The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-01-07
MORE ABOUT. TARIFFS.


moved, TINT SO much Of the Presidents Message
as relates to the Tariff be referred TO the Commit
tee on Manufactures.
Which resolution Mr. Anterior moved TO
amend by striking out the words "Commit'ee on
Manufactures and inserting the words "Commit-
tee of Ways and Means
Upon this amendment arose the debate upon the
Tariff question to which we alluded last week.
Mr. Wise (fed.) said he was very glad that the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Nlr A,herlon)
had made his motion; irhe had not, he (Nlr W.
should have moved it. 1t had always been the test
questionable question Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT the
tariff and an,i,unii parties. Those heretofore in
the history of the tariff question who had gone for
protection per Sc, had gone for the reference 10 the
committee on manufactures, and those who had
gone for tariff for revenue to supply the wants OF
the Treasury, had voted II reference 10 the COM
mittec Of ways and means.
The message recommended tariff of duties for
revenues it admitted ri. hit Of discriminating for
the object of revenue; and within the line oireve-
nue. geLl'emen might ascribe 10 themselves The right
ofprolecliun if they pleased Not one inch beyond
tariff OF revenue did it 90 1t might be said That
the part which admitted the right OF discrimination
ought to 20 TO the committee on manufacturers
but they could not separate the Two parts; and It
ought To be referred ~ the committee Of ways and
means in The first place, because the tari recon'-
mcnded was Il tariff of revenue, and in the next
place because protection was merely lhcldent.-
The question was. whether the principal should
govern the reference on mere incident. The gen.
lleman proposed to make the incident, govern the
principal, and carry this whole subject 10 The CON-
nlllee ON manufactures, 10 raise tariff Tor the
protection of manufactures.
| Mr. Smith Of Virginia, (dem.) said he would
briefly bring to the notice of the House the real
and proper character Of the question before thel
| file then went mo historical examination OF The
existence of the several committees, showing that
before the creation of the committee or Alanu-
features, its duties had been performed by the
committee on commerce. together with The
present duties Of this committee lie then con-
liuucd] When the spirit of protection began to
| manifest itself the commute on manufactures was
made: and now the question vas, whether the
committee on Manufactures, for the purpose OF pro-
lection, should be recognized us in The power Of
Congress. If the power of protection were uncon-
sli,utonnl, clearly the committee ON manufactures
must he. The question then was whether tins
House meant to look In tariff only Tor revenue,
or for protection. If for revenue, what use was
there for the committee ON manufactures! Its pow
ers could be embraced, as formerly, under the
committee on commerce and ways and means,
aud the committee was altogether unnecessary.
BY these extracts. our readers can form some
thing like correct opinion Of The range Of the de-
bate; we shall give the remarks Of some of the
members more at lcng,ha us soon as we can find
room.
Now,ns 10 the matter Of oCctins manufactures,
it appears there are about three millions Of the
people engaged in Agriculture, one hundred and
twenty thousand in commerce and only 10000 in
Manufactures. Why does no, Congress institute
committee to see 10 the protection Of the THREE
MILLIONS us well as the NINE THOUSAND
why are class to be protected in preference TO
anollcr' Who are these 90 900 individuals that
they should make so much ado in ,hsuniled-Sta'es-
of-America world Of ours; demand Of Congress
laws for their especial protection, and denouncc
all who oppose their selfish ends us enemies Of the
people? Are they, collectively, or individually,
better than the three millions' They demand Of
Congress that laws shall be made TO tax the ari-
cles Of their manufacture, which other people are
now making and bringing into marke. 10 sell, so
heavily, that they will be forced to abandon the
business and then, they can compel The three mil
lions and The rest Of he people 10 buy their orit-
cles at their owa pricss' For instance. II Black
smith can now purchase English cloth enough for
Goa, for five dollars. and these 80, 900 can pro-
cure n Tariff or by law, compel the English
man 10 pay ,aS, oftwcn,y five cents pcryard for
every yard he brings into our ports, the black
smith, # he purchase the Engishman's cloth, will
have jus, the additional twenty-five cents per yard
to pay, for the country merchant having !, 10 pay
HIMSELF in market. adds it 10 the price when he
sells it in the country. But says the Protective
Turifitc il he have this additional price to pay TO
the Englshman he will not purchase Of him. but
will buy Of his own country manufacturer. 1t
maybe he will, but the effect Of increasing the
price Of the foreign, is to increase, in an equal
degree the price Of the home article, and the con-
sequence is, that the blacksmilh fhc purchase the
one or the other, will have his additional price or
tax 10 pay in consequence Of the Tariff The re-
suit Of the matter, then, is that the blacksmith is
TAXED to support, these 80, 900, men, who have
an EXCLUSIVE PRIVILEGE from congress of
Protec,ont to enable them to compete, as they call
it, with foreign manufactures. Now, in our opin-
ion, the people ought not TO be taxed for any such
object; and yet they are, under system of what
the wings call Protection
II is plain that the more these 90 900 can in.
duce congress to tax The Englishmah for The pri,-
lego selling his cloth, in this country the better;
fhe cannot afford to sell itat all so much the better
They have, then, all the protection they wish. They
can manufacture their articles. compel the poor
man to purchase Of them, a, whatever price their
cuPdity and avarce see ft 10 set upon them and
are protected by The Government from interlsr-
ence from any quarter! This is the sum total Of
what this "Protecion OF home manufacturers, il.
of which the people Of this State have heard so
much =. II is taxing the blacksmith, the shoemaker