The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-09-07

ther IL did not extend beyond the 30h June 1897
Mr. CLAY said duty on this article one OF
The most lust equal, and proper duties There was
no civilized country in the world that drew any rev.
enue from axaiion that did not tax salt. The best
| article for duty that on which every body paid
| something; he denied utterly that the poor would
pay as much as the rich, this article. II tar
which the Compromise Act covered and secured, and
the Senator fiom Ohio Mr.. AlIen) was much mis-
taken if he supposed that beyond the 30th June 1912
/ the Compromise did not continue To act-it continued
forever in behalf of those articles that be pro-
/ ected from foreign competition Ii the duty were
taken of it would break down the domestic manuac-
tories and increase the price OF salt lie opposed the
amendment and believed the rate of duty, as II now
stood was for the advantage of all classes, rich and
Messrs. WALKER, WOODBURY. and
/ BENTON advocated The amendment.
/ Mr. PRESTON said duty on this article ought to
| be avoided if possible Under the financial difficult
ties of Government, it was necessary to impose duties
as high could be- consistently with the Compromise
act He considered this act as excessively deformed
by striking out tea and coffee, the duty which was
necessary for the purpose Of concilating different
portions Of the Government and equalizng the vari-
| aus taxes They could select article Of tariff
which would amount SO near TO captation as TINS aI
Gle il therefore should be avoided if possible He
should vote for this amendment ms he believed duty
! might be better levied on other articles.
| The question then taken, and the amendment
| rejected by the following vote
/ YEAS-Messrs. Allen, Benton, Buchanan, Clay,
Of Alabama Cuhbert, Fulton, King Linn, McRo-
ber,s, Mouton Nicholson, Pierce, PIeniiss, Preston
Smith, OF Conn, Tappan, Wsker, White, Woodbu
| ~ Wright, Young-2i.
| NAYS-Messrs- Archer, Barrow, Bates, Berren,
Calhoun, Choate, Clay, Of Ky, Clayt. NJ Dixon Ev-
| ans. Graham Henderson, Huntington, Kerr, Man
gum Merrick, Miller, Porter, simmons. s aa 81
| Mr. WALKER moved to insert among the free
articles "gunny bags. ~.
| He briefly advocated the amendment. The
| AZ he
times entered into combination, and raised the
price of this When this the csse, he wished the
foreign article TO be admitted duty free.
| Mr.. CLAY said no such combination had taken or
! could take place. The amendment went to violate
the Compromise act.
The amendment was further advocated by Messrs.
WOODBURY. and KING. It was then rejected
/ Yeas 10, nays So
Mr.. CLAY moved an amendment, which he said
would benefit the interest to add proviso TO
the end Of the secoud section that duty in virtue
Of its provisions should be levied beyond 20 per cent
ad valorem.
This was adopted without division.
Mr. CALHOUN moved to strike out in the LIST
section 9Th and 9th lines the words (which are now
admitted free oduy or" He said it was to limit the OPP
Grafton Of this net to articles now paying duty OF
Less than twenty per cent and 10 exclude articles now
duty free He maintained that under the Compro-
mise no article duty free could he taxed till the
Both June, 1912. The Sd and 9th sectious reated to
the imposition of duty to the limits of twenty per
L
articles not to be taxed under H.
| Mr. CLAY, of Kentucky, differed in toto with the
gentleman. In the first place, the Compromise related
entirely the protected articles-n did not relate to
wines silks &c. Suppose under an economical admi-
ns,ralion sufficient could not be collected,
| then he would 90 for duty beyond twenty per cent
| The spirit Of the Compromise was that they should
90 beyond 20 per cent duty, If possible IN the ex
ercise OF AN economical administration. The Com
promise only applied duiiabe articles and not to
those free OF duty. If this amendment prevailed the
bill would not produce more than half million dol
lars He hoped the Senator would perceive this lite
raj Interpretation of the act beyond all practical
purposes, and would reduce the revenue by this bill
iIom ten millions dollars TO half million.
Mr.. CALHOUN was glad TO hear the Senator
from Kentucky admit that the literal construction OF
the COMPROMISE act supported his Mr.. Calhoun y
ground. He held that II also the manifest spirit
and object Of the and that provisions for this pur-
p Sc, were expressly contained in It,
The whole of this bill was TO throw the whole
burden on a certain interest. We were In condi-
ton for the consideration of the subject The Scna
tor from Kentucky ha begun al the bottom instead
of the top and they were now called upon unprepa-
red to vote upon this most complicated measure. tie
willing and DESTROYS to transfer this bill over to
the next session, and then unite in re-adjusng the
! Compromise act. The country was involved by mis-
mana cement in most disastrous state and he hoped
The Senators would be led 10 repeal the distribution
bill before il went into operation
| Mr.. BERRlEN said if the articles now duty-free
remained thus 1t would inevitably tend to increase
Of duty on projected articles, which he wished to
avoid He contended that neither the letter or the
spirit of the Compromise act forbade the cvying duty
| on articles now duty free. The 9th section OF that
| act, to which the Senator from South Carolina had
referred, it was true, provided in the case OF conn
gency, for the increase OF articles paying duty less
than 20 per cent, and did not TO free articles
this necessarily was the case, it qualified the Sd
section which provided that the duties should remain
as they now are This section of course, did not re-
Ter to articles duty free and the 9Th section qualifying
huf al
admitted it within the intention OF the act, and
not prohibited by the letter of it, when it was neces
sary for revenue, to levy duty on free articles.
Mr.. CALHOUN further advocated the amend
ment.
/ Mr. PRESTON briefly examined the state of trade
with France and other countries and was IN favor, Hs
a general principle, OF duty on Injuries He eiesed
although there appeared IN the verbage OF the Com
promise act some plausiblty for the amendment, yet
it was not intended in the adoption of that act, and
tina, it expressly anticipated that the tree articles
! should be subjected to duty, when required by the
state OF the Treasury. The amendment was
| violation OF the spirit of the Compromise, OF ITS
general and universal understanding.
i Mr.. CALHOUN said this provision oil the Com
promisd act was inserted expressly for the purpose
Of guarding against future imposition OF articles then
duty free.
Mr.. BERRIEN further contended that there was
neither letter spirit of the Compromise act which
prohibited imposition of duty on free articles.
i The question then taken, and the amend
ment rejected Yeas II nays 80.
Mr.. CALHOUN moved 10 strike out in the lst
section the articles excepted from duty, and insert
provision excepting the list of articles contained in the
9th section of the Compromise act.
A ner some remarks from MIR, CALHOUN, stating
that the intention Of the amendment to maintain
involate the Compromise act, and further remarks
from Messrs. EVANS and CLAY, Mr.. Calhoun
withdrew the amendment, with the intention of here
after renewing il.
Mr. BUCHANAN renewed his motion to repeal
the act of 1888 releasing railroad iron from duty and
to subject il to duty OF twenty per cent, providing
that all iron already imported shall not be affected
10 this Mr. HUNTINGTON had offered amendment