The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-07-15
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CONGRESS-.


Revenue bill--the question pending being the
amendment proposed by Mr.. Fillmore to reduce
the duty ON iron not rolled from Is TO IL dollars.
AID vaorem duties were proposed by Messrs.
Cooper and Black, OF Georgia, and specihc
duty of 25 dollars first, and then of 20 dollars
by Mr.. Edwards, of Pennsylvania. The merits
of the various amendments discussed by MessFs.
Gushing, Cooper of Georgia, Randolph, Black
Edwards, and Irwin, and others, and that pro-
posed by Mr.. Fillmore was adopted.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, moved to strike
out the.provIso emitting iron imported prior 10 81
March. ls43, and laid down for railways, TO the
benefit of the provisions of existing laws, and
insert clause subjecling railroad iron to The
same duty as rolled iron, except such as shall
have been ordered prior TO the date OF the pre-
sent acl Various notifications of this amend
menl were offered and withdrawn rejected
and finally, after debateyin which Messrs.
Johnson and Campbell, Of Tennessee, MIR. Ken
needy, Of Maryland, and others, participated, the
amendment itself was rejected.
Mr.. ROOSEVELT moved to strike out the speci-
fc duty of 30 dollars per ton rolled iron and
insert 30 per cent. ad valorem. The SPECIFIC
duty he maintained to be equivalent TO rs per
cent ad vasorem, and therefore an extravagant
impost. The amendment was not adopted
Mr.. FILLMORE stated that he had been in-
structed by the Committee OF Ways and Means
10 reduce the specific duty to rs dollars.
MIR. Boris opposed the reduction-from The
information he had obtained on the subject, he
was inclined TO believe that those engaged In the
manufacture of iron in this country could not
live if the duty was put below 80 dollars.
Mr. COOPER, of Pennsylvania, argued in favor
of the necessity OF high duty on iron, and pro-
nounced the conduct of the committee unfair,
though no doubt unntentionaly II was I'M
fair TO propose, at the last moment, such re-
duction of the duty on IRON must prove de-
structive TO that in crest.
Mr. FILLMORE explained.
Mr.. w. w. IRWIN thought that 80 dollars per
ton constituted the lowest impost that could be
laid consistently with protection. But, as "a dis
position was mantle >ted to lower the rate, he
proposed medium course Of fixing the duty at
81 dollars, instead Of reducing il to twenty five
dollars.
After the proposition of various other amend
menls and protracted debate, an amendment,
offered by Mr.. Randolph, ms ring twenty seven
dollars and half, was adopted.
To the second clause of the fourth section
Mr.. FILLMORE, as instructed by the Committee
of Ways and Means, offered sundry amend
ments-all of which were adopted. The duty
s., 4,
on cap or bonnet wire, covered with silk, from
fifteen cents TO twelve cents on the same arti-
Gle, when covered wi h cotton, thread or other
materials, from ten cents to eight cents; on
chain cables, from three to two and half cents
Corrections and additions We're made as to arti-
Giles taxed, and proviso appended to the clause
as follows
Propidd, That all articles rtialy manufactured
not otherwise provided for, shall pay the rate
of duty if wholly manufactured; and provided,
also, that article manufactured from STEEL Sheet
rod, hoop, other kinds of ron shall pay less
of duty than is chargeable on the material of which
it is composed, in whole or in part paying the high
est rate of duty either by weight value and du-
ty of fifteen per cent ad valorem the cost of the
article added thereto
The fifth clause of the same section wa
amended by substituting thirty cents per pound
instead Of thirty per cent. ad valorem on brass
screws; and twelve cents in lieu of fifteen cents
on brass, battery, and hammered kettles.
The sixth clause was amended by prefxing
the words :" on cast, shear and German steel
in bars, one dollar and fifty cents per one hun
dred and twelve pounds.
On motion of Mr.. ROOSEVELT the words " ar
- r ~ : q
line of the seventh clause after japanned ware
of all kinds.
In The Gig nth section, on motion of Mr. FILL
MORE, the duty of three cents a pound on pig
lead was reduced to Two and half cents To
the end of the clause, sheathing copper, &C.
were added with duty of two cents per pound
Messrs. KENNEDY and JOHNSON, of Maryland,
advocated higher duty as protection for man
ulacturers.
Mr. CUSHING objected to the increase of the
duty, as oppressive to the shipping interest and
the motion of Mr.. Fillmore prevailed.
On motion of Mr. OSBORNE, the duty on lead
sheets was made the same with that of leaden
pipes and leaden shot.
On motion of Mr.. FILLMORE, a duty of four
cents was imposed on lead in all forms not spe-
CITED in the bill.
On motion of Mr.. FLOYD, the Committee
rose.
MIR. ARNOLD gave notice that he would, on
Monday next ask leave to introduce bill for
reducing the pay of members
Mr.. BEEsoN sent to the Clerks table an
amendment to the revenue bill /; which was laid
on the table and ordered to be printed
"A message from the. President in answer to
the call of the House for information relative to
our affairs with Mexico, was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to