The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-08-11
REMARKS OF
MIR. JOHN HASTINGS, OF OHIO,
ON THE TARIFF BILL.
OF
Delivered in the House Of Representatives,
On the 9th July, 1912

DcHUeFed IN Me house ~ heP' o'c''t''''''0
On the 9th July, 1912.
Before proceed Mr. Chairman, to notice some 0
the details and bearings OF this tax Dill from tue Com
mttee of WAYS and Means, that may have escape'
the attention eff gentlemen who have preceded ms, lie
ne state fact that may be worth consideration AM
induce reflection All Governments that have eve
read of up the present time, whether despolisms
limited monarchies, republics, or other variety, al
agree in one common feature-.dring labor to the re
lief Of capital. With occasional alteration or so
this is the oppressive unjust action of all; and call
policy, what you will, it is evidently kind OF nhe
rent instructive, sympathetic secret that they all un
destand and agree u II is there is some diifeI
ence, occasionally, among Governments in the mode
process of abstractpg from the labor OF the many
to aggrandize the few 10 compel the industrious
support TIN idle The genu ne, legitimate, full-bood
ed despOt7G~4, will do the summary, GEAR th'hg, az
once-cut OF u head carry oil the property OF the
subject without question or ceremony nut the more
refined Christian Governments 90 differently 10 WORK
by the action of curious nice, subtle insinuating
little operator of three letters called "tar," they keeF
grinding, and squeezing and scraplng and wearing
out the mind and body and property OF man, woman
and child until all becomes exhausted, nothing let'
but the skeleton OF what has been. AT the
time, the motive of action in all IS the same-o
make the producer do the work, pay, and night while
the idle exclusive luxurates and riots In the consump
lion of the fruits of The producers labor. And ouI
own Government has been In the same habit since
ever have known it-taxng labor 10 the relief o.
capital: but habit tina, am in hopes it will have
to get rid of pretty by the fiat of the People, FOL
it very plain, from the condition Of the country and
the Governments embarrassed movements, that 1t Is
behind The People and they will have to put It right
We all know that the Government must be support
ed and that it has been maintained heretofore by the
income from the public domain and by indirect tax a.
ton called tariff or duties imports and the bill
before is OF the latter description, for the pub
lie lands gone and, by provision in the bill, are
ii seems, to continue gone. Well, it is volumnous
BILL comprising fifty pages and an ably drawn up bill,
and we'll printed billbut it appears to me, at least,
a revenue bill that will be very difficult of digestion,
and may not sit easy the stomachs OF those who
swallow it, unless made more palatable and whole
some by remodelng and recnnci.iDg its conflicting
proportions, removing Its crud!tIes, ana substituting
more sound material.
In relation Mr. Chairman, to the amount of mo-
ney to be collected from the People to detray the ex
penses of their Government and no more, the Will OF
nv constituents and the conviction of my own judg-
ment u.s. that heretofore the first item of revenue 10
be appropriated towards that purpose should be the
proceeds of the sales of the public lands, and that the
indirect tax in the shape of duties on Imports to make
up the remainder should be lev ed as equally and I'M
partially in reference to the various industrial pur-
suits Of the American People, as may be practicable.
And such is the guide by which will be directed in
nv course upon this new tax bill; bill that to
man of plain simple singe-eyed purpose, Indicates
if it should become law, series OF dislractng ana
perplexng consequences TO the sections, and classes
and interests it may be supposed 1t will beneht and
disturb and unhnge, and dissatisfy the straght-or-
ward and more dnect avocations that are not en-
braced in the scheme. Such believe with the most
respectful Difference the committee that drew up the
bill will be the effects and results of the dspartes
and partial tendencies gifts PROVISIONS whether for
protection positive or incidental for revenue OF for
ALL their discriminating operations will be perpexlng
and oppressive and unsuccessful in execution. How
ever be that as it may my mind single and straight
forward upon the whole subject In taxation, as IN
all other legislative action governed by all invo-
late rrepressbIe regard for the copies equal rights
in their pure entire amplitude, believing that their in
tegrity is the only security for the perpetuaon of free
government. Under this firm conviction, adhere to
the sentiments maintained during the extraordinary
session of last summer, In my remarks on TINS moor
when the Tax bill of that day was under discussion
perhaps may as well quote the proposition itself
''As | put myself upon the plain, unerrlng, broad
ground of equality of taxation, direct indirect, and
that the Peoples rights, and the Constitution, and
the harmony of the Union through impartial taxation,
imperiously demand, in every act of legislation, an
entire, unqualified regard for this Democratic, unda-
mental principle Of free government equal rights
offer plain, simple proposition, arising out of the
subject of this BILL and that is, that the import duties
upon all products that raise III our soil, and
upon all fabrics that manufacture, should be OF
one ad vaorem denominations of such per age as
would together with the proceeds OF the public lands
paw the expenses of the Government, and no more
that products which climate will not permit US TO
raise should in duty free that the duties should
be paid in cash down, and that gold and silver; and
the fish bounty laws repealed" This is the general
proposition that submitted to the Peoples Represen-
tatives for their consideration then, and submit the
same now with the incumbent addition of the neces'
sary checks and guards against fraudulent invoices
and other revenue manifestations; having In this po-
sition single eye the good Of the whole, not per-
hitting my Imagination to be led away by particular
interest of section clique, class, or individual. And
believe me- Mr. Chairman, we mistake the matter
egregiously if suppose that any other kind of IN
direct taxing legislation will satisfy the will OF the
American People generally; they have began to in
ves,igae and scrutinize closely the bearings and eff
ecs of the taxing power in its application heretofore
on their independence and prosperity; and the hour
is rapidly approaching when they will confine Its ex-
ercise to impartial regard for the nviolabiiy OF
their equal rights. do not think could do any good
by grabbing the offgures, and speculation,
and conjecture, Of what the public expenses ex-
portaons may be, or what the importations on
which to predicate tax may be, for plenty has
been said upon all this TO inform and confound
and perpex have a variety Of truth, error, hypo-
thesis, calculation, and imagination but thing Is
certain and that is, that the public expenses, from
the way are going on, will be quite plenty and to
spare for the people to pay-some twenty-five millions
at least, if not thIty-for we need not talk about
what they might be with wisdom and economy, we
had better speak of what they are and what the poo
pie will have to pay, what will be exacted from Labor
until they enforce salutary change themselves as
they may think best As t, the conectura calculations
of mportations by taking the average of the last six
or seven years. which some have bee doing, think
we are deceivng ourselves with the mere chickering's
of fancy-moonshine in well. Is not the scene
changed Has not the paper money illusion, by
which the country inundated with foreign mer
chandise, evaporaied leaving only wreck behind 2
Or is it expected to revive again and deceive the peo
pie once more with its pictorial Establishments Have
not the States two hundred and twenty millions OF
debt to pay, and the General Government upwards
of twenty millions, and an increasing prospect, | am
afrad2 And yet we figure up heavy imporatons
on paper which to levy tax through consumption
to pay expenses interest, and debt 4! No, sir; we
may import and tariff will, but the people will
not buy; those who live upon the industry, the labor