The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-18
THE co MPROMISE Acids TRIB U
TON

We have been requested to republish the fol-
loving extracts of the debate in the Senate. on
the subject of Distribution, in 1S41.
Mr. KING said he would now offer an amend
ment which would decide whether the compromise
act not to be kept in good faith. The
gentlemen say there is intention to disturb that act
Let them prove now by their vote Mr.. X ny at
considerable length argued the question OF right
der any circumstances but those in which the whole
Onion would be bound to concur, and when all other
sources of revenue, from sales of public lands and
every thing else, failed the duty of 20 per cent could
be exceeded in good faith and concluded by offering
al amendment, which he demanded The yeas and
nays 1t in effect that this act shall become void
whenever the duties any article under the tariff
law shall exceed 20 per cent.
Mr.. BsRsIEN approved Of the amendment, and
would support it.
Mr. SMITH, of Indiana, considered it proposition
to connect the Land bill and the Compromise bill to-
gether, though the one had nothing whatever to do
with the other He would ask the Senator from Ala
bama, if his amendment was adopted, would he vote
for the bill
Mr.. KING. Certainly not
Mr.. SMITH, of Indiana, know that He knew it
was not to carry out the measure, but to defeat It,,
that gentlemen opposite trying TO fasten their
amendments on the bill But he would appeal to the
friends of the measure who were from the South, to
trust the good faith Of his side of the House in
laton to the Compromise act. He would for one
pledge himself to watch the Administration with
view of combining it to a rigid economy and to pre-.
vent any possible necessity for encroachng on the
Compromise act
Mr. ARCHER was not prepared, for the sake of the
Distribution bill, to open up the question which had
agitated the whole Union before. He could not con-
sent to peril the country for the sake of this measure
He considered the amendment shaped indls-
pensable and would vote for it. He was as fayora-
BILE to the Distribution bill any of his friends but
he was not prepared to do anything which directly
Indirectly calculated to operate against the good
faith of the Compromise act.
Mr. BERRIEN could not support the distribution
past the limitation of 20 per cent duties long as
there is any possibility of duties being raised past
that he must in every restraint necessary to
prevent it.
Mr. MANGuM would say that he for one, would
not vote for the bill if he thought was either to lead
TO the contraction of public debt to the opening
up the agitang question which was set at by the
Compromise act.
MI PRESTON could see sufficient in the present at
ttude of this country, with regard to It's foreign rela
tons satisfy him that the twenty per cent. of du
ties on importation will not be enough The most
rigid economy may not avert this although that should
he first tried but the question will cone at last what
is to be done to avoid raising the duties past twenty
per cent? He should not then, hesitate a moment
saying, let the distribution of the proceeds of the
sale OF public lands cease and let that revenue be
turned into the public Treasury again before any
crease of duties past twenty per cent is attempted.
Mr.. BERRtEN said that, on looking closely
into the amendment he found it would, in case the
duty was raised any article past twenty per cent.
repeal the whole bill that was going beyond what,
in his opinion, necessary. He would suggest the
proprety OF notification calling merely for sus-
pension of the distribution during the continuance OF
the excess of duty.
Mr.. KING consented to the modification, and the
amendment then read Section sixth, line seventh,
after the word act " cor the rate of duties shall be
fixed by law on articles of Importation, shall,
after the goth day OF June, 1912 increase said duty
beyond twcn,y per centum al valore = the dlstrbu-
ton OF the proceeds of the public lands provided for
by this act shall cdase during the existence of such
law, and shall be renewed whenever such rate Of duty
shall be reduced to twenty per cent"
Mr. Evans Suppose the amendment is now
adopted, and in two three years the subject of in
creasng the duties comes before Congress will no,
Congress have the whole subject up the distribution
bill included and not then act at once by taking
back the whole proceeds Of the public lands And
Congress oW assuredy do in preference 10 raising
duties past 20 per cent,
Thus was the Compromise act considered a
sacred and inviolabe instrument, less than a
year ago What will be its fate next week a
We ask our readers to preserve these extracts
and compare them with the speeches to be
made on the same subject by the enemies o.
the President.
We trustt they will adhere to their integrity
Notwithstanding their enmty TO the Executive
But we do not believe they will. We have nj
confidence in their honesty.
We do mol pray that the "cupmay pass" II
wagmg this war against the President, the I'll
ira Wings have ventured their political eSls
tenee on ''the hazard Of the die To thi
point have all their thoughts and actions TENDED
Tor sepen long months, during which time moth
ing has been done or attempted for the country
And now the crisis is at hand. The BATH
must be fought it would be pusiIlanimity an,
eternal disgrace for either party TO avoid tn
issue. The matter must he settled now an,
forever.