Vandalia Whig and Illinois intelligencer. [volume] (Vandalia, Ill.) 1832-183?, 1833-03-06


allude.
CoNGREss.-Our dates from Washington
are to the 10Th ult. The "great debate" as
it is called, was still ''draggng its slow
length along' with but little prospect Of
coming to an end before the 4th of March.
The Tariff makes but slow progress in the
House, and the Land bill still keeps on the
Speakers table.
The mastery argument on the revenue
collection bill, which the public has long
been expecting from Mr.. Webster, has net
yetappeared. There seems to be some ma
neuvering between the giant of the north
and the champions Of the south for the wan
tage ground The challenge was fairly Civ
en- and excepted early in the session, yet the
prospect seems to be now, that the 4th of
March will slip by before the combat comes
on.
Feb. 18th, Mr.. Clay pursuant to pre-
vious notice asked leave to introduce bill
to modify the various acts imposing duties
Oh imports, and made a long and able speech
in explanation Of the principles on which
the bill is founded. The bill proposes to
abolish specific duties entirely except on a
few articles, and to reduce the present rate
Of duty gradually to 90 per cent. ad valo.
rem, by throwing of ten per cent. every
.two years.
After Mr.. Clay concluded,
Mr.. CALHOUN rose and said, he would make
but one ortwo observations. Entirely approx
ing of the object for which this bill was intro
duced-he should give his vote in favor of the
motion for leave to introduce it. He who
loves the union must desire to see this agita-
ting question brought to termination. UntiI
it shonld be terminated, we could not expect
the restoration Of peace and harmony, or
sound condition Of things, throughout the
country. He believed that to the unhappysdi
visions which had kept the Northern and
Southern States apart from each other, the
present entirely degraded condition of the
country, for entirely degraded he believed it to
be, was solely attributed. The general prin-
ciples Of this bill received his appreciation
He believed that if the present dificd lties were
10 be adjusted, they must be adjusted on the
principles embraced IN the bill, of fixing ad
palorcm duties, except in the few cases in the
bill to which specific duties were assigned
He said that ii had been his fate to occupy a
position as hostile as any one could in reierenae
to the protecting policy; but, lift depended on
his will, be would not give his vote for the pros
tration OF the manufacturing interest A very
large capital had been vested in manufactures,
winch had been of great service to the country,
and he would never give his vote to suddenly
withdraw all those duties by which that capi-
tai was sustained in the channel into which it
had been directed. But he would only vote
for the ad rdlorem system of duties, which he
deemed the most beneficial and the most equi-
table, At this time he did not rise to go into,
consideration Of any of the details Of this
bill, such course would be premature, and
contrary to the practice of the Senate. There
were some of TIE provisions which had his en-
tire appreciation, and there were some TO which
he objected But he looked upon these minor
points of difference, as points in the settlement
OF which no difficulty would occur, when gen.
tlemen met together in that spirit OF mutual
compromise which ne doubted not, would be
brought into their deliberations, without at all
yielding the constitutional question as to the
right Of protection.
Here there was tremulous APPRECIATION in
the galleries, which induced the CHAIR to Or
der the galleries to be cleared, On the ex
preston of a hope bv Mr.. PoINDExrER and
Mr.. HOLMES, that the order would not at this
time be enforced, the CHAIR subsequently with:
drew 1t, but gave notice that on any repetition
Of the disorder the officers of the House would
act without further direction.]