Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1842-09-05
9TH CONGRESSES SESSION.
The Tariff Bill again
passed ! !
MnNnAK Al


On motion OF Mr. Cowen, The House resolved
ltsel into COMMITTEE of the Whole on the slale
OF the Union, (Mr. Joseph II. lngersol in The
chair,) and resumed consideration of the hill pub
IslIed IN this paper on The 29th inst) entitled A
nlll TO supply temporary defect or failure in the
laws relating to the collection of duties on inn
purs"
The pending question being on the motion of
Mr. Barnard, to amend the second section by nd =
dug provso, the object OF which was to prevent
any thlng In the section being regarded as author-
lHlng the application of its provisions to any case
where II penalty might have been proposed by
law, &c.
Mr.. Roosevelt was opposed to the amendment,
and also To the bill ITSELF because it was based on
The ground that there existed present no auhOr-
lty to collect duties imports to amy extent or at
any rae-a Tact which he was not prepared at
present to adu.
Mr.. FL more Whg) said that he did not know
tIiat he cared much whether the bill from the Ju-
clary Coninlltee passed or not: uui, in few ev-
planaiory remarks. he expressed the opinion that
1t It was only question ofdOubt whether revenue
could he collected under existing laws or nor, The
interests OF the country would hest be subserved
ny suffering things to remain as they were until
permanent tariff bill could lie agreed upon.
The amendment which had been proposed by
the gentleman from Pennsylvania mr. c. J. In
gersoll) would answer no good purpose either 10
the Government or the People. AS revenue
measure, the experience of the last two years
would demonstrate its entire nsufficiency and
as a measure Of protection TO domestic industry
against the labor Of foreign nations gentlemen had
only 10 point TO the dilapidated condition of the
nanutac ures OF the country for The last two years
TO satisfy every body that it was wholly made
quaie.
But, III addition TO that, the great benefit which
the country would derive from dny tariff mast n
rise from its being permanent 81 stem. No bill
that was adopted tor the space OF two years only
.sf.ttII ,VI,t
Try OF The country. What the country wanted
was, that the subject should be settled definitely
ana permanently, not for two years, FIVE, but,
It possible, fora length Of time, and he was go
Ing To say, forever. lie could not therefore, I'M
der any circumstances, vote for the proposition of
the gentleman from Pa. (Nlr. G. J. Ingersoll.)
AS TO the proposition of the other gentleman
from Pa. (NIr. Mckennan, which proposition the
reader may remember, was to iass the vetoed
revenue hill striking out tho distribution clause
aud modifying the bill in one or Two ilenls) lie
Mr. r. had more difficulty. IL was we'll known
that he was III favor oitha bill, not that he thought
II perfect Tor he thought it contained provisions
winch might be altered TO advantage. But lie
lIad no hesitation IN giving his vote for that bill
as the best that could be Obtained.
There was still greater difficulty, however, on
his mind. When, under the instructions of the
COMMITTEE OF Ways and Means, he had on L for
ilier day introduced n resolution declaring that il
was eXpe'iieht to pass such bill rs that last mem
TONED, II wonld DO reColIected that he had voted
against 1t. His Judgment aud his feelings had
heen and still were, opposed 10 any further leg
lslaon which Should yield the principle of dis
triOuIIon. Not that lie had not entertained great
doubts as 10 what his duty To the country reQuir-
ed al his hands. He saw the country suffering
beyond measure for the want of a tarlff-he saw
It's Treasury exhausted, and It's credit bankrupt-
On the other hand, he saw what appeared TO
hun TO be yielding of the principles of the
consultation that might prove injurious hereafter.
! True 1t was, however, that a precedent set by an
Administration ike this was likely TO have very
little influence Oh The preludlces OF any one here
alter. hat, OF itself was reason in favor of
yielding TO The urgent necessities OF the country
and the Treasury. But these considerations would
not ol themselves, have been sufficient 10 induce
hin 10 do so. lie felt, in the first instance, that
II was due to himself aud due To the constituency
whom he represented, and who were wholly in
dependen! OF the subject, TO express his opinions
! ny MS vote as to the propre,y OF yielding the
pr,ncpe of distribution.
hut slnce that vote was given, great change
ct circumstances had taken place He had seen
more than half OF the party with whom he acted
feel bound 10 yield that principle. lie did not
doubt their patriotism; e did not doubt that they
had yielded, on mature reflection, from sense of
what they deemed hest tor the iniers SIS of the
country tut the fact chat they had yielded had
taken away all the moral lahIcnce ol further re-
sIslaucc. uud these circumstances aud situated
as he was IN relation 10 tins measure he let bound
to yield his own oPlnlulls and 20 wl.h them. liB
confessed he ld 81 with great reluctance. 30
would, II necessary to the passage ol this ba,
Yield ii his vote aud he lru,.ed inat the suuutry
might derive from II all the henutit which those
who support II anticipate trom its passage. Al all
events, whether II dad OF not, he should feel tiat
in giving his Tor it, lie was discharglns his
duty the country, aud in yielding now he yleid-
ed much for the sake OF his friends.
AIR. Holmes (whose remarks were very imper-
fectly heard) sad that gentlemen who really and
truly wished tho Government To go on, il appear
ed TO him must vote for the bill reported by the
Chairman of The Committee on the Judiciary, (Mr.
Barnard) They were brought 10 the dilemma Ell
Their TO lake the bill reported or TO leave the
Government without revenue, or NJ best with
revenue Of uncertain collection. Nr. II. referred
to The views expressed by the Chairman of the
COMMITTEES of Ways and Means, MIR. Fillmore,j
aud opposed leaving tho question as il now stood,
to he decided by the Judiciary: il this was done,
and they decided that there was power for the
collection of revenue, the condition of the coun-
try was that we were left without revenue in the
operations of Government Ii would be treason
TO the country TO leave the Government in this ex
lgency. There was not onlya doubt but vast
doubt; and Mr. H., by reference TO the law OF
1888, in brief remarks which were too indsllncty
heard TO be attempted to he given, contender tnat
there was no power for the collection OF dnteS'
put lnat the Jaw supposoui u''o' w" ~ 1900
the collection Of duties for an ecohoIn'cal admin
istraion of Government under regulations TO be
prescribed by a new law. Suppose they went
home. and il should be pronounced 10y the Judici-
ary that the act OF 1888 was imperative. wha,
would be the condition OF the country? A con-
dj1on that ought TO make patriots tremble. The
vast machinery of Government must stop. lfthey
now left the Government without funds until the
next meeting of Congress, the whole complicated
machinery of Government must stop, and there
would be found a vast difference between again
putting it in motion aud now keeping il in motion.
Mr.. II. conended that the bill should he passed
whether the existing laws should finally be deci-
ded operative or not If they were operative tho
bill could do no harm and il not, they ought to
be rendered operative as far as it could be done.
lie concluded by making an urgent appeal to the
House not 10 leave the matter in uncertainty, but