The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-19
TWeNtp=&ebeMth Congress.
SECOND SESSION
IN SENATE,
FRIpAY, February Is, 1912.

Hon. VIM SpRAGuE, elected by the Legislature of the
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,
Senator of the United States, to fill the vacancy
occasioned by the death of the Hon. N. f. Dixon.
Mr.. SPRAGUE was then qualified and took his
seat in the Senate
The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate
munication from the Secretary of State, calling the
attention of Congress to the Inconvenience OF the
present regulation for the payment of the salaries OF
the ministers and diplomatic agents Of the Gov
eminent which was referred to the Committee on
Finance.
Mr.. ALLEN presented a memorial from citizens of
Jefferson county, Ohio, asking appropriation for
the improvement of the navigation of the Ohio river
also, aremonstrance from Maumee city, Ohlo against
repeal of the Bankrupt law.
MIR. WOODBURY. presented memorial from the
city of New York, proposing certain amendments to
the Bankrupt law.
Mr.. PIERCE from the Committee on Military. At
fairs reported the bill for the relief of certain COM
panies of Michigan militia
Mr.. EVANS, from the Committee on Finance, re-
ported bill for the relief of Zachariah Jellison.
THE COMPROMISE ACT.
Mr.. CLAY presented memorial from Bedford
county, Pennsylvania, signed by persons employed IN
various branches of industry, attrbutng the evils
which prevail throughout the country to the
Compromise act, and asking Congress to arrest
the operation oe the act and establish system OF dis
eliminating duties for the encouragement of domestic
manufactures and home industry. He would remark
that he had been requested by the memorlallss to
say something upon this subject, that it was not cor
rect that the Compromise act had occasioned the en-
barrassmens of the country and that if had he did
not think that any reproach towards the act towards
those who concurred in it, oughtto come from Penn
sylvana. Two motives had operated upon his mind
and he believed on the minds of Others to induce
them to concur in the passage Of the law. The first
was to avert the calamity of civil war; the fire OF
which, having been lighted up in South Carolina,
threatened tn eYtend IFS Hames the whole Union
the second to preserve from utter destruction the
system O. protection which Pennsylvania favored
when the aw was passed and he would repeat here
although il would not be long before he would have
subject, that if the Compromise act had not been
| adopted, tie whole system OF protection would
have been swept by the board by the Prepon-
derating influence of the illustrous man then
at the head If the Government, (Genelal Jackson
! at the very next session after its enactment
With regard to the operation of this act, it was
great mstaketo say that any portion OF the embar-
easements ofthe country had resulted from it
Other had contributed to this result, and IT
was to be attributed to the experiments which had
been made upsn the currency. The embarrassments
also to be attributed to the action of the States
which, by plmging into schemes OF internal improve
ment had contracted debts abroad and thereby given
false and fictitious appearance to the prosperity OF
the country; and when their bonds deprecated, the
evils under which they suffered, as conse-
quence, ensled. AS to the Compromise, he had al
ready said that his purpose long as he SHOULD
remain in the Senate, to maintain that the orgina
principles of the act should be carried out faithfully
and honestly and, if in providing for an adequate
revenue for economical administration OF the 20
vernment, they could at the same time AFFORD
incidental protection, he would be happy if both
of these objects could be accomplished; but
| if it should be necessary for the interests OF
Pennsylvania to 90 beyond revenue tariff, Tor the
purpose of obtaining protection, then he hoped that
| nd ntatv hat
those who thought it necessary to transcend the re-
venue, woul0take up this subject of protection and
carry il to the POINT which their local interests de-
manded
Mr.. CALHOUN replied and in the course of his
remarks said ha South Carolina opposed the tariff OF
1923 because it vas pal pabe violation of the Con
sttuton, destructive of her interests, and threatened
to overthrow the Government ITSELF and that when he
yielded to the Compromise act he conceived that they
surrendered IN too the protective principle and were
willing to let the manu- facurer down to twenty
per cent; and it was only in that view that
| he acted, and yielded his assent to the act; for
il was his opniin that any duty which transcribed
twenty per cent was papabe violation of the Con-
stitution and, nbre especially if it caused by
surrender of anybranch of the revenue He did not
agree with the Senator that it would have been in the
power of Genera Jackson to pros rate the protective
system and, in saying this he estimated the power
of General Jacks ,n having been potent almost
as that of the crowned heads of Europe and most des
potic.
Mr.. CLAY remarked that he said at the time the
act was passed, hat it in the power of Congress
to repeal it; and was, in his opinion, the platform
on which the country then stood, and the means by
which the country was restored to broherly affection
and union; and lthad the sanction of all manutac-
turers except i observed at that time political man
ufacturers. He assured the Senator from South Caro-
lima that when thb subject should be taken up he
meant TO discuss in that spirit of duty to the country
and in that spirit If truth and genuine patriotism, by
| h,nh h, IoIyt to I0tn
whole conduct his and all other questions of pub
lie Importance Ee moved that the memorial be re-
ferred to the Committee on Manufactures.
Mr.. CALHOUN thought that the Senator would
find upon examination, that if the land revenue
should return to te public Treasury, and the expen
ditures of the Gotemment be brought down to the
estimates of last y@r, and rigid system of economy
and retrenchment be adopted, there would be no
necessity for the tariff to go above twenty per cent
Mr.. PRESTON stated the motives which induced
South Carolina to acquiesce in the Compromise act.
and expressed his opinion that duty of twenty per
cent. would be sufficient, and he held himself bound
not to yield one cent beyond that until the income
from the public lands should be restored to the
Treasury.
The memorial was then referred to the Committee
Mr.. BUCHANAN presented memorial from
Huntington county, Pennsylvania, complaining OF
the Compromise act so far as regards the duty on
ron and asking that the duty that article may be
restored to what it was in 1889. He said that few
evenings ago he looked at the opinions of General
Jackson at the time that the Compromise act was
passed. and il seemed to him that the Senator from
Kentucky was mistaken in the views which he had
advanced with reference to that distinguished indl-
vidual for in his message of the 4th of December,
1882 General Jackson recommended gradual reduc-
ton of duties to revenue standard, and suggested
that, after paying the national debt, exceptions ought
to be made to such articles would conduce to the
safety of the people, and make them Independent of
foreign nations in time OF
Mr. CLAY stated the fact on his responsible
ty and in his place. and he could prove it, that Gen
era Jack son opposed to the Compromise act and
signed ii with the greatest reluctance.
Mr.. BUCHANAN remarked that General Jack
stated his objection to the Compromise BILL in the