Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-09
coNGREss--2d Session.


on TIE PASSAGE OF THE TARIFF BILL.
Mr. parsipEyr The Tariff hill Of ls2S has, by
common consent been called the 81 oil denominations
but as bad as that was, tins all things considered is
worse /, is, in the first place, worse because II u
more onerous not that the duties are on an average
higher os they probably less by about ten per cent
TINS il is estimated, will average abou, thirty SIX per
cent ad vaorcm the aggregate OF the imports-ahd
that AVERAGED according to the best estimate that
have been able to make, about forty six. But this diff
ference is more than made up by other considerations
and among them that allowed long credit Tor The pay
ment Of the duties. This requires them to be PAID IN
cash which will add their burden not less than four
or i've per cent Agan-ihere las been great filling
of in prices almost all ariiclcswhch increases, IN
lhe sane proportion tie rate PER cent on the cost OF
all specific duties probably rot much less than Ely
per cent-which considering the number and the nm
por,ance of the articles which they are lad IN this
bill will much more than make up The difference 10
these may be added It's arbitrary and oppressive pro-
visions for vaulnr goods, and collecting duties with
the tact that goes n,o opealon without notice, in
,nediately on its passagewhich would fall heavily on
the commercial interest and the undue weight would
Impose on the less wealthy portions OF the community
IN consequence of the higher duties IL lays on coarse
articles OF general consumption.
Il is in the next place, worse because, II II should
become law, it would become so under circumstance
still mere objectionable than Gid the Tariff oil ls25.
shall not dwell the fact that, it should 1t would
entirely supersede the Compromise act, and violate
pledges openly given here in this chamber by its dsiin-
uulshed author and the present Governor oil aasSachu
sets then n member of this body-,ha If we OF the
South would adhere 10 the Compromise while II was
operatinp ayorabiy the manufacturing interest, they
would stand by It when II came % operate ia'oIaoy 10
MS pass, also, without dwelling on tie tact that II
proposes 10 repeat the provision IN the act OF dIs!rbu
ion which provides that the act should cease to ope
rne if The duties should be raised above 20 cent;
PROVISION without winch neither that nor ths bankrupt
bill could have become law and which vas insert
ed under circumstances that pledged The faith OF the
majority TO abide By IT, | dwell! not on those fouble
breaches of plined faith, should tins bill become
law no, because regard thcm rs slight objections; on
tie contrary they of Sermons cha, aeter, and likely
10 exercise perncionS 'uiGenc, over our future
enslaon bv preventing anica5e aG nstinenls 81 qHes.
tons that may hereafter threaten The peace OF the coun
try; but because have, former occasion, express
I'd my views fully relation 10 them. pass on to the
objection that, Is this bill should pass 1t would be
against the clear light of experience. VII, n that OF
1898 passed We had but little experience TO the eff
fec,s of the protective policy is true that the act Of
1894 had been in operation lew years, which may be
regarded The frs, wbch avowed The policy that ever
passed bu, had been in operation too short time TO
shed much liuht the subject. Since then, our ex-
pcricnce has been greatly enlarged.
We have had periods OF considerable duration both
az increase and reduction o duties aud their effects
spectve!y on the industry and prosperity of the coun
try which enables TO compare from authentic pub
&c documents, the results. 1t IS most triumphanty in
favor of reduction, though made under circumstances
most adverse 10 it, and most favorable TO increase
have on another occasion during this session, shown,
from the commercial tables and other authentic sources,
that during the eight years OF high duties, the increase
Of our foreign commerce, and OF our tonnage, both
ruastwise and foreign, almost entirely arrested;
and that the exports Of domestic manufactures actual
" fen off, although il was period exempt from
any general CONFUSION trade arrangement OF cur
rency On the occasion, also showed that the
eight years of the reduction of duties, which followed,
we're marked by extraordinary impulse given to
every branch OF ndus,-y-aericul,uraI, commercial,
navigating, and manufacturing. Our exports of do.
nestic productions, and our tonnage increased fully a
third and manufactures still more and the, too,
under the ad :erse circumstances of an inflated unsea
DIV currency, and the whole machinery of commerce
,eranged and broken. And yet, with this food Of
light from authentic documents before u.s. what are we
about to do To pass this bill and to restore Tie old,
and as was hoped exploded system of restrictions and
prohibitions under the false guSe OF revenue bill, as
| shall next proceed TO show.
Yet Senators, We are told by the chairman Of the
Finance Committee, and others who advocate it, that
this bill is intended for revenue and that OF lo2S was
for projections and il that assumption they at
tempt TO discriminate between the two, and hope to
reconcile the people to this measure. 1t is, indeed,
true that The bill Of 1S2S ives for protection. The Trca
sury was then we'll repienlshed and not an additional
dollar was needed to meet the demands of the Govern
nicnt; aud, what made it worse the public debt was
then reduced 10 a small amount; and what remained
was in a regular and rapid course of reduction, which
would, in few years, fully extinguish the whole,
become surplus 1t under these circumstances
that the bill of 1898, which greatly increased
the duties, was introduced and became law-an ac,
Of legislative folly and wickedness almost without ex
ample Well has the community paid the penalty
Yes much which il now suffers, and has suffered and
mus, suffer, are bu, lis bitter fruits 1t was that which
so enormously increased the surplus revenue after the
rx,inauishment of the debt Of 1882; and it was that
surplus which mainly led TO the vast expansion oil the
currency that followed, and from which have succeeded
no MANY disasters IL was that which wrecked the
currency, overthrow the almost entire machinery Of
commerce, precpated hundreds Of thousands from al
fuence to want. and which has done much TO faint
private end public morals
indeed the word Of the Chairman for il. lie tells
ps il is necessary 10 meet the expenditures OF the
Government, of which, however, he gave US but
ll,e proof, except his word But must inform
him tha, he must 90 step further before he can
satisfy me fle must not only show that 1t IS neces
ssty 10 meet the expenditures Of the Government,