The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-08-30
CONGRESS.
Correspondence of the Commercial Advertiser
Washington, Thursday Aug. IL.

Washington, Thursday Aug. 10.
No TARIFF, WITHOUT DISTRIBUTIoN.-
Soon after my letter of this afternoon was
d;snatcbed. Mr.. Fillmore offered a resolution,
that the committee on Ways and means DC
instructed to bring in Immediately, the TAR
if bill. lust vetoed by the Executive stri-
king out the land section, and the twenty
oer cent. duty on tea and coffee.
He wished to test the sincerity oil those
of the opposition who had held themselves
up as in favor of a good tariff for revenue
and protection. If they were sincere, here
was an opprtunity for them, in conjunction
with the friends of tariff on the other side,
who would still go for such measurement
though without distribution, 10 pass such
bill. He moved the yeas and nays, and
asked the previous question. Both were
ordered.
This proposition came like a thunderbolt
upon the opposition. There was no chance
for lodging. The bill, as thus proposed to
be modified, was precisely the bill that ma
ny of their prominent men had, over and
over again, declared they would go for -
This test was now TO be taken by them, land
they called upon to assume their share OF
the responsibility the whole of which they
had been hoping to heap and to leave upon
the heads of the majority.
Mr.. Gordon. of New York begged to be
excused from voting but he was not let
off. Others would have followed in his
track, had he succeeded. but it was of no
avaii-and he voted against the resolution,
which was lost by large majorlty,-some
20 or more The bulk ofthe opposition, IN
spite of all their protestatlons OF unwilling
ness 10 leave the country without tariff,
voting against this proposition, which they
might have secured beyond all tear OF fail
ure.
The bill was not permitted to be introdu-
ced. The Wings who were in favor OF a
tariff, as the imperative demand OF their
constituents and were in favor of yielding
the distribution, rather than lose such
measure, went nearly in a mass Tor the res
oiution to Introduce. But the Wing repre-
sentatives of those States with which dis
tribuiion is paramount consideration, re-
manned firm and immovable on the position
early taken by them, in connection with
this question mo distributior-no tariff!
To these were added some Wings who
went, irrespective of other considerations,
upon the principle involved in the lssue,and
refused to vote for Just such bill, and such
only, rs the Executive would sign.
The tariff Wings, (aided by two of the
Tylerites, and some few of the opposition, |
tariff constituencies as
body, came up to The work vallantly and
firmly and did their duty in such manner
rs to entitIe themselves to,--what they will
confidence, and the support oil
those whose in.ererest are confided 10 then
hands.
The distribution wings deliberately assn
med the responsibility which rests upon
Them, in part, OF defeating this measure
md say they are willing to 90 before then
people, and the whole people, upon the issue
thus made up, ola thrift on the one hand
and distribution on the other,-with all the
questions of legislative indepen, ence, Elk
pcutive dictaiion, and the like, connected
with that issue.
But the locoiocos-is there no responsible
~ resting upon them FIR the def at of this
measured Had their professions of being
willing. nay desirous TO pass good tariff
Ur revenue and adequate Incidental protec-
ion been sincere, here was such bill made
a their hands the tax, so odious to them
Ipon tea and coffee stricken out, and the
vet more odious land distribution clause alst
abandoned. Do they hope now that they {
an gull the people of this land into the be
lief, that it was the sole fault CT the Wing
party that such bill failed to become law ,
" hat TO them are the differences between
The Wings On this mattorl Those differ.
ences dad not necessarily lose as this great
mcasure-thcTe was a conservative power
remaining elsewhere for its security, and
thai power VAS IN the hands of the opposi-
ton Had they Come up TO their own of
repeated lrofe ssions, the hIll would have
lecuuc Il law, and the country would have
been relic. cd. Let them no ''lay the fiat
trrlng JUNCTION TO their souls" then, that
they can produce the impression upon the
public mind, that it was only through the
division Of Wings on the single point of
Distribution, that the country is without a
tariff act. "IEad the Wings chosen, we
{, uld have had bill!" Granted and
had you chosen, gentlemen, (the Wings
may reply,) we could have had it, too -