Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-09-23

ting the Interests ofthe South will AGO ult me OF any
intention TO commit a fraud upon those intore.ts
assume this neutrality-suspicious. Independent.
" OF every other consideration, your knowledge ot
my character, your respect for your own and for
| The community inwhirh we live, unite to author.
ize tt mako thofollowing statement then, to
Ioo,ree' throush your paper. the msrepTesenta.
uon, TO which you havegven currency.
sHnylous for tho passage OF tho land or dis.
unuion bill for the following among otheI reasons
u Twas DESTROYS To remove the neitatin. subject
rom the halls Of Congress, where Il served ~, mo-
nuc'I hobby horse Tor aspirnnts TO tue President
eh'r. 2 believed that the amount TO loo annu.
any received by the State Of Georgia, would Lc
essentially beneficial to her. by furnishing the means
o'.aItyng on ana completing her dternol improve
ments. without suhjectng her ci liens TO n bur.
'hensome taxation. ). | thought that tho p,csen,
WAS the most favorable opportunity In srrur. :,
tne Old states their Just Proportion of the proceeds
oithe public lands, as the increasing strength of The
new States. m infested by tho late c,psn, vo,,,I
soon put this subject entirely under their co,,roI
No'wthst,nd ng these views, doubted the pro
p'e'y o. MAXI the distribution before the general
revision OF the Tariff or without a recognition oc
what - generally called the Compromise Act. npL
sipulailon that the distribution shouIJ case
whenever higher rate OF duty was imposed than
wa, was authorized by that act. The Senator's from
virginia concurrcd with me in this view and onr
untei votes were sufficient to prevent the p,ss,.e
OF the bil--unlcss lis friends should be abi, 10 90,
support from certain States hi, hcrio opposed TO \,
ny concessions which they hcsi,ated to make.
N ntin
not to vote Tor the bill, but upon the conti,ion
which have stated, before Mr. Kings Amendment
was presented, and avaed myself of TINT orcnsinn
" uoc,ato u ON the hoor OF the Senate, when pro-
s"'ru my own'-Sueh an amendment, would
knew, encounter opposition from the fiencs of
high protective tariff on ether side of The bo,,c mi
from such Of the Democratic members As LonrJ ,o
defeat The bill, Ivy excluding from it u provision
which nlnno would enable the Senators from V,r
gina AMI myself 10 vote tor H.
looked Tor support for II from such VIII, g..
'ors as were no; friendly to high protective duties
anu 10 southern Senators generally on both sides
OF the house. '' 'N''
My OF iect was TO obtain recognition of IN, com.
promise act, and provision that wboncv,, Lcr.ac
'e'' uuueS should be impo ed exceeding the rnto
,''neu IN u, OF twenty ror cent that the distibu
ol % the procetds ct the public lands should h,
suspended. II this object was ACCOMPLISHED TO-.
Wiling 10 couciate support, by modifvins ,bs
support II. "''
Accordingly agreed to accept modification
proposed by Mr R,vcs # SCnltors who were nnno.-
eh tn The bill. would sustain the amendment i'm,
mou'h"u. This they declined TO, and accordingly
withdrew my assent
When, subsequently, Mr. Allen suggested rnodi.
"C' oh, not inconsistent with my at iect nrd sev,r
al Senators on that side of the House ,xnrc.s,g
themselves favorable TO the amendment with tb1t
'"oulHca'oh' consented TO accept il. and the n
.t'InoIneht was then carried by VOC OF twenty.
touT votes TO eighteen only seven of IN, onnoxi,,o
Senators voting for it. Those who w IN me W. |
urSlro"s ot obtaining "A recognition OF the con,nrn
mise oct, even II they had all been dsposed tn vote
''' He amendment, we6o sufficiently strons ia
pass ~ without the aid Of Of The friends of the
DIV out the majority OF the opposition mrmber,
were not so disposed, preiering the defeat of The
Lana Bul, TO any modification Of t.. | had there.
iore To look 10 the friends of the bill for the sunnor,
VI my amendment and was willing to accept from
elmer SIDE, any modIf cation. which would NOT de-
'o"' US oHIect That my success was complete no
one has pretended to deny. Indeed the friends nf
.sh protective duties, in the House of Representa-
nVes, who were also the active friends of the land
BlI, hesIaied for some days, whether tbev wonId
not abandon that fdvoriie measure rather Than tcL
IL restrained rs II was 10y my amendment. IL re-.
ua'heu Tor The editors OF the q ODE with a total
us'es'rd oi the fact TO represent that as an aban
uo"'n'h'o OF southern interests, which was evidently
calculated TO secure them
we may, think, feel assured, that no duties he.
yOu the rate OF twenty per cent prescribed by the
compromise oct, will be enforced DUNG the pext
Iour years, unless an eXigency should occur which
would make II the duty OF all good citizens TO ac.
PGiesce IN IT, The States entitled to dIstribuiion
WIN no' consent TO suspend II for the ben, fit of the
manufacturers. Should an allempr be made IN r,iso
we uuues beyond twenty per cent. and TO repe,l
lhe provision IN the act, (ihe anne ndment of which
we have been speaking) which forbids the d,stri.
Dul'on III such an event. the known opinion of the
iIesuent, IN relation 10 protective duties will as
suIeu.y defeat II feel, therefore, that [ hav, by
'"iS amendment accomplished an object hishIy I'M.
P"'ahl In the interests and feelings of the South
ASK you to give publicity to this letter, and
IeEa 20 your own sense Of justice, the explanation
with winch you will accompany it,
am, very respectfully. yours,
INO. MCPHERSON BERRIEN