Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-22
500 TT BLIND

WASHINGTON, July l5.-This IS the phrase of despe-
rate sporting gentlemen, when they have resolved 10
take nil chances. They rap the board with the Inst,
stand without looking at their cards, and defy all con-
sequences. II is just such a game as this that The re.
deralists North and South are playing with the Tariff.
The packed committee of tarifitcs have concocted a
bill, which is, under present circumstances, a much
worse measure than the bill OF abomlnatioEs oil les,
in the then condition of things; and yet th's accu-
mutation of log rolled oppression, TO beneht classes
combined together for mcrcenary and political OBJ
iects, al The expense of the mass of the community,
is TO be thrust through, without permitting the
scheme in detail, or the amount OF tax levied, to be
much less fully discussed. To make a
show of preserving the (orms OF observation-disclosures
heretofore observed, especially when the proposition
was to tax the people On every article OF tEeir 1000 ano
raimcnt, and on all the means or instruments employed
in procuring e%ither-flleen minutes was allowed TO
members TO examine particulars, and TO propose and
explain amendments TO the clauses oil The oil. Bul
this process was confined to three days, and at twelve
o'clock 10 day was cut off. Only nineteen pages Of the
bill-which consists Of some fily-was thus analysed,
when the hour Of blind voting arrived. Mr.. Smith OF
Virginia urged that The fifteen minute scrutiny OF each
item, or TO explain each amendment proposed, might
be extended, so that the whole bill might be SUBJ
mittcd 10 this brief mode of investigation and expo
sition; but it was denied by the Federal majority =
And now the whole business ID conducted blindloid
NOT a word being allowed TO explain an objection
TO an item Of impost existing in the bill, or to render
intellirlble any amendment offered. The consequence
is, that all propositions are voted down, unless they
come from the chairman who brought in the bill; and
all his amendments are voted in, without a syllable to
show their application, or make them understood. The
truth is, the business of the House by dry is confined
strictly 10 making up the journal of the Federal caucus,
or its committee, of the night before. The present Ia
riff ban,ling is not, in fact, The offspring Of Congress
sionaI conception or incubation. II is really an in
cestuous basiard-the offspring o~fnigbily concubnage
between the Tariff Committee OF the House and the ma
nufac,nring agents sent on here by the capitalists.
The wonder will be-in those sections of the Union
which have suffered so much oppression under former
laws, imposed under similar auspices-how their part.
cu!ar Representatives, pledged 10 maintain the Compro.
mise measure lin principle at leasO have so abandoned
their vows, and put the interests other constituents oil
the mercy OF the manufacturing committees. 1t will
cease when they understand that the bounties now
granted are bounlies TO make a President, and gain poll
teal honors and emoluments for those " no sacrifice their
constituents; and rot to build up greater fortunes for the
companies and capitalists whose means and influence
they would enlist in the elect'oneerlng campaign they
have commenced. Still, these Federal immolators of a
confdinn constituency have some little respect for
those whom they beiray, and have conirived a very
artiul mode Of displaying the greatest devotion 10 then
particular interests, without endingering the design
Of Offering them up 10 the hloloch of VIII ggery. We
observed them to-day very eager in offering amend
men.s to neutralize The portions of the bill most ob.
noxious 10 their particular constituency; but then
the whole body Of Whiggery united 10 vote down all
The amendments so offered by their brethren, who
proposed TO temper the wind To the shorn lamb
But as all this work is done in Committee OF the
Whole, (where no yeas and nays are takrnO 1t will no,
appear on the journal that Bhig amendments are all
voted down by the Bhigs' votes! If these movers Of
amendments, who pretend 10 be against this exorbi.
,ant protective Tariff, would all unite with the Demo
Gratis TO keep il in some reasonable compass, they could
easily accomplish what they would persuade their con,
.---.. .l~, 80 I,tor,nr t, @ aocf npf pctoo nj
uniting for such purpose, they come forward single.
handed, and submit deceitful propositions, in success
sion, which they know will be voted down by their own
pariy-all these Federal opponents Of The high tariff
voting against each others proposed amendments, and
agreeing to vote in a body for the bill, after their own
particular propositions have miscarried.
This is the sort of management by which the great
Tariff bill has been SO far carried through, with those
monstrous provisions unchanged, which violate oil the
principles of the compromise, which the Southern Gee.
ton Of Whiggery stand pledged 10 maintain. If they
would, rs A BODY, oppose any ofits obnoxious features
or the whole bill, their union with the Democrats
would amount to a veto. But these honest Southern
Federalists take care to DIVIDE, not TO CONQUER ; and
while each one sevcrally signalizes his hostility TO some
of the features Of The bill, most obnoxious to his par
t;cu!ar section, as a body they SO scatter in their votes
as to let them all stand.
If when Tie bill comes into the House, they permit
the questions on amendments to be taken by yeas and
NAYS, the journal will explain the double dealing, which
cannot otherwise be fully detected by the people. But
We apprehend that, for this very reason, the previous
question will be SO applied as to exclude a vote BY yeas
and nays on the amendments proposed in committee
and, If so, the people will be shut out from all know
ledge Of the conduct of their representatives in regard
to particulars of vital Importance. This will be a grand
consume a,ion for federalism. 1t will accomplish It's
great dcsidc!atum in Government Giobe.
THE BIG TARIFF PASSED.
WAsnIyGros, July l6-As wc conjectrrcd IN the
Globe of yesterday, the Federal party worked through
the BIG TARIFF BILL to. day, under the operation Of
The previous question, and cut of all voting by yeas
and nays on the amendments proposed in Commit,
tee of The Whole.
BY this new mode Of legislation, the Representative
escapes all responsibility for his votes on amend.
mcnts rejected in committee. No votes are taken there
by yeas and nays-and all voting on the rejected amend
msnts, By yeas and nays, in the House, (where it wal
the immemorial custom 10 renew such propositions, and
call the yeas and nays, SO as to hold each Representa-
tive TO his responsibility is precluded by the previous
question. Every Federal member can now deny be-
fore his constituents that he voted against any ore o.
the rejected amendments which he shall find to be po
pular in his district.
1t will he seen that the present bill repeats The proyi
so in The Distribution act, by which it was made a con.
dition that, in case duties on any article should at any
time be raised TO exceed 20 per cent, the distribution
should cease, and the land funds be restored to Tie Trsa