Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1837-02-14


fixing The rates d duties on scale Of gradual r..
duction from 1883 up to 1912 tui deny the night
Of Congress to do so, unless impelled by some dire
necessity over which 1t can exert control. War
that greatest of all the Ills that bclall we'll gov
erned People, might present ase Of such neces-
sity No such necessity is pretended. No gem
tleman here will risk his character for sanity by RI
sing in his place and declaring that, without law
like that on your table, the liberties or happiness
Of the People are in danger. No man. here Or else
where, can pretend that the compromise act Of tho
Cd Of March, 1888. contains any principle which
menaces the general welfare of the country or that
lis operation and effects threaten national pros
perity with imminent danger. On the contrary sir,
the echoes Of that general note Of acclaim, which
verberated from one extremity Of the Union TO the
other, at the passage Of that law, are at this mo-
ment scarcely silenced. Our circumstances are not
changed since the passage Of that law, in any way
connected with its provisions or policy. Hence
infer that, as that law in its ierms fixes the meas
ure Of protection which shall be extended to domes-
tic manufactures up to the year lS42 and as il was
considered in the light Of an arrangement, perma-
nent up TO that time, by the Congress who enacted
It and, further as 1t was SO regarded by both the
friends and foes of the protective system, oil over
the country, and as those engaged in manufacturing.
shipped their business, and disposed their capital In
conformity to this general opinion, although You
have tho poweT, you have no right now to annnl
your understood engagement, when, by so doing a
capital and labor SO great to produce $50 millions
a year, which have been invested under the faith
aus pledged, must be at once destroyed By alter
ing essentially as you propose 10 do, the act of 1885,
you bring upon this labor and capital what is equal
to destruction you sever them BY violence frsm
their present business connexions, and leave them
| 10 the mercy OF accident for future occupation. |
beg gentlemen ~ turn TO the law of 1888, and see
how all the features Of a compact and permanent
engagement are carefully impressed upsnit.
! The first section, taking UP the protected articles
such as paid duty above twenty per centum adj
valorem, subjects them TO scale Of gradual reduc-
tron from 1883 until all are brought down to duty
| Of twenty per centum ad valorem in 1912. WIN
were the several periodical reductions adjusted SO
careful through period OF nine years, il The law
! not expected TO continue force for that length
Of time? Let any gentleman reflect on the history
of that law for moment and he can have no further
difficulty in finding tho principles Of permanent
! compromise in it. Two great parties, as we all
! know, existed in the county. These were known by
! the designations Of tariff and an-iarif. The anti
| tariff party, chiefly comprised in the Southern and
Southwestern sections Of he Union, demanded an
! abandonment Of the protective principle and a re-
duct.on Of duties to a revenue standard alone They
alleged that as they were consumers and II prodii-
/ GERS Of those articles which protected by law
they paid TO the producer lin the protective duty)
bounty upon his laboi and insisted on the Injustice
Of thus taxing the planting States for the benefit Of
/ the Northern manufacturing States. Such was the
argument OH side, whether correct or shall
not here pause 10 consider. On the other side those
friendly TO the protective system alleged that the
policy Of protection was begun early in the history
Of the Government; that especially Since 1916 k
! had been pursued with such vigor and constancy as
only 10 invite capital but actually mpel ii in
to the business OF domestic manufacture. They in
I sisted and with the most Obvious reason, that to
Withdraw suddenly that protection would result, IN
ruin TO the capitalists, and widespread misery to
the aboring classes. They proposed a system of
gradual reduction of duties, which would sive tiu
for the acquisition of skill, SO as to enable them Ia
operate with little protection, Or at the worst
llf time were gven) gradual and comparatively
harmless withdrawal Of their capital and labor from,
manufacturing pursuits, could be effected To This
proposition the South acceded, and lis substance
will be found embodied in the law of 1888. Thus
gradual reduction, extending through series OF
years TO is42 saved the manufacture, while tho
prospective reduction OF duties all protected art-
cles TO one standard satisfied the principles contcn-
ded for by the South. When this was settled to
make 1t binding and lrrevocabe ill 1912, the parties
inserted in the third section Of the bill their solemn
declaration to that effect The cion referred 10
reads follows: " -And lie il further enacted That
until the thrtieth day Of June one thousand eight
hundred and orty.two, the duties imposed by exist
ing laws as modified by this act shall remain and
continue to be collected Could your language
furnish words more emphaticallv expressive Of d
declaration by Congress that no change to b.
made in this branch Of your revenue system I'LL
june fs42? Did you then expect your People TO
place reliance on what you thus solemnly pro-
claimed as your determination? No you did not
expect The American People to treat you as hollow
hearted knaves attempting TO impose their credu-
li'y The sole object Of proclaimng to them the
unalternbe character Of the law Of 1888 qui-
ct the fearful agitation that then every where pre-
vailed, and give stability to that nrcrest--the man
uiaciuring interest," which most TO BE- affected
by your acts. What, sir, were the happy, the elo-
b rious effects Of that compromise? The day before
that law received the Presidents approval over
: cast with the gathering cloud of ci, war, deepen
d ing spreading, and backening every hour. The
Q ground on which we stood seemed to heave and
quake with the first throes Of CONFUSION, that was
TO rend in fragments the last Republic on earth n,
: this fearful moment an everything Providence re-
d vealed the instrument Of lis will in the person OF
: one man, whose virtues would have illustrated the
: brightest annals Of recorded time. He produced
this great measure OF concord and the succeeding
s morning dawned upon the American horizon without
o spot the sun Of hat day looked down, and be-
held us Tranquil and united People.
G Are we prepared now to break the bonds Of peace
& and renew the war have said you have the
= power 10 do so, but deny your right. do no,
!" measure that right by standard of law in u lni.
If cipa court. cannot conceive any idea more ride.
: uous Than that which finds no standard Of moral
IS political duties and rights for christian, prl
= yaie gentleman or a statesman, except that which
Is is applicable to contest before Justices court, OF
nisi prtus jury. No. sir, appeal to law in the
o bosom of man, prior and paramount TO III s. j ap-
@ peal to the South, where know that voice will be
y obeyed, and where know do not appeal in vain
IS invoke Its characteristic chivary. call for that
e sentiment of manly pride which is its filming.
summon 10 my aid that sensitive honor which feels
n "a stain like wound" which abhors deception and
9 shud lers at violated faith VIII that South
If which sure have truly described Join in this
Odious infraction Of its treaty, and unite ia tins
: miserable upon the aboring thousands whu
= have conided IN It's securltles--a not waged
= with open force and strong hand-a war not waged
to avenge nsulted honor, but recover the differ
:, ence between five and ten cent duty upon yard oil
is cotton goods! Your approach 10 this battle is not
a heraldSd by the lrumpefs voice; no, you are Il
e take the proposed bill, and 20 on maraudlng ex-
If pedition by way Of ieprsa. You TO steal into
= les dinner You 10 march into the cottage OF
v the widow and earlessy coniscaIe the breakfast Of
II q actorY gir. for tho beneft Of the planning and