at all in the existing Tariff at this time
necessary? 1t had been said, that on this point
the public mind had been deeply interested, and
Inc public sentiment expressed with sufficient
ciearnesS to authorize the Committee in coming to
an affirmative decision. Should this be admitted
announcer question arose, and that was, to what eX-
tent Is tins alteration necessary, in order to attain
me ends IN view /: On this question, gentlemen
might examine all the memorials OF the M2nufac-
turcrs all the reports oil the Committees of Manu-
lectures, rs well rs the Executive communca-
lions, cat least far ne had been sle to nyes-
tigate theLn,) and they would not discover any
thing to inform them whether b g. or so per cent
was to be added TO the present rate of duties Now
inns was precisely the kind of information of
which he stood Ill need he meant 10 be understood
IS referring to some particular branches OF manu-
iac'ure and there were others OF similar charac-
ter on which other petitions might vet be present.
ed. There We're, however, some branches TO
winch these remarks did not apply.
But one chief subject on which he felt this want
0l o., information was, the manufacture OF woollens.
1 he Harrisburgh Convention had on this subject
proposed sefleS Oh mnnuIns 10 constitute a scale
o duties, which, according TO their Judgment was
requisite and proper for the protection OF that mar
uiacture But, had the members OF that Couven-
tion gwen 10 the world any facts, calculated 10
shcw that the rates they proposed were such -
precisely 10 furnish the degree of protection re-
CURED, and neither to fall short Of nor To exceed
II! lie could not find this in their pamphlet
! IN what situation then did he stand As SER
want OF the House, he was commanded TO exam.
lpe certain subject, to bring his mind TO conciu-
sion with respect TO it, and report bill for the ar
ton OF the House. The House had a claim upo1
him Tor the performance of this duty, and he wa.
unwilling TO be compelled 10 report upon the sub
lcct, when he u.s. not in possession Of tbe facts
requisite 10 form decision. If, indeed the House
should say to him, 20 and do as we'll a. Won can
WIN such nights Is you have, he was perfectly
willing to obey them. All lie wished was 10 e-
press the diihcuity under which he laborcd in the
discharge Of his duty, aud to ask thc JIc,,sa 10 -.
sist him If they should be OF opinion tb.f /. ,,,..
improper TO do so, he entirely willing n rro
! coed with such means Of KNOWLEDGE a, ,vnr.. !,
his power.
| As to the questions, whether this was novo
case, and whether tile power now asked resided !.
/ the House, he did not profess himself ablo In d.
clde ms parliamentary experience had not becr
such rs TO enable him TO do so. lie would. howe.
! yer, suggest to his colleague, (Mr OakievA Win
mad offered the amendment, that as il now stood
II uld not require the Witnesses who mi hi - sum.
inohea 10 OrihS win them any papers. Suppos.
ing, then, that the Committee should send C,r a..
Agent OF some manutlcturiDr estabiisI,,,ont g.,
the purpose OF examining him in relation fo il,
concerns, would not the witness in order q, ,,;,,o
precise replies, want the books Of the establish
nient? by referring 60 these bis information could
/ be rendered specific. Bc suggested, Therefore.
whether the amendment OUGHT not 10 be so moi
ned az 70 attain this object
hr. Cambreieng expressed himself in f,,.or n
! the resolution. lie sUd ne had occupjeJ Li,necli
during the Summer in collecting what Information
was IN MS power, on the general subject OF the
WOoiieh manufactures OF this country, and he had
obtained from different quarters statements. direct
~ the reverse Of each other. Tic had found tbat
some idbTics yielded the manufacturers Is and o.
TIERS DO per cert. upon their capital As an i'm
stance OF the contradiction 10 which he had refer
rcd, MY G. stated one case. a memorial. reccivct
az tie last session from one Of tho New ENGLAND
states, declared Giat The capital cmuloved Ira - 49,
ain manufacture had suffered rcfuc,ic,,' 81 -.
thau ~ per cent. lie had happened i'm lilo S,,r,-
iucr, TO fail in with one Of the proorintors 81 H.,
very establishment 10 which that rnernori,t rocr-
tod' VINO 'oid nm that on tho Est of April ihev
,at ,'4ch one account OF stock and Oh the Ist Of
CctoDer another, and that the difference vas t,tc
mat, during those months tl,cv had Io1, enabled
20 aiyide iO per cent. profit uron their capitsl-
VT y. sad that he Waa snxiOussth,t the Commit
zee should be enabled 10 decide between conflict
.ns statements oi This description. For ls cud