Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-19

g eomc and inexpedient in the opinion Of all. MI. II.
said the persons who composed the meeting were u
The most respectable character. As the subject was
no, in the possession Of any ommlttee, he moved y"
law tho nroceedines on the table. The motion was
@s HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
n THE TARIFF BILL.
Tho uouse resolved ITSELF into Committee of the
Whole. mir. McKennan in the chair and proceeded
10 The consideration of the chill 10 provide revenue
from, imports, and to chang. and modify existing laws
;mnosing duties on imports, md for other purposes.
The pending question at the adjournment last n,ght
w,s nm the first clause of section four, which Mr.. Fill.
more had moved 10 amend ~ reducing the proposed
dutv on iron in bars or bats, not manufactured IN
whole or in part by rolling, from Sls to ST. per ton.
Mr.. COOPER of Georgia moved TO amend The amend
ment, by striking out Sli per ION, ana inserting -'P'
cent. ad valorem.
He would not mir. c. sadly let this matter GO, with.
out showing all The why's and wherefores concerning
it. II had been asserted that 4 duty of Sl1 per ton
would not amount to more than q duty of 20 or 80 per
cent. ad yalorem. Now, he had no doubt il would
he al least double. Mr.. c.. then went into a calcu'
la,iou TO show the amount Of the per centage. why
was this proposition made: 1t was not for revenue or
protection, but for absolute prohibition. lie wouIu
> inform The House that, in the country where he re
sided. there was no article made, or that could he made,
in the u. States, that came in competition with the one
they used. 1t was, therefore, vain to talk oil this duty
being intended as q protection Tor American manuiac-
tures. What was The object of il? In some countries
thew used wood instead of iron for ploughshares; and
if this high duty should be passed, the people OF Geor'
ria would be driven TO the use OF lheir 1--we oak roofs
for that purpose, rather than use the INFERIOR American
article. 1t was not 10 protect American manufactures
bui TO compel the people Of the South TO use the lnie-
rior article at the manufacturer 8 own prices, mat 'h's
b;cb duiy was nut on; but gentlemen would ind them
selves deceived: the people Of Georgia would not use
il. every man, from the mountains 10 The seaooaro,
would understand il. They knew the price OF Swedish
iron. which was the only one suited for their purposes;
and knew that the kind Of protection the committee
proposed would be to deprive the consumer of that ar
ticle, in order 10 compel him TO use the inferior AmsrI.
can production. A duty of % per cent. would nottall
yery far short Of from Sl2 to SIS per ton; and hat
ought TO be sufficient protection, unless gentlemenin IN
tended TO drive the Southern agriculturlsts 10 the use
OF their live oak trees to plough their grounds with.
MIR. JAMES addressed the committee in opposition
10 the amendment, and IN favor OF Inc highesl Prolec-
ton to the iron interest.
On takinr the question, MIR. Coopers amendment
to the amendment was rejected ayes 4S, noes not
counted.
The question was then taken on tho amendment OF
Mr.. Fillmore, and ii was adopted.
MIR. CAVE JOHNSON of Tennessee proposed TO
strike out the proviso, which is in the following words:
"Proridod, aLe, That iron imported prior I" The ID day Of
shall be charged with the duty on rolled iron and the duties Sc.
cured thereon, 10 be entitled TO The benefit, Of + the provision lion Of Of
existing laws, exemptins i from the payment Of duty on proof o,
plane prior 10 the Sd OF March, lsi3.'
And TO insert in lieu thereof
"And on railroad iron the same dnly as on bar or bolt iron,
made wholly CT in rall by Hro rolling ,ms i5 sh9 81 I'M 'I ls,s M"eh s"a''
He supported his proposition IN an able speech.
MIR. KENNEDY of Maryland offered a substitute
for the proviso, specifying that all iron which, at the
date Of the passage of this act, shall be ordered by any
company from abroad, in bars or otherwise, for railroads
or inclined planes, shall be entitled 10 the benefit OF The
provisions in the existing laws, and be entered free;
also, such as shall be actually laid down on rails prior
to March 3, 1913; and all iron ordered after the passage
of this act, or laid down after the date aforesaid, shall
be hereafter subject 10 the same duty as is LEVIED on
rolled iron.
Mr.. X. explained his object in offering the amend
nent. lie wished 10 save the iron already ordered tor
railroads: and instanced the Baltimore and Ohio railroad,
which had sent for a large quantity of iron, in order to
complete the railroad 10 Cumberland.
Mr.. CAVE JOHNSON opposed the amendment.
He thought it would give undue advantages to the
large cities. which might send out orders Tor IRON
enough TO lat twenty years., and introduce 1t Tree OF
duty. +,
Mr.. CARY advocated the importation of railroad
iron free of duty. lie read a letter from The President
of the Petersburg Railroad Company, which entered
into some calculations as 10 the amount which the rail-
roads Of Virginia would have TO pay in case a DUTY of
$50 per ton was imposed on railroad iron. The tax
which the 337 miles of railroads in Virginia would
o." come IL c out H Of t HG3aai &c., 4q0S9; This sg E laNO oh fHaA44 bhaa se
and not out of the companies themselves.
Mr.. Kennedy amendment was rejected.
MIR. BLACK moved 10 fix the duty on railroad IRON
nj 20 per cent. nd valorem. Mr.. B. said he vas unwIl-
, ling 10 make u difference between the duty on imports
by associated companies and private nc notwithstanding
farmers and mechanics Of The country. lie made THIS
move for the purpose OF putilns revenue mo me COZ,
7 fers of the Government. AS the Georgia railroad had
2 been alluded 10, he would say that The people OF ms
), State wanted no Exemption from the payment OF dnlies
r on railroad iron, which it would have TO pay on their
I iron for ploughs and cart wheels.
I MIR. Blacks amendment was lost.
The amendment Of MIR. Cave Johnson (noted aoove)
S was then rejected:
e Mr.. ROOSEVELT moved TO strike out the whole
I proyiso in relation 10 railway iron, &c, ana hS lae
duty on "bar or bolt iron made wholly orr part oy
d roll,nq.' at Mirtu per cent. ad yaIorem. lie was mol
e himself willing 10 have such a high duty as this; but
|, he wished TO see, if by stretching a point, any MOTION
TO amend the details OF the bill made by one of its op
ponents would be carried. lie read part of a paper
h from an iron manufactures Of the name oil L'ppenco!
+. who stated that a duty Of $50 per ton was equal TO -
per cent. Was the House prepared TO lay a duty O
i Is per cent. for revenue-an and that, too, upon an article
: of necessity, and not of luxury? lie replied to The
e charge made against him that he advocated ioIeign IN
teresis here; and asked If the advocates OF the high Ia
}, riff here were not themselves advocating British inter
T ests, by LAYING such high duties; He thought the high
T Tariff would increase the importation OF foreigners, oil
e though ii diminished the importation OF foreign goods
e In that sense, the Tariff would be 0 benefit, Inasnucf
: as il would introduce q class OF useful citIzens, whc
5 wonld bring their machinery with them, and IN TIN:
country manufacture the very articles which they coule
not export from a foreign country. Mr.. X. quoted the
33d rule oflhe House, which forbids members from Vt
ing on questions in which they are particularly inter
J, esied. lie feared there were too many members here
r who were interested in iron works and lands, and who
.. would vote for The high protection, TO gel any thing Ike
reasonable duties adopted.
e Mr.. FILLMORE said he was instructed 10 move
e reduction of the duty from $50 to S25 per ton. In re-
g ply 10 the remarks of his colleague, Mr.. ROOSEVELT he
c would say tina, iron was an article which could bear
higher duty than most others, on account OF It's being
y SO frequently brought as ballast, and Is bulk, which
e prevented it from being struggled.
n In answer TO an inquiry from MIR. ROOSEVELT
n whether a duty Of $50 per ton was not equal 10 20 per
t cent. ad valorem-
:, MIR. admitted that such a duty WIS
u eqnal 10 G. l2 per cent.
d After some remarks from Mr.. Bolts in favor of the
highest rate of duty,
i MIR. J. COOPER moved to strike ont S25, and in
e sert $50 IS as the duty. MIR. C.. addressed the COM
miltee in favor of the amendment.
After a few remarks, from Mr.. FILLMORE,