The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-08-30
REMARKS OF MR.. RIvEs,
On The Tariff.

Mr. RlVES said he unieIgnedly anxious that
the Senate should agree upon something that would
meet the concurrence of both branches of the Legs-
lature. IL he thought any amendment would be made
that would enable them To vote for the bill he would
toIbear to press the proposition which he now ohefed
Tor the consideration of the Senate But he though
very evident from he spirit which had been mani,
fested that this wou d not be the case and ne woud
therefore state very br fy the leading objections 70
the bill which he entertained. In the hrst place,
could no. be characterized as rerenGe measure iis
firm conviction was that 1t would not produce an i'
crease of revenue. IL was absolutely ana enphau-
cally measure of protection, ehiehuing !" soe par
ticulnrs, to prohibition.
This was the character OF the BILL In regard
many of the articles which enter most deeply ho
the consump of the country-suehi Tor example az
several descrip,l SONS OF cotton and w0oien goods
some of the manufactures of non, hemp, &c-they
were subjected duty at least 100 per cent, when
the duties actually imposed stripped OF the dls-
puise II mnInuns and specific rates IN whl;h ihfy
were leeniously concealed and no one could sup
pose that, with a of duty Ike that, II was posi-
bio that revenue could be- collected The amount oil
would, in his opinion, be diminished rather
than increased, and fatal blow would be aimed at
commerce with countries IN which the products oi
agriculture, find valuable and now improving
markets. He had mother objection to the bill as Il
stood Ii was supposed that they bad made some little
advance towards the adjustment OF sound and sa-
Bile principles Of public policy. lie did not mean to
throw any odium upon the general policy which had
been pursued but, in his judgment, sad inteTrup-
ton had taken place to the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the pull
lie mind, which the principles OF the compromise aci
calculated to produce. II did not seem To him
that this reco gnised IN any manner, the ex-
pedency of keeping IN view the principles oil the
compromise. Ii went far beyond the rate of duty
which existed under former tariffs Not satisfied with
celebrating every of the compromise OF 1852,
went beyond the high tariff of 1928
If the general character Of the measure could be
reconciled to the interests and sound policy Of the
country he would be willing to sacrifice much IN
matters of detail But he confidently believed that
it would prove detrimental those particular IN
terests which profe sed to subserve, II would be
adverse the general interests OF the country These
were the views he entertained and they not
derived from his own judgment alone. lie had sought
the light of experience, by consulting practical men
Unless, them some important change were introduced
and he had reason to anticipate any such-he
could not justify himself to give his vote for the bill
This being the case, and being himself anxious TO
termn te all doubt, and uncertainty that now lst
in reference TO revenue, and above all, to set the
public mind at with regard to the vital question
of legality in its collection, he (Mr. R.) disposed
to remit much of his own particular opinions, for he
sake of full reconcilement of the whole subject
He would therefore, most respectfully beg leave to
PROPOSE for the consideration OF the Senate, mea-
which, in some OF its features, had already been
submitted (modifed by himself, however, to the con-
sderation of the other body of this Legislature He
thought it would meet the real exigency OF the case,
and supply substantially the wants OF the country 1t
intended to reinstae the rates OF duties they
existed under he compromise act in the years 1910
and lS4l This would leave, for the present. e
tariff the poin where it stood otter the deduction
of four enths of the above 20 yer cent, adj
journing future consideration and ad justment the
reduction the remaining sX-tenths which have been
crowded into the first six months OF the present year 10y
the compromise act In addition to this he proposed
lay duty of rs per cent the class of articles
previously free which subjected to a duty OF
20 per cent by The reve,ue bill of the last session OF
Congress and at the same time he deemed 1t neces-
sary to include among dutiable articles, during the
continuance of the present embarrassed condition of
the public tr asury The articles of tea and coffee at
the moderate rate OF 20 per cent.
His own opinion was, that, in the present state of
the country, there obligation upon Congress
nor any wish of the people, to exempt tea and coffee
from their due proportion of contribution to the public
necessities. lie believed these articles were not In
any civilized country, exempt. They had, In this
country been main source OF revenue, and exempted
from duty only when there was superabundance OF
revenue; they found TO be more productive of
revenue han any one class Of manufactures imported
from abread-except, perhaps, the single article of
silk What objection could there be against laying
moderate duty upon tea and coffee ! They were
more necessaries of life than were sugar, moasses
salt hats shoes and divers other articles, which, by
general consent subjected to duty. By including
theee articles, they would secure at additional
Of at least three millions dollars The
rage importation of them, 1t would be found by he
tables annexed to The report OF the Secretary of the
Treasury, amounted To fifteen millions of dollars
worth annually the revenue derived from which, at
20 per cent would be three millions. The Secretary
of the Treasury proposed, Ly the duties recommended
by him, TO derive from these articles of four
and a half millions Of dollars. And he would ask if
under existing circumstances, there was any thing
that should induce them to reject this fruitful source
Of revenue
He thought every gentleman would agree that,
repenue measure, the one he proposed prefer
able in all respects TO the under consdera-
ton and, regard to its bearings the interests of
domestic industry, he begged leave invoke the high
authority of the COMMITTEE on Manufactures of the
other House, who their able report bear testimony
to the general prosperity of American manufactures
under the tariff of 1910 and lS4l and indicate the
sudden and large reduction of sxenths of the
above 10 per cent, which has been thrown upon the
present wear as the great grievance from which they
ask to be relieved.- He would not detan the Senate
with speech He knew not what sentence his pro-
position would receive at the hands Of the Senate /;
but he desired at all events, to have the opinion
the Senate expressed upon 1t.
He hoped that gentlemen on all sides would in
il, at least proof of the spirit of Cancellation with
which he sincerely animated, and which the pre-
sent condition OF the country mpressively invoked.
He prepared to make large sacrifice of lndvld-
ual opinions on The altar of union and har oony in
the public cause; and he had made that sacrifice free
ly in the proposition be submitted to the Senate which
went much beyond the limit that his Judgment pre-
ferred. His fixed conviction that average du-
ty of 20 per centum on the foreign cost of imported
commodities, (Which he supposed to be the fair repre-
sentative and equiva ent OF 20 per cent. duty on
home valuation would be found, in the end to make
the nearest approximation to the point in which
nue. and protection meet; and he much feared what
temporary might be resorted TO- no solid
and permanent adjustment OF this great subject would
be arrived at, unlil wise spirit OF moderation shall
he transfused from the calm and practical intelligence
of the people into the bosom OF the pubic councils
He repeated, however, that the proposition he now
submitted went much beyond the limit bch he had
just indicated as that which bis own Judgment pre-
ferred, and which he believed the sober Judgment of
the country wou d ultimately settle down upon MIR
k. concluded, by submitting his amendment as fol-
lows:
hat tiom and after the passage of this act and