Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-07-19
VOL. 35, NO, 44--wHOLE NO. 1913.

Government, and qudate besides the debt of a
former Administrator. Is this oppression? Can
gentlemen make the People think it is? l will
give them the basis the materials of our calcula-
ton. will point them to the seventy-one mill
ions Of dollars worth OF foreign imports received
duly free. could refer them were it proper to
detoln the committee by reading them, to report
after report, from Secretary after Secretary, from
the very beginning Of the Government. | could
recte net after act OF successive Congresses, long,
| long before the proposition of Mr.. Dickerson !;
long, long before the tariff of 1923, or tho tariff of
"a even. could show them that, long before
both these acts, the Government was able by its
revenue power alone to pay the national debt and
the debts of the States Ivy millions and hundreds
OF millions, and yet grow MS nation never grew
before, and flourish nation never fourshed
since the foundation of human society. And
now say that Congress need not impose such
rate of taxation as it has formerly imposed, and
yet will have enough OF revenue to pay the debts
bequeahed to it by the late Administration, and
to divide the proceeds of the public lands be-
sides.
| will meet the question here-at once. I am
not for supporting this Government upon the dry
dict of Treasury notes. | reprobate the whole
system. | nm for none of these flnsy attempts
at concealmeht. | am for telling the People open
ly and honestly that there is n national debt: for
| Treasury notes are nothing more or less than so
much public deht. | cannot see what alarm this
/
ed that the gentleman from South Carolina Mr..
PckenS should have taken ground SO rcsoutely
against it, and shall bs yet surprised if his
constituents do not take the directly opposite
ground. Coming down, now, to the question of
cxpedicncy: think have shown that the bill
ought to pass lift were Oh considerations Of eXpG-
di4ncy alone.
l might here, ut this point of my argument,
dwell little upon the doctrine Of State lights, II
doctrine to which, above all other thugs, | am
zeaIousy cevo,ed press this measure on the
committee OH the ground that it is n state rights
measure; wi hout any metaphysics, it il palpab
aud plainly II measure which we are bound to-
carry into effect for the benefit of all the States.
Say, is it polite, that is, wise, to absosb within
the grasp OF this great cenYa! mammoth Goverii-
Inent all the resources Of the States to build up
here in he midst Of them a grand overpowering
Republican monarchy? Will you legsIate with
anxiety TO destroy all state supremacy, TO sap the
vigor OF the state power, and to build up a sove-
reign authority, whose aim and work it shnll he to
lnlurc and TO Cypress the States for the benefit OF
the wine growers and the silk producers OF
France? The argument against the bill seems TO
he an argument the tendency OF which Is TO
double and treble the resources of this General
Government by depressing those OF the states, and
to invite II the luxuries of Europe into the ports
of the country, free of duty. Such ut least is and
must lie the lnel table consequence OF the posi-
iions which are assume. Here we are TO have
seventy one millions of foreign produces received
duty free, when there are not seventy one millions
on deposc in all our banks Eor in circulation in
the country Yet every year seventy one millions
are to 90 10 Europe 10 build up The interests OF
foreign industry, while three million and hall OF
dollars righfnlly belonging TO the States is every
year 10 he absorbed in the wants aud purposes OF
the National Treasury, still further to iinpoverish
the States, and still further to build up the inter-
es,s OF foreign producers.
Lot ma la In mi
cannot but have weight with the mind OF every
man that loves his country. am not, repeat il
favor of n PROTECTIVE Tariff go solely, for a
tariff for revenue. II this shall incidentally pro-
tect our industry so mnch the better. Now il is a
fact that send 0S,32J hogsiieais of tobacco
abroad every year. 1t is The produce of several
of the States, chiefly Of Maryland, Virginia and
Kentucky; and what does France do when it
gets there? She lays the moderate duty of 81
per pound upon every pound oft. In the m an
iine what duty do you impose u on her wines
i What duty did Hamilton recommend that you
should impose? What did Gallatin advise? DO
you raise as once you did, revenue of a million
OF dollars on Madeira nlone' No. What reve-
nue. does France derive from the 10 $40 hogs
heads of tobacco we send her? And what do we
receive from l0,3l6 pipes of French wine?
wish any gentleman would inform me. should
pause for n reply. There is general silence
Will the honorable gentleman from South Caro-
lima MIR Pickcns) be so good us to inform me ?
AIR fickens, speaking aero $. Ii comes free
Of duty
Yes, ii comes as The gentleman tells me, free o.
duty. Aud what does France receive as duty
on the 1886 hogsheads Of our tobacco?
(Alr. Pickens II is u mere slimulant and ois
onous.)
Yes, they nre l,ol stimulants, and both poison
GUS And France make. out Of this stmnant q
revenue of TEN MILLIONS of dollars? VIII
the gentleman from South Carolina now Sc back
TO his people and tell them We are running the
people, expressing them, grinding them 10 the
earth, because we propose TO lay duty on these
Wines and to give The people the produce Of
their own lands? Is it cruel oppression that we
should lay, say, duty of twenty per cen'. on the
wines of France, when France leves duty @
ONE THOUSAND per cent on our tobacco! Does
any gentleman here fnlter himselithat nc is going
TO get tie people TO say that tins Is an outrageous
proceeding think he will find himself mis-
taken.
Well sir, and what does the genilen,an's belov
ed England, with all her alleged pride aud AFRO
gauce, what does she, in her leniy to The United
Slntes exact upon these 800 hogsheads Of ou
tobacco' She lays a duty Of ~ "a pounds
sterling, equal to thousand per cent. and out Of
American tobacco entering her ports she raises al
amount of eighteen millions OF dollars every year
while we demand for the present Administrations
of this government but twenty TWO millions, 10 NC
raised from the imported products OF The whole
world. ! press the fact upon gentlemen. we
ask Congress to raise but four millions more, fol
Nil the wants OF the treasury, than England faise'
on our tobacco alone. Do gentlemen pretend to
tell me ihut u Congress is to be reProbated, nnt
the members who compose it TO be condemned
prosecuted, and hunted down 10y the people iol
this? Ii is a reflection on the intelligence OF ih'
American people.
In ten brief years the money paid by this peo-
pie 10 England alone-io say nothing Of coDlin
entail Europe to England alone, we have paid
eighty-fve millions Of dollars Tor The single article
OF iron. Is such policy according 10 the gen.
ms OF our government? Is il the true philosophy
and The true policy of American Legislators to
study how much they can by their Legislation ben
EFT the interests Of France aud England, aud how