The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-06-30
THIRD vETo-PREsIDENT TYLER
10 he House of Representatives.

~ NE House OF Representatives:
return the bill which originated in the House q
Representatives entitled " An act to extend for lin
eu period the presnt laws for laying and colectin
duties on imports" with the following objections
II suspends-ln other words abrogates for the time
the provision of the act Of 1893, commonly calIe
the Compromise Act. The only ground on Will
TINS departure from the solemn ad ustment of a geat
ana agllaiing question, seems to have been rsruea
as eNpedienl, Is the alleged necessity Of establishing
by legislative enactment rules and regulates ior as
sessinS the duties to be levied on impos aiter ue
Both June according to the home valuation and yet
the phi expressly provides that "l before the ,s'
OF August, there be no further legislation upon the
subject the laws for LAYING and Collecting duties shall
be The same as though this ac' had not been passed
In other words-lha the acs oil l653 ifperect US !,
Is considered SHALL that case, continue 10 DC, ana
to be executed as law under such rules and regu'
ations as previous statutes had prescribed had en-
abed the Executive Department TO prescribe Tor hat
purpose leaving the supposed chasm IN inc revenue
laws Just as il before
am certainly far from being disposed TO deny that
additional egisla ion upon the subject Is very desir.
ble On tbs contrary, the necessity, as well as am
Guilty of establishing uniformity in the appraisemeh's
to be made in conformity with the true intcnuoh Vi
that act, brought to the notice OF Congress III my
Message 10 Congress at the opening oil Its present
session. But, however sensible may be oil the en-
barrssments TO which The Executive, ~ the absence
of all aid from the superior wisdom oil the iegsia-
ture will be table, in the enforcement Of the exist
irg laws have not, with the sncerest wish to ac-
qulesce IN its expressed WILL been able TO persuade
myself that the exgency of the occasion Is so great
TO justify me IN signing the bill in question, WIN
my present views of Its character and elects The
existing laws, as am advised sufficient to autho-
rize and enable the collecting officers, under the d.
OF the Secretary OF the Treasury TO levy the
duties imposed by the act of 1888.
That act was pas ed under peculiar circumstances
TO winch il not necessary that should do more than
barely allude. Whatever may be in theory, its cha
rActer, have always regarded IT importing the
highest moral obligation. IL has now existed for mir
years unchanged any essential particular, with as
general acqulescence, II Is believed, Of the whole
country as that country has ever manifested for any
of her wsely established Institutions Ii has ensured
to il the repose which always flows from truly wise
and mod rate councs-a repose the more strik-
my bee Of the long and angry agitations which
preceded it. This salutary law proclaims
IN express terms the prlncple winch while II led TO
the abandonment of Il scheme OF Indirect taxation
founded false basis and pushed 10 dangerous ex-
cess, )ushts any enl rgement OF duties that may be
called tor ~ the real exigencles of the public rvce
1t provides lhat duties saal he laid for the purpose
of raising such revenue as may he necessary TO an
economical administration OF the Government" 1t
is therefore, in the power OF Congress 10 lay du'les
high discretion may dictate tor the necessary
uses OF the Government, without infringing upon the
ohjecs OF the act of 1888. do not doubt that the
necessities of the Government d. require increase
OF the tart of duties above 20 per cent, and as lit
tie doubt but that above well teow that rate
Congress may discriminate as to give incidental
protection 10 manufacturing industry-thus to make
the burdens, which is compelled to impose upon the
people for the purposes OF Government productive of
a double benefit This, most of the reasonable oppo-
nents OF protective duties willing TO concede, and
il we may Judge from The manifestations OF pub
lie opinion all quarters, this is all that the manu-.
factufng interests really require am happy in the
persuasion, that this double object be most easily
and efltc ualy accomplished AT tAe present juncture
without any departure from the spirit and pdclpe OF
the statute IN questi N. The manufacturing classe;
have now an opportunity, which may never occur
again, of permanently identifying ther interests with
thSe of the whole country, and making them, IN the
highest sense OF the tctm national concern. The
monent Is propltious 10 tho inleres OF the whole
couury IN the Introduction OF harmony among all lts
parts and all its several interests. The
imposts and no mole will most surely re-establst
the public credit viii 10 the manufacturer al
the protection he ought To desire with every prospect
OF por,nonence and liability which the hearty acau
escrnce OF the whole country, reasonable system
can hold out 10 him.
But of this universal acquiescence and the har
nony and confidence and The many other benefit.
that viii certainly result from II, regard the suspen
sion of the law for distributing he roceeds OF the
pubic Iands Indispensable condition. This
l., in my judgment, called for by large mum
b,r # not a great majority, of the people OF the Uni
ted States by the state OF the pubic credit and nan
ces, by the critical posture OF our various foreign rela
lions and, above all, by that most sacred OF all duties
public faith. The act Of Seatember last, which pro
,d,s the distribution, couples 1t lnseparaby with
the condt on that it shall cease-lst In Case OF war
As soon and So long the rate OF duties shall fol
any reason whatever, be raised above ~ per cent
Nothing car be clear, express imperative thar
this language, 1t In vain TO allege that defer
in the Treasury known TO exist and meant
taken TO supply it by loan when the act was passed
Ii is true that loan authorized at the same SEES
sion during which the Distribution law was passed
but the most sangune of the friends of the two mea
sures entertained no doubt but that the oan would b.
eagerly taken up by capitalists and speedily reimburs
ed by country destined, they hoped soon to enjo
an overlooking prosperity The very terms Of Tia
loan making il redeemable IN three years demonstrate
this beyond all cayl Who at that time foresaw o
imagined the possibility of the actual state of things
Wien nation that has paid of her whole debt sine
the last peace, while all the other great powers hav'
been increasing theirs, and whose resources alread
SO great are yet but in the infancy of their develop
ment should be compelled to haggle in the none
market for paltry sum, not equal to one years rev
enuo on her economical systemi If the Distributor
law is 10 lie indefinitely suspended, according not on
~ to its own TERMS but by universal consent, in
of war; wherein are the actual exigencies of tn,
country the moral OBJ gation to provide for then,
less under present circumstances than they could b.
were we actually involved in ware 1t appears t
me to be the indispensable duty of all concerned i
the administration of public affairs, 10 that stat
Of things SO Illuminating and so perilous should nc
last moment longer than is absolutely unavoidable
Much less excusabe should we be in parting wit
any portion of our available means, at least unit
the demands of the Treasury were fully supplied
But besides the urgency of such considerations, tn
fact is undeniabe that the Distribution act could nc
have become a without the guaranty in the prc
yiso of the act itself.
This connection, thus meant to be inseparable
severed by the bill presented 10 me. The bill viz
aes the principle of the acts of 1889 and September
is4l by suspendisg The first and rendering, for
time, the last imperative. Duties above 20 per cen
are proposed to be levied and yet the porso in III