Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-07-07


1t suspends---in other words, abrcgates for the
,mc-,he provision of the act OF 1898, commonly
called the ..Compromse Act.' Tho only ground
on which this departure from the solemn adjust
ment OF {. great and agitating question seems TO
have been regarded as expediemt, is the alleged
necessity of establishing, by Legislative enact
ments, rules and regulations for assessing the
duties to be levied IMPORTS after the 30th June
according TO the home valuation f; and yet the
bill expressly provides that "if before tho LIST OF
August, there be no foher legislation upon the
subject, lhe laws for laying and collecting duties
shall be the same as though this act had no, been
passed." In other words, that the act Of 1883,
Imperfect as il is considered, shall in that case
continue to be, aud to be executed, under such
rules and regulations as previous statutes had pre-
scribed, or had enabled the Executive Department,
to provide for that purpose, leaving the supposed
chasm in the revenue laws such as il was be-
fore,
am certainly far fiom being disposed to deny
that additional legislation upon the subject is very
desirable on the contrary, the necessity. as well
difficulties, Of establishing uniformity in the
appraisements TO be madc IN conformity with the
true intention Of that act, was brought to the no.
tice oil Congress In my message to Congress at
the opening of its present session. But however
sensible may be Of the einbarrassments 10 which
the Executive, i'm the absence of all aid from the
superior wisdom OF the Legislature, will be liable,
in the enforcement Of the existing LAWS, have
| not, with the sncercst wish to acguiesce in its
expressed will, been able to persuade myself that
The eXgency OF the occasion is so great as TO JUS
lify me Az signing the bill in question, with my
pres mt Views OF its character and effects. The
existing laws, as am advised, sufficient to
authorise and enable the collecting officers under
the directions of the Secretary Of the Treasury,
to levy the duties imposed by the act of 1898.
That act was passed under peculiar eiTcumstan-
ces' to which it is not necessary that l should do
more than barely allude. What may be, in theory,
its character, have always regarded i, rs import
ing the highest moral obligation. 1t has now ex-
| listed Tor nine years, unchanged in any essential
particular, with as general acquiescence, 1t is be-
leved, OF the whole country, as that country has
ever manifested for any Of her wisely established
institutions. Ii has insured 10 it the Tpose which
always flows from timely, wise and moderate
counsiiS repOse the more striking, because oil
the long and angry a9iaiions which preceded It,
/ This salutary law proclaims, IN express terms.
! the principle which, while il led 10 the abandon
incnt oil a scheme oil indirect taxation founded on
false basis, and pushed to dangerous excess JUS
titles any enlargement of duties that may be call
ed Tor by the real cXi9encies of the public service
1t provides ''that duties shall be laid for the pur-
pose oil raising such revenue may be necessary
| TO an economical admlniStrat of the Govern
ment" 1t is therefore in the power of Congress to
lay duties as high its discretion may dictate, for
/ the necessary OF the Gov. rnmcut, without
infringing upon the objects OF tho act OF 1883
do not doubt that the eXigencies of the Govcrn-
require all increase Oh inc ldIlll oI uusNS
above 20 per cent; and as little doub, that Con-
gress may, above as well as below that rate, SO
discriminate as to give incidental protection to
manufacturing industry-thus TO make the bur
dens which II Is compelled to Impose upon the
people, for the purposes of Government, produce
live Of a double benefit. This, most of the OBJ
poncnts OF protective duties seem willing to con-
cede; and, If we may judge from the manifesto
tons OF public opinion in all quart rs, this is all
that the manufacturing interests really require
am happy In the persuasion that this double OBJ
ject can be most easily and eilcctualy accomplish
ed, at the present juncture, without any departure
from the spirit and principle of the statute in ques
ton. The manufacturing classes ha~o II
opportunity, which may never occur again OF per-
mancntly Identifying their interests with those Of
/ the whole country, and making them, In the high
est sense of the term, national concern The
moment is propitious to the interest of the whole
country, in the introduction of harmony among all
/ its parts and all its several Interests. The
rate OF imposts, and more, as will most surely
establish the public credit will secure TO the
utacturer all the protection he ought to desire,
with every prospect of pcrnanence and stability,
which the hearty acqniscencc OF the whole coun-
try, on reasonable system, can hold out to him.
! But of this universal acquiescence, and the
harmony and confidence, and the many other ben
Gifts that will certainly result from it, regard the
suspension of the law for distributing the proceeds
OF the sales of the public lands as AN indispensa-
Bile condition. This measure is, in my Judgment,
/ called Tor by large number, II not great major
! ity, of the people of the United States by the
state of the public credit and finances by the
critical posture of various foreign relations |;
and, above all, by that most sacred OF all duties
/ public faith. The act OF September last which
provides for the distribution, couples it insepara-
| bly, with the condition, that it shall cease-frst,
III case OF war second, as soon and so long as
the rate OF duties shall, for any reason Whatever
be raised above 20 per cent. Nothing can be
more clear, express or Imperative, than this Ian
guage. 1t is in vain to aliege that deficit in
the treasury was known to exist and that means
were taken to supply this deficit by loan when
the act was passed. 1t is true that loan
which the distribution law passed but the
entertained doubt but that the loan would be
eagerly sought after and taken up by capitalists,
and speedily reimbursed by country Destined as
they hoped. soon to enjoy an overlooking pros
| periiy. The very terms Of the loan, making it
redeemabe in three years, demonstrate this be-
yond all cav!. Who, at the time, toresaw or ina
gincd the possibility Of the present real state Of
things, when nation that has paid oil her whole
debt since the last peace, while all the other great
powers have been increasing theirs, and whose
resources, already great are yet but IN the ln-
! fancy OF their development, should bc compelled
to higgle In the money market for paltry SUN
not equal to one years revenue upon her econo-
mical system! ii the distribution law is TO BIO
indefinitely suspecded according not only TO its
own terms, but by universal consent, III the
| of war, wherein the actual exgencies Of the
county, the moral obligation to provide for
them, less under present circumstances, than they
could be were we actually engaged in war! 1t