The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1842-04-02
WASHINGTON, March %.
SENATE
SENATE.

Mr.. Merrick presented resolutions Of the lie.
gslature of Maryland recommending an increase
Of the naval strength Of our country, and that ade.
quate defence might be afforded to the Chesa
peake Bay. The bill authorising the State Of
Illinois to tax the public lands sold within her
limits from and after the time OF such sale, was
taken up, and after some debate, was ordered tc
be engrossed by a vote of % to Is. =
After the transaction Of some unmportant bu-
siness, the special order being the reso utions on
the subject of the revenues and expenditures Of
the Government, were taken up, and MIR. Clay
addressed the Senate at much length in reply
to Messrs Calhoun, Wright, and Woodbury.
He contended that his resolutions involved nc
violation of the Compromise Act, though ne de-
MED that he had ever considered that Act invio-
liable but merely as worthy of high respect. He
controvertedthat the Compromise contemplated
the abandonment of the protective policy. That
policy was recognised in the principles of the
home valuation, and cash drries He denied
that the passage of the Distribution Law was any
violation ofthe Compromise, but that the Com
promise would have been violated, had not that
Act passed; as it was expressly provided that the
revenues of the Government should be derived
from the customs alone. 1t was said that the
Whig party had attempted no retrenchment in
the expenditures of the Government This
,;harge came with bad grace from the friends of
an Administration whose average expenditure
for the foI. years it was in power amounted to
S2s,OOOOOO. The resolutions submitted by
him proposed to reduce the expenditures to
S22,000000 annually, being reduction OF
S6,000,000 per annum He adveffed 10 Tue pos
ture of affairs between this country and Treat
Britain, and expressed his opinion that there was
no danger of arupture between the two coun-
tries, if there was anything like the ability thrown
into the discussion which he hoped would be-.
One of the most important questions at issue
was the Northeastern Boundary, but an arrange
ment had been already agreed upon by which
this question was to be submitted to IN arbiter
whose decision was to be final and binding on
both parties. The Caroline was mixed affair,
in which there were some palliatives for the
course pursued by the British. In the Creole
affair." he thought Great Britain was wrong, and
even before negotiations had been commenced
instructions had been sent abroad and rave, been
published to the world. On the right OF search
there was no difference in principle between the
two countries. Lord Aberdeen admits that in
bona fide American vessel, Great Britain had no
right to intetfere, even were she crowded with
slaves from top to bottom; but he says that the
American flag was often assumed by vessels of
foreign nations, and even by pirates, and 1t was
merelyto ascertain whetheFth vessel wearing
the American flag was really, American property
that they wished the right of search to be acqul-
esced in. On the other hand, MIR. Stevenson
admits that none but American vessels could De
protected by the American flag. He (Mr. C)
had no doubt that compromise on this subject
could be effected. He ehopedthere was no great
er danger of war on our Southwestern border
than there was with Great Britain; but ne must
confess that his hopes were faint when ne called
to mind the voent language used towards us by
the upstart tyraut who now wields the destlnles
of Mexco-language the less justi6abe and the
more contemplate, when our kind treatment OF
him was considered, and that we had cent him
home, at the national expense in one OF our pub
lic.vessels.
Mr.. C. then argued at much length in favor
of the protective rolicy-he would live and die
in the belief of its advantages. But protective
tariff, en- non.ine could not be carried through
Congress, because the Democrats, as party,
had set their faces against the principle, and
many of the Wings of the South and west
were opposed to it He instanced Pennsylva-
MIA, once the foreniostin favor of a protective
tariff, and now not Democratic member from
that state, in either branch, but what was oP-
posed to it. sHe was, therefore, compelled TO
look toa medgdre by which protection you'd Re
afforded incidentally. He thought that duty
of 30sper cent would be benecessary to carry on
the Government or 80 per cent if tea and cot.
I fee were continued in the free list The close
J Of bis remarks was devoted to an elaborate DC:
s1H 49, - = F.