Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-05
coNGREss--ad Session.
THE TARIFF.
REMARKS OF Mr. AARON " BROWN or TENN

Dstcercd IN The House Of Representatives, June l5
Tie House having resolved itself into Committee OF
The Whole, and the bill reported by the Committee OF
ways aad Means, and that by the Committee on Ma
nuiactureS, together with the amendment offered 10
The alter by Mr.. labersham being under consideru.
ton
Mr.. AARON V. BROWN addressed the Committee
rs follows
nlr Chairman: haze searched most diligently for
s'ne redeeming virtue in the two bills reported by the
committees, which might far reconcile me (" their
provisions as to excuse any partc patton my part in
their discussion But have searched in VAN. ! can
hnd nolhlng-literally nothing to rescue them from
lhe deepest and most unmitigatrd adherence. They
both seek to revive the odicus principle of direct pro-
tecilan, and 10 repudiae the solemn and sacred
COW aant entered into since the formation of the
red I Constitution. But mean to speak only to
".e - ~ b'lla-to Tie one reported by the Commit
lee "a aaiui.e.ufaa :n4 SIR, IS the one which the
dominant party IN this House finally by the mere
power Of numbers, 10 force upon the people of this
country. | viii not spcak 10 The Ways and Means,
ior They would no; speak 10 their own bil-having
thrown II Upon the House, without any report Illus
lra'ng IT'S principles, or explaining its details. They
seem Ia have gotten 1t mp the spur of the OCCASION
and TO rely nothing for its support but the enormy
at lis cxaelnns and the poor device which they have
abrlrd on It's lront-that it is a bill for the raising IF
rtrrnue.
Mr.. Chairman, by the act of 1893, all the duties
ddocc twenty per cent, by whatever law imposed,
were brought down to that amount; and, by the &c,
0t lsll ali duties 6sop twenty per cent, raised
to tia rae, with tine exceptions contained in the act
By these two acts, have full, complete, and per-
rc tariff system for the supply of the Treasury with
on, nrher legislation on the SUBJECT Hence it IS that
assume tie posiilou that beyond the correction Of the
Of last srsson, regard 10 The list of free articles
and HE enactment of few obvious provisions in rea
ton to home valnatlon ought to have nothing 10 do
with this delicate and exciting subject To take il up
for thorough revisa, and the establishment Of higher
rae of duty, hold TO BIZ al act Of legislative pcrdy,
which find parallel in The history OF this country.
To member here il he necessary TO refer TO the
fierce collision of the parties the tariffs of 1916 1891
and lS2s. II is enough 10 say, that in every conflict,
the doctrine OF protection victorious. What sort
Of protection: Was il only incidental, was it claimed
distinctive and independent principle of the Con.
s:inion: Let the father Of the whole system tell you;
Hear him who, IN l,:, informs that he had cherished
il with pate,al fondness and that his a:t ctons even
then {though be had been compelled 10 abandon ~
undimnished. Replying 10 Mr.. Webster, who
vas then separated from h,m on the Compromise act,
he SAYS: "A.l that settled in 1clO, in 1871 and in
-! was, .!at protection should be afforded h. high
duties without regard 10 The amount Of the
they would yield" Mark the emphatic admission of
MIR. Clay projection without regard to revenue
1t this ground that all three of these acts
had been so warmly opposed but yet there was no de-
caraiion on their face that such was Their object
ne COctriTe OdrrU not 10 SNOW itSrlI
dcla tribunals Of the country should pass sentence Of
upon il. No, Sir: il skuked behind the
revenue po"er meanly eradiag the just and manifest
principles Of the Constitution Such device could
mt long he sustained, its enormous exacions en-
daTed. ]. disqnc,cd and almost convused the coun.
Try II filed the lard will, approximations OF ruin and
disaster the hand, ard civil war on the other.
1t became ahhorrent 10 the American people, ";ha,
he no had sustained it with paternal !ondness, could
sustain il no longer. He came forward with The Com
promise oil 1888 He declared tina, the American
system OF prot. ction mus; 70 down. lie saw it in the
deadly blows Inch President Jackson dealing
upon the faw it in the solemn prolestaors Of every
Southern Stale in the Unon-he saw IL in the deter
ntd sp.;. of resistance in South Carolina-nnd, more
than all, lie both saw and ftH ii, in the then recent
elections, which had oil gone against hun and his
friends Under ih,s thorough conviction $50 thorough
that M arnunien; of Mr. Webster his great compeer
in establishing The system, could shake or remove it)
Mr. Clay came forward with the Compromise.
pause here, Mr.. Chairman, in oIGcr that you may
consider Tie position oi the two great parties Of thus
country, ct that even;fu moment. TIE one was m
sisnr On tie permanent continuance Of The protective
,.cm the orcr boldly demanding lis instant re-
peal and total abandonment. Now, The Compromise
vas 10 reconcile these hostile par'ies-io find some
middle ground on which both could stard, and the
Union be preserved. MIR. Clay himself remarked on
The occasiGn 81 am anxious 10 find out principle
or mutual accommodating 10 satisfy, far p-acca
tom and az distant day, ut not too distant, when
we take into view he magnitude Of the interests which
are nvovrd) 10 bring down the rate ofdutes To That
revenue standard for which opponents had so long
commended.
Here. Sir, is an omen and distinct avowal of the oh
icc,s and purposes of The Compromise. That it was
int, nded hy him 10 be permanent settlement, not OF
the details hut &C the great principles of the future Ia
riff legislation Of The country refer for further Illus
ita;io 10 lis arguments addressed 10 his manufacturing
fre nds in favur of i;s adoption:
Ie that c oj"c,r! 10 TIE BILL hy ihnse win whom
no had co operated support the protective system was" that ~
# niue aud one hall years al Pacr certainty a
li,y tho manufacturers rnqui-hrd advantages which
,ev now en:y What '!e incirl. wli'h had awnys
n cop;ec for in aud the other osr: That after the
accumulation Of capital and skll, Tie manufacturers ""n w
M Ia sand alone unaded hy the Gorernnenf III r"meitlon
& ~. GrcIaions ard acira,:ois years and the
branch. VIII sustain themselves he"st oee"
we can safely leave post, ry I" provide Tor the r. ~ e m
be cvr rcyo Ia be the The neA rs-inn'l e e" ~.
viii he plunged distress and agitation !sia f.
Ciay want harmony wish 10 s W., @ ,,,,. rht
whirh carried ns triumphant! ihfGlen TWO war
not this perpetual turmoil LEI Us nave Eta'ei ui" ''
urec more hand OF brnilrrs.'
SIR. have made these extracts and references, IN
order to remind hG House, and this country, ot the
true object and extent of this Compromise IL was ac-
cco.ed When he (alr Cahoun) vino had as s'renu'
n.Iy onposed as MIR CLAW had supported lie system,
rose m in his place in the Senate chamber, aud &C.
crp;ed it, the galleries responded IN tnnurous aPPro
b,iou The whole nation responded with Joy ana ac'
c,sn,a;;on TIE assent of Congress, and the appropa
ton OF the President, soon crowned Tins NOME act OF
,nss;on IN boh sides and the process oc reduction
commenced 1t has progressed through oil The stages
81 The law until We are now within few days OF IT'S
entire com pletion Yes, Sir; and when The 3oih Of thus
month shall have arrived, tie whole South end SCUM
can rise nm MS one man. aud proudly boas' that al
though their burdens great AMI tie process CT
alienation slow and tedious ye, they have adhered to
the covenant only in the spirit, but to the very
letter Of it. -,
Bot, Sir, when that day shall come, and this bl
shall ha We been passed. VIVA the North say Can she
point 10 the same preservation of her pghted faith IN
ycstal purity and homer: No; repeat u TINS a n 'e
wond wiring from her nmost soul the reluctant comics
sion. that .he had adhered to the Compromise only
whilst i, was profitable, and east it off the moment
when the other party was to have entered on us ehJ'y
nent. "a,
Tic present distinguished Governor of Massachn,
seits seems have contemplated The poss,o,'''y q
something Of this SORT. Suppose, then, sa'h ne h
e -,