Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1832-01-17

in their official capacity, and meant not to dcrogate from
the individual intelligence of any Of the gentlemen who
composed it) know on that question. How aa 'ney
know whether tho duty did or did not prevent the I'M |
portation of a particular article which he had some
time since wished TO purchase, and of which he sui
stood i'm great need-he meant the article called CON-
mon plains. IAN article used in the clothing OF negroes)
Could the Committee on Manufactures be expected to tell
why that article was not now Imported Or coulu me ques-
ton so properly belong TO them as to the Committee on
Commerce.. The resolution required that the House aud
the Nation should be informed what the goods were that
were thus prohibited, and at what prices. These were
enquiries which could be readily answered by the Com
mittce on Commerce, and by no other committee. III any
political preferences could be expected SO lar 10 operate aS,; as
and candid answc or to a question of this kind, "a thing which
he would not belicveO still it must be remembered that a
majority even of the Committee on Commerce were as
fast bound to the far famed American System as any other
gentleman in that House. Whatever might be their po-
iitical opinions, he reposed the highest confidence in their
integrity and intelligence, and he expected from them a
deliberate enquiry into the fact. and candid answers to the
enquiries submitted to them. He concluded by expressing
his hope that the Resolution would be permitted 10 take the
course he had indicated for il.
Mr.. Speight supported the reference of the Resolution
to the Committee on Commerce TO whom he insisted that
it properly belonged! unless, indeed, as going TO enquire
into what might be considered a departure from the true
intent and meaning Of the Tariff Laws, it did not more pro-
perly pertain to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Mr.. Hoffman took the same side, which he supported
by some remarks too imperfectly heard by our reporter
to be correctly given. He was understood, however, to
remark that the Secretary of the Treasury proposed in his
annual report TO lay before the people the real government
value of every article imported into the United States.
The resolution would be useful, as tending TO elicit that
information which could not be obtained from the British
official returns, inasmuch as the "ofice value" differed
so much from the real value Of the articles exported, that
the one could never be ascertancd from the other. He
could see nothing in the preamble 10 be dreaded by the
gentleman at the head Of the Committee OF Manufactures,
and he hoped the amendment would not be permitted to
succeed. No doubt every Committee of that House
would give, so far as they were able, the whole truth,
in reply 10 any inquiry OF the Houses; but he thought the
Committee on Commerce could answer the present in
quiries much more readily than any other Committee.
MIR. Denny, of Pa, observed that gentlemen seemed TO
\ have oroat nnnrobeneiop lost this resolution should he sent
TO the Committee on Manufactures. For himself, he had
as great confidence i'm the Committee of Commerce, as
any other gentleman; but he would inquire, how had the
present tariff laws come into that House! Had not the
bill been reported by the Committee on Manufacturers
When did the system Of niininittns originate! Had itnot
been in the Committee on Manufactures! Who might be
expected TO be better judges of the true condition and
practical operation of that law than those who had framed
it! Why then should tho subject be taken from that Com
mittce, and given to another, which had never yet express
ed any favorable opinion in reference to American Manu-
iacturcs, which that law had been enacted to protect! Mr..
ID. said that he differed entirely from the gentleman from
Virginia, (Mr. Bouldin) in point of fact. The gentleman
had asserted that the rate of duty on dd raiorenr goods
could not he ascertained, whereas the fact was, that il had
been ascertained and had always been known. The law
had itself fixed the value, and had not lcftit TO be regulated
by fraudulent foreign invoices. Was the gentleman willing
to exclude that inquiry also in his resolutions! Vas he willing
TO charge the com. with inquiring whether the law was moi
evadcd and the country imposed upon by false invoices IRON
abroad! No reference to that fact was TO be found either in
the gentleman's preamble or his resolution, although he
protested 10 desire to get at the true foreign value of the said
articles imported. If the gentleman wanted to ind out the
true cost of the article where il was produced, he sought
a thing which was beyond the reach OF the Committee on
t Commerce. Enquiring and persevering, as the gentle
man (Mr. Cambreleng)w was known to be, who was at the
head OF that committee, this was a matter far beyond his
ken. 1t lay so deeply hidden in the fraud and chicane o.
: foreign manufactures, that it could not be got at even by
those who confessed and deplored the frauds and imposi
$ tons by which foreigners had crippled our manufactures
d our country in spite of all the vigilance and activity whic
could be employed TO prevent it. He again enquire,
whether it was not fit that an enquiry respecting the ia
rf law should go TO the committee which had reported
the law. He did not wish at that time to enter into a dis
| CuSSIOn on minimum and adj valorcm dufies That cuhiac
! would come up in due time. But he was opposed to Ia
5 king an enquiry from a Committee TO which it naturall,
and appropriately belonged, TO give it TO one who had dis
appointed the friends of the protecting system. The re
solution proposed the enquiry to the actual per cent. up
j on the prime cost OF the article at present collected unde
the tariff law, The prime cost, he repeated, was what III,
9 Committee OF Commerce never could report TO that House
That committee might indeed tell the House that such an,
81 such amounts are put down as the prime cost in the in
c voices received in foreign manufactures, and their agent
e IN this country. But the experience of our American
n Merchants had fully saiied the country that those state.
ments were utterly unworthy of credit. The law ma,
:, therefore, fixed a price, and to make sure against abuse
had directed lo per cent to be added to it. Mr.. ID. con
d Guided his remarks by again expressing his confident hop,
That the subject would not be taken out of the hands of tn,
Committee OF Manufactures, TO which it belonged.
Before any question was taken on the resolution, Mr.
d POLK, Chairman OF the Select Committee on the apportion
ment bill-moved that the House DO now proceed TO III,
bill upon the Speakers table.
C Mr.. Wicklihe desired, before the question sbonId. h,
taken, to know whether the friends of the present numbe
OF $4,000 as the ratio for one Representative, which wa
r now contained in the apportionment bill, would permi
D him TO make a motion TO discharge the Committee of III,
Whole from the further consideration of that bill, in orde,
That 1t might be rc-committed TO the Committee which had
reported IT, with Instructions to report it in blank. l
they would, he should vote in favor of the present motion
If not, he should vote against it.
No reply being givento Mr.. Wickihe's inquiry, the cues
ton was put on the motion of Mr.. Polk, and carried by
large majority.
The House then proceeded to the Orders of the Day.
, And Mr.. Wickline asked the unanimous consent of The
House to make a motion for discharging the Committee oil
the Whole from the consideration of the Apportionment
Bill.
Mr.. Mitchell of s. Carolina objected:
MIR. Wicklife then moved TO suspend the rule which
prevented him from making the motion at this time.
The question being taken, the Ayes were 80, fba Noes
az. But as it requires two-thirds of the House TO suspend
a rule OF order, Mr.. Wickline's motion was lost.
On motion of Mr.. Polk, the House now went into Com
mitlee OF the Whole on the state of the Union.
MIR. Hoffman in the Chair.
The question being on the amendment proposed by Mr.
Jeniier OF Md, to The amendment proposed by Mr.. Craig
oil va. (Mr. Craig's motion was TO strike out the words
iorty-eght, and Mr.. Jenifer's to insert in lieu thereof the
words lorty-fve)
The question was put, and Mr.. Jenifer's amendment
was negatived.
Mr.. Everettof Mass. enquired of the Chair. whether,
when a number had been proposed and negatived, il would
De IN order again TO propose the same number in committee.