Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1841-03-22
SPEECH or NON. II. A. WISE.
tcosrIsuEp.l

MIR Rhrit requested him TO yield II Tor n moment
TO enable him to make an inquiry Of the gentleman
from Virginia.
Mr. Wise having yielded
Mr. Rhett said he had understood that the gentle
from Virginia tMr wise) had said yesterday
that member ofths convention of South Carolina
(no~ holding seat on this loor) had IN that body
ESQ high had the excitement run, proposed disso-
luton OF the Union. As he MIR R-) was the only |
member Of that convention now on this hoor, he |
supposed the gentleman have referred 10 him.
Wr Wise was understood to say that he did al |
lude 10 the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr |
Rhetl that such was the impression then preVai- |
ing in the country. and that if the newspapers at
thit time to be believed, a dissolution OF the /
Union was actually proposed or talked OF IN that
convention.
Mr. Rhelt said that the gentleman entirely
misiniormed. Neither he or any other member OF
the convention ever proposed dissolution OF the
Union, nor was any such proposition ever made or
discussed in the convention.
Mr. Wise understood to say he was glad nc
had made the remark because it had afforded the
gentleman from South Carolina mir Rhe,tl an OPP
portunity OF contradcting IT. lie hoped, so far al
least as South Carolina was concerned, that that
section of the country would stand indicated from
the charge forever
After this explanation, Mr. Wise resumed. Sir,
left of reading yesterday when came TO the special
grievances complained of against France. will
proceed to rcad-commeneng, where left off, with
cotton.
"CSnOn-The difference Of francs in the du-
ties, which is complained Of by the Federal Govern
value of American cotton compared with that OF /
Turkey and Egypt. This difference has not at all :
been established with view TO protect one kind !
more than the other; and the results show 1t. /
Though submitted to higher duties, lthe differ !,
ence being formerly % irancs) the importation OF 4
American cotton has increased inhfteen years ISIS
TO 1887 from 1855, 400 kogrammeS to 2I,Ss5,OOO
and since the royal ordinance OF the ION Of june
1882. has reduced the difference TO francs the a
mount Of American cotton importation has ncreas- d
ed in six years 1885, 600 kiogrammes; that is I,
more than e-thrd having gone up IN 1888 10 49,
10000 kilogrammes, while from 1925 TO 1888 the
importation of Egyptian cotton went down from vi
1865 900 TO ], 1864, us kilogrammes. OF
"But most important fact 10 notice is that the 81
difference Of duties in favor Of EgypIian cotton eN- r
ISIS only when brought French ships, and OF 70
this the Federal Government has no right TO COM
plain, when the equality Of duties stipulated in the s.
Convention Of 1922, bears exclusively on the i'm To
portaton under both flags OF international product.
As the duties levied on Egyptian cotton when oe
imported in vessels of other nations, those OF Il,
Egypt, they are established in such way, as 10 w
constitute a premium OF francs in favor OF the on
same product from America when brought on Anne -
rican vessels.
at must be said also, that certain circumstances bc
some permanent, some temporary, such as on one IA
part the competition created by American planters a.
with each o;her the progress OF cultivation, and ac
cording TO Gen. Cass the progressive dlminution
OF prices, which must be the consequence Of 1t; and
on the other, the unusual state of Egypt, and the
want OF extension in the cultivation OF that coun-
try, parayzed as It is by monopoly leaving no
hope for dlminution in the prices equivalent TO
that which must take place in Amerca-a these
circumstances must necessarily ensure to the u 3 AZ
the largest share in the supply of cotton for the ""
French market. The truth Of this is fully ascer-
tanned by the following results: -
"The proportion Of American cotton used -
in the French consumption is estimated
ut about 81 TIRE
That from the East, 10 fro
And that from other countries, including places ca
OF depose, Fr
100 Ira
''Ths shows how little America has to complain ST.
of the competition from Egyptian cotton, and how
little reason there should be take away the ito
urely nominal advantage which Is left 10 this cot mi
ton, since Ito realize the promise made in the treaty IN
OF 1881 the duties levied American cotton have IN
been reduced from 40 francs to 20. 10
"Rioe.-As regards this article, the American nc
determinations are really incomprehensoie-the ad
tariff being altogether favorable the American "
product. pc
Rice coming from the port where first nj
shipped, pays, il from the United GO
States, francs $50 s s.i
If from European ports 400 ST.
from place Of deposite 600 pr
from Piedmont direct by land 6.OOl le
on foreign vessels 900 81
"This renders it evident that the Carolina rice is
greatly protected, 1t compared with that from other nl
countries, even when brought French vessels. u
"Linsesd-Ths article has never been of any ol
importance in the commerce of France with the u OF
5. Besides, the duty of francs formerly levied 81
upon this product, no matter what country 1t came ~
FROM excepting, however, small quantity brought VI
from Russia for seed, which slightly favored) III
has been reduced by the law OF the ID OF July,
1886, to franc when imported French or Anne 10
rican vessels, and TO l franc and half when pr
brought on all other foreign ships from any country -
without distinction. oil
"Tea aud Indigo.-These two articles are also "
OF very little consequence in the commerce of the &C
nations. In 1888 the quantity Of tea brought W
a he d. = hut I lI
mes the whole value being less than 10000 francs CO
OF indigo the importation does not exceed or So
hundred kilogrammes a year. 10
"Ttbaeeo.-Fhe denominations addressed by the 10
Americans against the monopoly exercised by the
French administration touch directly the right pos 81
ssSsed by all nations Of regulating they choose Nv
the elements OF their internal revenue. If such w
professions admitted upon one noint there tfu
would be means, no reason 10 Tepel them on any
other To-day, the subject is the monopoly Of to- g
icco; tomorrow II would be municipal taxes &C ne
and the internal economy Of France as well as ali w
measures calculated TO act directly the conditions
and the regulations Of exotic products would be De
come the basis or the pre'eEt Of and end 81
less aggtessions. on
"In principle, these recrmnatioBs must be cI- 10 10
pressly declined. w
"But, even laying aside this peremptory cons:- Of
Iteration, the complaint Of American planters can.
not sustain discussion. The duty imposed upon cy
foreign tobacco by the monopoly being, after IN az
whatever form may be levied, but duty Of con- eA
sumption, the legitimacy Of which IS acknow ledg- th
Cd, what remains TO be examined u.s. how far 20 SUI
strains the consumption Of foreign product in the VA
interest OF which II Is inerminatet. pr
The nature Of the tobacco manufactured by the IN
Rsge being intended for different classes Of con- 20
sumers the inferior qualities are composed Of the "a
Indigenous product while all the superior qualities &c
manufactured with the mixture Of toOs er
The increase Of prices created by the duties has N
no restricting action the habits Of rich consu. Nv
mers iOT whom the toblcco from the IT, s. Is car. ca
tlcuiahy designed There is them in fact no Ioss ~
for these qualities constituting almost the whole Of
the American product As 70 the inferior quality al
which produced ia the United SAFES as well a. eH
IN France, u would be difficult 10 conceive how die ~
Americans could claim from Frame = proteriion if'
Tor their interest, when that same protection would en-
obhge France 70 the sacrifice Of her own interest
Rt home ~
"a proof that there is no loss for the IT, States e.
js, that the consumption Of their tobseco, which
forms the Our-hllh Of the whole Of the French inn
pods Of foreign tobacco is m progress the amount m
Of the importation Of 1887 which was she largest NJ
one, having been exceeded by that OF 1885 as Will a.
he seen by the following table, which gives the IN
ports On France Of foreign tobacco as we'll from the
u. s. rs from other countries, from 1928 10 1888.
From HE Prom other
hetts a.. states Countries
kuDgTammea. Eiogranmea
1878 g52S5t 1892
1922 iOOOA2l 10000