Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-07-07
VETO
oF me PROVISIONAL REVENUE BILL
n lie HOUSE Of Representaii9fs

on imports, WIN thS N''""5
tons
It suspends, in other words, abrogates
for the time, the provision of the act o
1893, commonly called the " compromise
act." The only ground on which thi:
departure from the solemn adjustment o
greut and agliallng question seems tC
have been regarded as expedient is, the
alleged necessity OF stablishlng, by legis
lative enacimenis, rules and regulations
for assessing The duties to be levied on i'm
ports, after The 30th June, according e
the home yaluati N and yet the ball ex-
pressly provides that "li before the lst oi
August there be no further Legislation
upon the subject, the laws of lnylng and
collecting duties shall be The same as
though TINS act had not been passed. Ia
other words, that the act Of 1888, Imper-
feet es it is considered, shali in that case
continue 10 be, and to be executed, under
such RULES and regulations as previous
statutes had prescrbcd, or bad enabled
the Executive DEPARTMENT 10 prescribe
| Tor that purpose, leaving the supposed
chasm in the revenue laws jus, as II was
before.
am certainly Ear from being disposed
to deny that additional legislation upon
the subject IS very desirable; on the con.
llrary, the necessity as well as difficulties
Of establishing uniformity in the aPprase.
mcnls to be made in conformity with the
true intention of that act was brought to
/ tie notice of Congress IL my message TO
! Congress at the opening OF It's present S S
sion. But, however sensible may be OF
the embarrussments to which the Exccu-
live, in the absence Of all and from the 81
perioI wisdom Of the Legislature, will be
! hal bic, in the enforcement OF the existing
laws, have not, with the sncerest wish
TO acques e IN It's expressed VIII, been
able to persuade myself that the cxlgeney
Of the occasion is So great as to justify me
in signing the bill IN question, with my
present views Of its character and fleets,
The existing laws, as ! am advised, are
sufficient to author ~ and ena bic the col.
Letting officers under the directions Of
he Sccretory Of the Treasury. levy the
duties imposed by the act OF 1888.
That act was passed under peculiar cir
cumstanccs 10 which it is not necessary
| Tint should do more than barely alIude.
Whatever may be, in theory, It's cbarac-
ter have always regarded il as import
| ing the highes! moral obligation. 1t has
now existed for niae years, unchanged IN
| any essential particular, with as general
/ lcquicscence, II is believed, OF the whole
leountry, MS that country has ever mani
I E sted for any Of her wisely established
/ Institutions. Ii has ensured 10 il the re-
/ pose Win b always flows from timely,
wise, and moderate counsels-s repose the
more striking because Of the long and en-
gry ag;t tons which preceded 1t. This
\ saluaary ltw proclalais, ~ express terms,
the prin pile which, while il led to the
I abandonment Of scheme Of Indirect tax
! Al on loun Ied On a false basis, and pushed
TO dangerous excess, lustifcs any enlarge
ment OF duties that may be called for by
| the real exigcncies OF the public service.
| # provides "thut duties shall be laid tor
| the purpose of raising such revenue as
may be nect ssary 10 an economical ad-
nnistraion of The Government. II IS
/ therefore in the power OF Congress To lay
| duties as high as its discretion may dc
tate, for the necessary uses OF the Govern
ment, without infringing upon the objects
Of the acl Of 1888. do not doubt that
the exgeneies of the Government do re-.
qura an increase Of tie tariff of duties
above 30 per cent. and ! as little doubt
that Congress may, above as well as below
tina: rate, 81 discriminate as to give incl
dental protection to manufacturing INDUS
trv-;hus 10 make the burd' MS which il is
compelled to impose upon the People, for
the purposes of Government, productive
of double benefit. This mos, Of the
reasonable opponents OF protective duties
seem willing to concede; an6, if we may
/ Judge from the manifestations OF public
/ opinion in all quarters, this is all that the
manufacturing interests really require
4 | am happy in the persuasion that this
double object can be most easily and eff
iectually accomplished at the present
| iuncture, without any departure from the
spirit and principle oil the statute IN ques-
| ton. The manufacturing classes have
now an opportunity, which may never oc-
cur again, OF permanently identifying their
/ interests with those Of the whole country,
and making them, IN the highest sense Of
the term, national concern. The mo.
mcnt is propitous to the interests OF the
whole country, IN the Introduction of har-
mony among all It's parts and all It's sew
oral interests. The same rate OF mposts,
and no more, as will most surely re-es-
tablish the public credit, will secure to the
manufacturer oil the protection he ought
to desire, with every prospect of perma-
nence and stability which the hearty &c.
quiescence of the whole country, on rea-
sonable system, can hold to him.
But Of this universal acquiescence, and
the harmony and confidence and the many
other benefits that will certainly result
from il, regard the suspension OF the law
for distributing the proceeds OF the sales
of the public lands as an indispensable
condition. This measure is, IN my Jujg-
ment, called for by large number, Il not
great majority Of the p ople OF The Unit
ed States ny the state of the public cred
it aud finances by the critical posture OF
our various foreign relations and, above
all by Tint most sacred of all duties, pub
lie faith. The act Of September last,
which provides for the distribution, couples
,,,;,h tho cpndtffon Tint IT