Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-01-10

a. 4iilst one. Aims ,hty God AND are We come
10 thus state oil things: gentleman from New
York informs US that we have, already, inforina-
ton III great plenty that the reports made when
the last tariff bills were before us contain all that
We need TO know. Unluckilv, l was i'm the mi
nor!ty when that bill passed. happened TO come
iioin the country that was to be squeezed, aud
well remember the manner in which that bill was
got up. AZ one time il asked, i'll the Com
mittee, Shall we put iron-wirc into this bill q
/ And at another time, handful of wood screws
was iaid upon the manticpiece Of the Committee
room, TO give the Committee ocular demons,ra-
ton that we could, In this country make ,voo.Icn
screws may, il was but the other day when ne
| ttion on this very subject of wooden screws was
presented TO the House0 AS an instance of the
improperly OF listening to such petitions I will
Just state one fact Some gentlemen took IL into
their heads that we could, in this country manu-
iacture umbrellas TO great advantage, land Il is
true enough that we can make fine umbrellas in
great numbersO and they PRAYED this House that
the importation of square wire might he probib;,.J
because that kind cfwire was EMPLOYED in maxine
The stretchers of the umbrellas. Well, the House
granted the petition; square wire was prohibited
anu what followed: These umbrella makers were
oohSeu TO import the stretchers ready made be-
! cause they could not make them of our own wire
| anu the importation of square wire had at their
own request, been prohibited. On the subject of
,ron' we had a low and whispering voice from
virginia. In consequence of this, made inquiry
oil one OF the principal iron masters in that State
| whether any further protection was indeed neces-
sary TO that branch of manufacture, and l found
that this man had been asked to sign the petition
thae came up to this House, but had positively re-
fused, saying, that he could not. in conscience,
ask Tor the additional duty but, if Congress would
force II into his pocket he should certainly be
| ry well satisfied farther found, that the Manu-
lecturers are IN the habit OF selling their iron
their own neighbors, at certain price, and after
carrying II 80 miles by land, they will sell it at
$50 per ton less. Now, who pays for this. Ano-
,her thing have observed is, that whenever there
happens TO be surplus in the National Treasury
these people Immediately ask for new duties be-
cause they can then urge that these duties will
not injure the revenue. During the present ses-
SION we have been told in the report OF the Secre-
tary OF the Treasury, (who seems on this occasion
| to nave acted the part of deputy President for
who Empowered him 10 recommend measures To
TINS House y That shall have surplus of
i've millions in the Treasury. immediately these
gentlemen Manufacturers congratulated one ano-
ther, that now it is fine time get new Tariff
But, II the Committees shall be empowered as is
now proposed, 10 send for persons and PAPERS
tieir contradictory statements will be exposed to
the public, and the truth will come out And is
not this consideration which deserves our seri-
Gus regard Besides, would ask if one man sets
up manuiactory in country where provisions
are cheap, where the population is abundant, and
uhe people poor, where he has great water pow
er' ana where he can bring the material TO his
very door IN ships, whether he cannot afford 10 sell
ms manufactures cheaper than another man. who
oOgeu 10 transport his materials far into the in
terior and there TO pay from 80 TO 40 900 dollars
ior a steam engine One Of the gentlemen from
"a (Nir Sewarto has told US that this measure is
all for the benefit of the farmers. Sir am a far
ner hold an estate in Virginia. and while
members oil this House were voting a Tariff To
protect the suffering manufacturers, vas selling
corn at III cents bushel. The gentlemen, though
they were nportuned not to insult the aericultur-
ISIS OF the country, put into their bills duty of
twenty-five cents per bushel ON imported wheat
Whiie hour Is nov selling III Virginia at three dol
lars and nifty cents barrel
NOW, appeal to this House whether it is not
uhe 10 take some step TO put stop TO this eternal
cry about protection. From 1918 TO this hour the
manufacturers have been continually telling us
That they would be satisfied. But are thew salts
ned II the Committee shall be clothed with the
power they now ask, they WILL of course be bound
10 use IT In prudent and proper manner. Ifthey
Shall transcend their authority, and attempt any
oppressive measures, they will offer CONTEMPT 20
'his House, aud any individual on whom they NAV
make the experiment will find prompt and ample
protection at its hands. The Committee must ex-
erclsc so great power their own high res,on-
sihllIty aud J. for one, have fears thai they will
abuse IL. =
The question was now taken on the amendment
OF MI Oakley, and carried in the affirmative
Ayes 100, Noes is
Mr.: Hoffman moved to lay the resolution upon
the table: Whereupon,
The quetion being taken il was neoatived with,
out division
MT Hoffman then said that, in relation to the
SUBJECT which had been referred to the Committee
OF manufactures, he desired, and needed infor1na-
ton, as much as any one. He represented, in
deed district which was not specially interested
IN the protection Of the manufacturing interest;
had II been otherwise, he might have sought with
more diligence, TO inform himself on the subject;
as 1t was, however, he had sought information with
some care, but without success Yet, anxious as
he confessed himself to be to get further light, he
was not willing to hazard what had been said and
perhaps with some JUSTICE to be the destruction of
the proposed grant of protection, by delay. He
mad hoped to have obtained the information he de-
sred, IN an authentic form, by testimony under
oath. The allegations of the petitioners would
then have been supported by something that could
with certainty be relied on. 1t was certainly very
desirable TO dispense with long arguments 70 deter
| inine matters OF fact. Those gentlemen however.
VINO are most interested in the general question
distinctly tell the House that the adoption Of such
resolution as Is now proposed, will, in its effect
be equivalent TO an indefinite postponement; and
feel myself (said Mr.. II y induced by their arru
the ground that they speak in good faith when they
assure us that they have all the necessary knowi-
edge Of the facts. know that good accounts are
kept 6y those who conduct our manufacturing es-
adjustments. The price Of the raw material is
recorded, and accurate account of all the sbse-
quent expenses attendant on its manufacture 80
as TO enable the owners, after proper allowance
lot the interest of their capital to Tx on price
yielding them reasonable profit When, there.
lore, gentlemen tell US that they have all the
knowledge OF these matters which the question
requires expect them, Of COURSE 10 be prepared
with eX lcs from the books Of the manufacturers.
| showing The prices paid by them for materials and
workmanship. and those received for the manufac-
tuTed article. We shall then be abundanuy able
70 judge OF the degree Of protection they require.
l am the rather Induced TO take this course from
having observed, that, while cottons are exported
/ H.,