Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-03-15

had degenerIied into a mere systcn, Of imnosi,i,' an tho
people, controlled most exclusively, by those whose OBJ
ject Il was To obtain the patronage OF the Governments:
and that, without regard TO principle or policy. Standing
'par, rom wUat she consider d IA contest, in wnrhhIbe
Proiic bad 40 interest. she has been assaiied4N Lo,I, ~
ties, with a Jury altogether unparallciedy~E~ 49, Ia
suing The course which she believed lihsr,v ,md ,ir,y :.
CURED she has met with nrmness coual TO the 6ercsness
u w assault the midst of this attack. he ma no,
,LrsrS~'i1h a view OF imilicting a wound on the State,
5ogh him, lac hal heen held up as the au'hor Of the
protective system; aud one oiits most strenuous advocates.
IL was with pain that he alluded TO himself, on so dccp and
grave a subject as that now under discussions; ana which,
he sincerely believed, involved the liberty of tire country.
He now regretted, that under the sense OF injustice, which
the remarks OF a Senator from Pennsylvania. (hIr. Wilkins,0
excited for the moment, he had hastily given his pledge
TO defend himself against the chargeswhich had been made
in reference 10 his course in 1916; not that there would he
any difficulty in repelling the charge, but because he felt
odeep reluctance IN turning the discussion, in any degree,
from a subject OF 80 much magnitude TO one OF so little i'm
portance as the consistency or Inconsistency OF himself, or
any other individual particularly in connexion with an
event so long since passed. But for this hasty pledge, he
would have remained silent as to his own course, on this
occasion, and would have borne, with patience and calm
Eess, this, with the many other Misrepresentation with
which he had been so inccssSntly assailed for many years.
The charge that he was the author Of the protective
system had no other foundation, but that he, in common
with the almost entire South, gaveh his support TO the Ia
riff of 1916. Its true, that he advocated that measure.
for which he might rest his defence, without taking any
other, on the ground that it was a Tariff for revenue, and
not for protection; which he had established beyond The
power Of controversy. But his speech on the occasion
had been brought in judgment against him by the Sena-
tor from Pennsylvania. He had since cast his eyes over
the speech, ana he would surprise, he had no doubt, the
Senator, by telling him, that with the exception OF some
nasty and unguarled expression, that he rotractcd no.
thing he had uttered on that occasion. He only asked
that he might he Judged in reference TO it, in that spirit of
fiirness and Justice which was due 10 the OCCASION;
taking into consideration the circumstances under which
1t was delivered, aud bearing in mind that the sub
ject was a tariff for revenue, and not for protection: :
for reducing and not raising the revenue. But, be-
fore he explained the then condition of the country,
front which bis main arguments in favor OF the measure
were drawn, it was nothing but an act Of justice to himself,
that he should state a fact in connexion with his speech,
that was necessary TO explain what he had called hasty
AMI unguarded expressions. His speech was AM imprOnp.
fu; and, as such, he a~pol0gized TO the House, as appears
from the speech as printed, for Offering his sentiments on
the question without having duly reflected on the sub.
ject. 1t was delivered at the request of a frienl, when
he had not previously the least intention Of addressing the
House; he alluded TO Samual ID. lngham, then and now,
as he was proud to say, a personal and political fricnd-a
man OF talents and inte grily-with n clear head and firm
and patriotic heart; then among the leading members Of
the House; in the palmy s ate of his political glory, though
now for a moment acknowledgement, did he s,y-
no! it was his State which ania,
and not Samuel ID. Ingham! Pennsylvania, which had
deserted him under circumstances, which, instead of de-
pressing, ought to have elevated him in her estimation.
lie came 10 me, said Mr.. c. when sitting at my desk
writing, and said that the House was falling into some
confusion, accompanying 1t with a remark, that | knew
how difficult it was TO rally so large a body when
once broken on a tax bill, as had been experienced
during the late war. Having a higher opinion of my
influence than 1t deserved, he requested me TO say
something 20 prevent the confusion. | replied. said Mi.
c. that | was at a loss what TO say; that | had been bu-
SHY engaged on the currency, which was then in great
confusion, and which, as had stated, had been placed
particularly under my charge, as the Chairman of the
committee on that subject. He repeated his request, and
the speech which the Senator from Pennsylvania has
complimented SO highly was The result.
lie (Mr. e. would ask, whether the facts stated ought
not, III justice, to he borne in mind by those who would
hold him accountable, not only for the general scope of
TIE speech, but for every word and sentence which il
"aniai1'@l, @"'t 40 frASnuf0e jucgef by The rules which
IN justice belonged to the case. Let it be recouL.cteJ
That the bill was a revenue bill, and, of course. that il
was constitutional. He need not remind the Senate, when
ne measure Is constitutional, that all arguments calcu.
ued 10 show its beneficial operation NAV be Legitimate.
pressed INTO service, without taking into consideration
'hether the subject to which the arguments refer he
'lhlh the sphere of the Constitution or not. IT, for in.
nee a question were before the holy to Law a duty
on DioieS' anu a motion be made 10 reduce the duty, or
"'""l n'Dies duty Tree, who could doubt that the arqu.
ment IN favor OF the motion that the increased circnI,.
uon oil Tie bibles would be in favor of the morality and
, ,.nIiG OF ue country would be strictly proper? Or, who
"oun suppose that he who had adduced il had committee
h'mseIf, on the constitutionality OF taking the religion or
"o'"'S IL me country under the charge of the Federal Go.
VcrhIhehl: Again: Suppose the question to be TO raise the
uu'y 1i SIX or any other article of luxury, and that il
shouid be supported on the ground that it was an article
Su"my consumed by The rich and extravagant, could il be
larry inferred that, in the opinion of the speaker. Congres.
n"u q right TO pass %sumptuary laws? He only asked tLat
,nese PI''n rules be applied 10 his argumenton the tariff Of
ioio. ihcy turned almost entirely on the benefits which,
nIi.h conferred on the country in time of war: and
winch no one could doubt. The country had rocoruv
plSI" 'hIo"Sh sncf, a state. The world was, at that time,
V'vPS 'dSltated by the effects OF the great conflict which
n'u ; 0 long RACED in Europe, and which no one could tell
no" soon again might return. Bonapar,e had bui recently
been overthrown; the whole southern mari If nHs onn,y
.to'' was IN a state OF revolution, and was threatened with
te interference, of the Holy Alliance, which. had il no..
."I'e"' must almost necessarily have involved this coun.
Wy III a most dangerous conflict. II was under u,eso
circumstances that he had delivered the suescb in ,vIicb
ne urged The House, that, in the adjustment of the tu5T
reference ought TO be had 10 a state of y a. we'll no
peace ana that its provisions ought TO be 6xed on tbc rom.
POu"u views OF the two periods-making some sacrifice in
po'Ce III oTdeT That the less might he made in war. WAS
.H P'.ucIp'e false! and, in urging it, did he commit him.
vi W uia' system 81 oppression since grown up, and which
mas Tor It's object the enriching of one portion of nc co,n'
Try al The expense Of the other?
hlF. e.. said. fIe oI,f, .uI. Ill -
"heh a measure was proposed, the first thing i. 10 ascer.
IAN us conshtutionality: and, that being ascert,ineJ. the
nSAt was Hs eXped.ency, which last opcned the whole
hsu OI argument Tor end against. Every ionic NAV he ira
81 calculated TO prove Il wise or ungise--so in a bill to r,Ise
'hPo'ts. II must first be ascertained that the LII ia basod
~ we principles OF revenue, and that the money raised
Is necessary Tor the wants Of the country. These being
asceT'alneu' every argument, direct and indirect. NAV he
'sr'y oiIered, which may go 10 show that. under ali the
''cu"'s'dnces' TIE provisions oil the bill are proper or i'm.
proper. ran 'hIs plain and simple rule been adhered TO-
we should never have heard of the compl,int If caroIno'
her Objection - not against the improper modification oC !,
OH acknowledged to be for revenue; but that. under ,e
name II inPosis, a power, essentially different from the
'aN'hg power, - exercised -partaking much more of ts
'ndFdcterO oil q penalty than \ tax. Notbing ia mora cor.
mon man mat things closely resembling in appear,nre
s'oWl "l1eIy AMI essentially differ i'm their character
arsenic Tor Instance, resembles honr-yet one is deaJlv
p9l'sOh and the other that which constitutes the st,G Of
ne 90 duties imposed, whether for revenue or protec.
,'on' nay DC called imposts, though nominally and an
pHenuy inc same, yet differ essentially in their real char.
rr VT !. said, he should now return 10 his speech on the
idTW OF 1916. To determine what his opinions resuv
= Oh ID UhInrf Of eel - IT. IL IA 81 a -