The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-30

nf. Siay submitted resolution making duty
lree those very articles upon which il is
now proposed TO impose duties-he was
supported by every man Of the tariff party, and
opposed by every member Of the anti tariff party.
MI. GAYS resolution
Resoired That the existing duties upon articles i'm.
ported from foreign countries and not coming into
competition Nth similar articles made or produced
icihin The United States ought to be abolished ex-
cePt the duties upon wines and silks, and that those
ought to be reduced; and that the Committee FL
nance be instructed TO report bill accordingly
@ Mr. Hayne moved the following amendment -
strike out all after the word countries, and insert az
ioiiows be reduced that the amount OF the pub
Tic revenue shall be sufficient 10 defray the expenses
o. lhe government according 10 their present scale,
aef the payment Of the public debit and that allow
ing reasonable time for the reduction OF the present
hlgh duties on articles coming into competition with
similar articles made produced within the United
stes, the duties be ultimately equazed, that the
duty on no artceas compared with the value Of that
article, vary materially fom the value Of that article
Mr.. Clay's proposition he tariff proposition
-was to raise the whole revenue by imposts,
with view TO protection on articles, where
similar articles were made here. Gen. HAYNES
proposition was NOT as has been enormously
stated to impose equal duties on all articles, but
that there should be no material difference. Mr..
Claws proposition was ultimately adopted in the
compromise act large class of articles was
by that act admitted free Of all duty, and now
the proposition is made to US by our old oppo-
nents to adopt our princple-to tax articles bear
ing no duty-to tax them to the extent OF the
necessities of the Treasury--and Southern men
are found opposing it, How and why is this2
appeal 10 those with whom | once acled-to
the members of a party towards which have
ielt a stronger attachment than / ever shall to
any other-not to run ACROSS every principle for
which that party has contended--to leave me
some one principle, ii only one upon which
may stand, and when charged with inconsistent
cy, let me be able to say, here is one principle
to which we adhered.
MIR. Clay advocated his resolution, exempting
large class of articles of luxury from any du-
ties whatever. He was supported by every
tariff man in the Senate who spoke upon the sub
ject. shall notweary the Committee by reading
extracts from their speeches, unless this is de-
MED. But | must read from the speeches of
those who opposed the protective policy.
begin with General Hayne, who was con-
fessedly the head of the anli-tarif party in Con-
gress, and who has left an enduring monument
to his fame in the ability which he exhibited in
discussing this subject with the ablest debaters
in this or in any country. No man enjoyed in a
higher degree the confidence of those with
whom he served in the Senate and the best
evidence of the estimation of his native and
much loved State is, that he was called to the
helm by one voice, at period of unprecedented
danger and difficulty, and well did he earn and
merit this confidence He did not aspire to the
character Of an original genius. He was much
too wise for that. He was no theory -monger-
nooconstructor of impracticabe plans of govern
ment like the philosophic dreamers ofthe French
revolution-no visionary schemer like Sleye's-
nor could he have split hairs on point OF mys-
tic metaphysics, or Of scholastic dialectics, with
Dun Scotus. His business was with this sub
lunary world as he found it-not as Utopian
;ranscendentalism would have had it--wse,
cool, bold forbearing, disinterested-all the quail
ties of great statesman were softly and beauti-
fully blended in his high and useful character.
Listen TO the opinions of this able and practical
man on this question of taxing luxuries.
'What was that scheme: Why, that from all
articles of luxury, the taxes should be taken of
entirely While upon articles of absolute neces-
sity they were to remain acknowledgements
consumed by the rich, were to come into the
country duty free, while articles consumed by
the poor were to be burdened with exorbitant
taxation. The rich man was to drink his costly
wines, and his family to be arrayed in fine silks
without paying one cent towards the expenses OF
Government, while the poor man was TO be hea-
vily taxed on the course woollens which were to
shield himself and his family from the winters
cold. Now could system Of taxation resting on
such principles seriously be defended? Could be
tolerated in free country, and liberal and en-
lghtened age? He trusted not" "There is ano-
ther objection to this scheme which was to his
mind equally conclusive-it was, that by II the
duties were TO be taken off, from what was called
the unprotected articles-articles too of general
consumption (and which according to the general
principle Of political economy, and the common
consent of all mankind, are the proper subjects
py Mas Is 81 a fd ap6n
upon cottons, woollens, and iron,--artices OF ne
cessity, on which enormous duties are now i'm
posed-duties which operate as heavy tax
on certain portions of industry, and certain
branches of the country, and as bounty 10
other portions of the country and other branches
of industry. =,
sAgainst system so unjust, unequal, ana op,
pressive, the tax-paying. people OF the oni.eu
States, those who receive no portion Oh the
bounties Of the protecting system, the people OF
the Southern States those whom he in part re-
presented on this floor, must forever protest
"Gentemen might consider such an arrange
ment, as constituting judicious revision OF the
tariff; but for his own part, he had no hesAa.
ton in saying, that he would consider repeal
Of all duties on the unprotected articles while
the duties in the others should remain untouch-
ed, as the worst of all possible adjustments OF
that great question, which now agitates and dis
turb the whole country"
In another speech, he says
1.-THE next objection to this scheme is, that 1t
to relieve Injuries from all taxation,
while the taxes on the necessaries OF lie are TO
remain Just as they are, suDJect 10 duties oi iro
fifty 10 one hundred per cent. II is true that The
gentleman seeing, presume, the enormity OF the
in its original form, now consents
that some very moderate duty may be levied on
wines and silks. But sir, | should be glad to
know in what wines and silks differ from the
numerous articles, which by the gentleman's
scheme, are to come in free of duty. Here is list
of some them, and il will be for the Senate and
the country to say how far il is reasonable or just
that the consumers of these articles shall contri
bute nothing to the public revenue, while the
honest labornq man is to he taxed from thirty to
one hundred dollars on every huncred dollars