The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-10-07
% 0 ltticdI.
MIR. BUCHANAN'S
REMARKS ON THE TARIFF.

on imports, ana Tor other purposes. The question
pending being on ordering The amendments 10 be
eugros,cd for a third reading
! Mr. BUCHANAN said he ned it 10 his own pc.
cumr position relation To tins bill as well IL
the Importance of the interests which II inroy-
ed, TO address the Senate Ior Il few minutes upon
he sUhject under consideration. He had never
lett himself placed IN more embarrassing position
Than that which he occupied ut the present mo-
ment In This situation he had unAiously cndeav-
ored to discover the pn'h u! duty; aud hay my as
he believed, succeeded, he had determined to
tread it, without fear Of consequences.
Sir, (conlnucd Mr. b. the only alternatives
now presented 10 the Senate, aIc whether wc shall
pass This bill, Of leave the country in lis present
dcporable condition? Evcry substitute proposed
for the bill has failed; and It Is morally impnsslhc
that any other measure can now be introduced in
lis stead, wnh the least hope of success. The
last hour OF the session Is rapidly HpProachngnnd
we mus, speedily resolve cnher 10 pass the pres.
eni bill, or to do nothing.
In what | intend to say, | shall s,udiorsy re-
lran from arouslng any political or personal feel
ing; but shall be content simply 10 place myself IN
that position b"InlC my own constituents and the
cunuln where desire to stand.
Let us, then, for few moments, consider the
two horns of The dllcnma--lhr two alternatives
presented To the Senate. lfyou shall diomn with
ou' passing any h"I' "hn' VIII hr the consequent
c's III '"e lIS' P'Acc' you WIZ men continue
anu most P'o"roE P'Ipr'U'', 'n' uhIr'"u'loh q,
ln' P'"cc,uS W I've P"",c on"N hhn'" ''' sew 'i"'
L'Is, us Is "''>",''e' you Sno"," .'' ,''''
'u' ou'WS u" 'hIp"''S HooNc|"oh'H pW'rh'' now
S'r' WHIST 'r'r'y accord TO ny NN'g IHtnd' me
"inoS' hon'S'! II pun poses VI c'n@"S 10 '"' ms
'llh"''h' 'hrE WIZ allow hr cream Tor an "iNN'
degree o. sincerity, NhHA o'c'"' 'h'' N my
oPl"'on' II Is ON" OF the most un"l'e-l''', dnh'
@"ouS- measures NhlcN mas ever hprA hH'ltoH ny
congress d" ROT 'n'rnd To go mo 'h' general
question ~ p''s.ul-hd'h. n'Hody' du''n9 me
present session. 'o''y pr'N'h''" NY news Upon me
SwJ'cn lh"S uNrh' However, '''" Mcclure
'm'' II we '4nnr"'f ava! our most n"Eh'"'rh'
hu'"'''' W NV P'"'l' "huN' - nay ''h' w.
It' ,hnt we an" our "r'r""rnS WIZ ''"r't NE
nr'H ~ '!r 'n'eN l'nN''t'!' NN,>' we '''',' 'h'r
glorious '0h" purchase" hy Inc IONS ana 'hr rood
nl our f'NoI"'l"H"'y ance>'o'S'--IH lot'iIn war
come Nheh " nEN' "l our '"0n'T'' De HN'P'
from III" ocean ny superior naval POWER; ana "'
mere no longer ne any revenue ''"'h c'N'oli'H'-
SIN we 'nal' nave never 'nllhS resource ~ the
lc'ennr nom the Pnh'lr lands to assure our 'nd"'
prhdrnre nho our Shlr'F' Ms c""'"!'Ia'N' ''"n'
Is su'lr'rn'ly powerful 10 induce mr TO >oir Tor
'rhn'mn would consider almost any hII (u"d'
in several particulars dislike TINS OIL rs mnci' rs
amy Senator on the hoor) triumph which >'1iI
restore The nn' fund IN The treasury o The states
nnd SELL" ms a.l'al'ng question introduce TINS
subject, moi inr th' plipnse 81 eNcim. poInral
de'I''' hni Tor ihii OF presenting n!H'H III my
ira" n'llludc before The people ol me country.
Agnhi we ADJOURN WNh"nl passing any h''i'
Whai WI he 'he condlNoh III Mhich "e shii' I'lN"
me treasury " our country! why, SIR, many nl
IN" ATTEST lawyers Throughout ihr innh' a'"'l
~ large majority IN ho,h Houses oi congress-
lIod Inc nplnlon mat 'h'rr + now 10 law IN rNlN-
i"nre under winch amy revenue can be Collected.
THIS Is The almost universal OPINION OF the Wing
p1rlt; and II Is the oplnlnn o my trend nom :.
CHro'mn, VIZ CA'HoUN,l On whose lGtgrchi
nm disposed to place grrdl rriElnce Tins, ! con
''sS. i not ny opinion; bat e>p"rl'Icc has Taught
me 10 dS'rnS my own Judgment, csp""ml.N npnu
legal questions, when 1t comes III conflict wnh that
vi wiser and ADLER men. Should they prove 10 u"
right Il we adjourn without passing ANY hh', we
shall TN n deep ANA d'grnr"l"l bot upon the char
ar'rr ol The country, when llm" cnuid not "Ii'rr,
''nt, even suppose II should hereafter b" de-
rid"d thai duties ran be collected under existing
laws the consequences would b" almost as appl'I.
ing. Every dollar Of duty which is now pnld, j.
tremr'y doubtful whether every cent orr",ruu"
that is nnw received ut the rns'om.hou,c u.n.l
moi eventually he refunded. Ih" Whole sraniy
and Deficient rrv"nnr at the Government = now
in litigation; and, if we should adjourn wrhnnt
passing amy hill, will continue To h" in llriaI'ion'
and nv man kncws what would he The result.
'lhi. j. the condition IF he treasury oi eur coun
'ry 70, the pre.ent moment. Now, sir, i tbs
cCnfuun that amy nIn-auy American ritlZ,u-.
any American pairoi-cun contemplate without
feelings Of shane, moriicn''nn. and sorrow ?
And how stands our national credit ~ tl" pes.
~. moment: In that ndl"r posture io which "ur
rrcllrss course has reduced H. Sir, rul" credit
i the very lr-hord of the nnlinn. To r"Sorc y.
we oughl IN make every sgrlli"" consistent "t!'
honor. We had ever maintained on credit un
surd, from the time when We sprung into cN,-
irncr ~ nu'rn until 'lc period when un'irin.
nate discussion. arose hr'wcrn the dominant parry
and the President. .N"c. our irr1-ur, j. msul-