The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1841-12-31
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
THURSDAY, December 80, ls4l

Mr. }. T. MASON presented a petition.
Messs. w. BUTLER, of S. c. and GOGGlN
objected, unless Others could have the privilege.
The petition presented by Mr.. MASON was then
received as those offered by Mes-rs BUTLER
and GOGGIN Referred.
The SPEAKER laid before the House statement
relative 10 the number of copies 90 be printed of the
Compendium 81 the Census. Referred 10 Il select
committee.
Petitions, by general consent, were also presented
ny Messrs John Young and Harris, and appropriate
y referred
MIR. l.. w ANDREWS objected 10 any further
presentation of petitions unless the States called
IN order lie had half draw full OF petitions
which he could get no opportunity to present He
called for the orders of the day.
M. THOMAS J. CAMP BELL also presented a
petition which referred
The SPEAKER then announced the orders of the
day-being the unfinished ,
DLBATE ON THE REFERENCE OF THE TARIFF.
Mr.. MERIWETIiER (who had not finished his
argument at the adjournment yesterday resumed his
remarks, replying particularly to Mr.. Irwin, whom
he understood to have called the Wings Of the
South to redeem the pledge of the last Presidential
contest, and come up to his standard Of protective
Tariff.
Mr. IRWIN explained that he had not called
the Wings of the South TO come to his standard Of
protective Tariff but TO the Harrison standard Of dis
eliminating duties in encouragement of manufactures
under the Compromise Act Hisstandard of protec-
ton went farther but he asked the Southern Wings
only TO come up TO Harrisons
Some explanations and Jon lers then passed be-
tween Messrs. Meriwether and Irwin TO the latter
genteman's present position in reference to President
Tyler and the Wing party,-whch abruptly
terminated by call TO order from Mr.. Profit.
Mr. MERl WETHER said that If the gentleman
from Pennsy lvania wished to define his position, he
could take opportunity 10 do il by making speech
on the subject in due time He knew nothing of the
gentleman position, except from the general belief as
expressed in conversation in the political circles with
hIeh hal hr III. fh.txx thatsh a
gentleman had lei the WI igs TO follow President Ty
es lead even ifh should lead him to the Loco
focos,
Mr.. MERI WETHER then proceeded with his
argument against protective tariff, replying particu-
larly to the statistical Arguments Of Mr.. Hudson He
denied also that genllemans assertion that the first le
gislave Of the Federal Government lin 1882 did
indeed recognize and sanction the modern doctrine of
prot cton.
He then noticed the attacks of Messrs Anterior,
Payne, and others, the ex pendtures of the Wings
while they were in power He answered them in de-
tall and cited largely from Treasury documents in de-
fence OF his positions. Some explanations were
made by Mr.. Payne to his own statements of the
amount of Treasury notes left unpaid by the Van Blu
rem Administi ation) Mr. M. showed from Mr. Ew-
ng's report hat he amount Of Treasury ties OUT
standing on the 4th Of March, S4l, more than
So, 10000 He showed also that large amount Of
outstanding appropriations left Ivy the former admins
traons had not yet been expended by the Wings
He said that the policy OF the Van Buren, Admins
traOn lS1U To throw all expenditures possible
over upon the year lS4l
4 Mr. WINTHROP spoke in defence of protec-
tive Tariff and against the arguments of Mr.. Meri-
wether. He said in the beginning that most of his in
tended arguments on the Tariff had been anticipated
| by the speech of his colleague (Alr. HUDsoN) who
had presented them with much force, that he him
self was only left CLEANER in field which had
already been well reaped.
/ Mr.. w. then spoke for some time directly to the
question of the reference Of the Tariff. He pointed
4 IN he fact at he flee an
without the reference of this subject, would be left
totally without business, while the Committee Of
! Ways Means would be occupied and overburden-
ed with the financial affairs of the country. He
adopted the ground Of the gentleman from kentucky
! (Mr. MARSHALL that mere matter of parliament
ary proprety the subject should be referred TO the
Committee ON Manufactures. The attention of the
country was now excited on this subject Memoir
ais of iron manufacturers and others were already
making their appearance There would be others in
great numbers soon presented. What would they do
with these petitions Would they lay them on the
table or turn them out of the House, No, they must
receive them, and refer them-not to the Committee
, Of Ways and Means-but to what would be confess
sedy the appropriate reference In mat case, 10 the
/ Committee on Manufactures.
he enIare ed upon the subject % protection gene
rally He declared that he did not consider the con-
stuonaly of protective Tariff any longer an
open question, He read long extract from letter
written by MIR. Madison in 1928 to Mr.. Campbell, of
Virginia,--to the same effect. He showed that the
! Ol originally on
the motion of Southern member and by the of
Southern me mbers. He then went into history of
congressional legislation the subject ofthe Tariff in
+ particular reply to Mr.. Rheu He showed th- agen
/ cy of Mr.. Lowndes of S. G., in the creation of the
hgh duties of 1916 He showed the past disposition
of Southern members 10 require protection for South
ern products of Virginia members asking protection
for coal, &c.
i He discussed " the forty bale theory" and con-
demned 1t. He contended that, even the principle
that duties on imports paid by the producers Of
the exports, the Northern artisans who manufactured
go largely the utensils clothing, &C., of the cotton
1 planters, paid large proportion of these duties He
made also some statements Of the amount ard value of
cotton consumed in the Northern manufactures
II (Nlr NERVE her made explanations and cor
rections) Mr. w continued, by arguing on the fu-
ure value of the home market for cotton prospect
of the success of British efforts to produce all the cot
ton which they needed, in their East Indian posses
sons and elsewhere. He referred to the fact that in
digo had been, by similar process, pushed out of
cultivation in the Southern States and not by the in
creaslng facilities Of producing cotton.
lie commented also on the effect of the present du-
ty of three cents pound on imported cotton and con
tended that it imposed for the protection of Anne
rican cotton He repd an extract from report of
Alexander Hamilton, showing that the high price Of
cotton in 1890 presenting a impednent to our
early cotton manufacturers was due to that tax on the
imported article. He then proceeded to show the cf
manufactures at last above the necessity of protection
lie finished at quarter before three.