The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-07-02
SPEECH OF MR.. RlVES,
OF Virginia.
On the Provisional Tariff bill.
In TIRE SENATE UNITED STATES, June Gath, 1912
OF VIRGINIA.


In TIE SENATE UNITED STATES, June oath, 1912.
Mr. RIVES said that so far the bill now unde
discussion proposed temporary continuance Oh tht
present rates Of duty upon foreign imports ne woio
give il his cheerful support though he could not pu
lament the necessity OF mere provisional legsia.on
at this late day, upon a subject of SO much impor
lance He had hoped that long before this Tine some
permanent for the adjustment oil the a.
riff would have been perfected, and clothed WIN INC
requisite legislative sanctions. Considering INC uii'
we have been assembled here, now running 70 ue
end of the seventh month Of our session, ana the
urgent necessity for action the SUBJECT growing
out of the well-known state of the law, ne though'
the country had right to have expected TINS al our
hands. Why it had not been done, or where the re-
spons ibty for the omission lies, was not ior MN u
decide II was sufficient for him TO know mat no
such measure was now before them, or likely to be
in any short time and that the reduced rate OF duties
as they would stand, under the existing law, on the
first day of the next month, would be inadequate 10
the necessary support of the Government. lie was
willing therefore, under the circumstances OF the
case that the present rates Of Duty though exceed
ing the % per cent. limit fixed by the COMPROMISE
act should be continued till permanent system shall
be arranged and perfected by law.
This concession, however, must be taken, subject
to the legal and pre-ordained consequences which,
upon the fullest consideration, were annexed TO IL Dy
q solemn Of legislation, of the last session OF
Congress- In the law then passed, directing, under
certain circumstances, the distribution OF the nett
proceeds of the public lands among the several
States il expressly stipulated and declared that,
if at any time during the existence of the act duties
should be imposed upon foreign imports, exceeding
30 per upon the value of such imports, any q
them then the distribution provided in the act should
be suspended and continue su pended so long as any
duty, exceeding 20 per cent, was imposed. ms
proviso, incorporated into the law, was the vital
principle of its existence. II was the sole and IN
dispensable condition of the votes wanting to effect
the passage Of the law, and by which, in point OF
fact, its passage ultimately effected, as was well
known and fully declared at the tine. Never, ven
ture to assert there legislative adjustment OF
any subject, which received a more deliberate, une-
quvoca and obligatory sanction, than did this pro-
yiso 10 the Distribution act.
have been astonished, Mr.. President, at the levi
ty and recklessness with which the chairman of the
Committee Of Finance Mr.. Evans) seemed inclined
TO treat this matter He denies that there was any
thing Of the character of compromise in the TRANSACTION
because none of the enemies, ou and out, of Dstri-
button were induced by the proyiso to vote for the
law. Are we to understand then, from the new code
de re beii and pacis promYl gated by the honorable
Senator that faith to be kept with enemies, but none
with friends' 1t is well known that there were in
the ranks of the dominant party here some FIVE or six
Senators not SO smitten with the charms of dstri-
button per Sc, Ito the phrase of the day., to be
prepared to sacrifice every other interest of the coun
try to it. They and their constituents felt equal
lelsl, III wise ana
OF the burdens of commercial tariff, and in the
maintenance of sound national credit. They
willing, therefore, to vote for distribution unless they
could obtain, at the same time, and by and the
same act, full aed perfect security for the other
great interests referred to. Hence, they insisted
that f at any time after the Both of June ls42 du
ties should be imposed upon foreign Imports exceed
iEg ~ per cent the limit established by the Compro-
mise act of 1889, the land fund should, that
tngency, cease to be strbuted among the States,
and return into the national Treasury.
My honorable friend from Mississippi (Mr. Walk
err yesterday gave faithful history of the proceed
ings connected with the progress and consummation
OF the measure in this body which is vouched, in
every particular, by the authentic and mperishable
record of our own Journal. 1t will be seen there
that the honorable Senator from Georgia Mr.. Ber
rien) had PROF osed amendment to the BILL in gen.
! -Vl terms which moved to amend to render
1t more specific and unequiyocal, by expressly de-
claring that if higher duty than twenty per cent,
established by the Compromise act, should be laid
any article after the 3Oth Of June, 1872 the distrl
button should pso facto during the existence of
such higher duty, Though the amendment proposed
by not then carried, yet the proposition Of the
Senator from Georgia was two days alter, so modi-
fed as to conform to 1t, and, in that modified shape,
finally adopted, and now stands part and par
eel of the law The stipulation which had been in
sisted on, the sine qua Of the votes required TO
pass the law, thus deli erately yielded, and in
corporated INTO the law as an integral and nsepara-
bic element of the measure. 1t was assented TO by
the leading friends of Distribution, whose names now
stand recorded on your journal in favor of it, and
among them the name OF the chairman of the COM
mitee which reported the BILL MIR. Smith, of Indi-
ana and also that of the distinguished Senator from
kentucky, (Mr. Clay, long It's ardent and perse-
vering champion II a proposition thus solemnly
made aud accepted-not private and questionable
bargain conducted in corner-in the conclave of a
commItee-room-but an open, manly and honorable
negotiation carried in the regular process of legs-
aton in the face of the Senate and the world attest
ed by official records, land finally imbodied in the form
OF law, carries with 1t, Is now alleged, degree
of obligation upon the partes am at loss to con.
ceve what there be in any Legislative proceed
ngs to engage the responsibility to bind the faith
OF man.
The honorable Senator from Maine tells us that he
declared at the time, In his place, that he attached
no particular sanctty to the provso in the Dstrbu-
ton act-that the same majority which might here
after impose higher duties than twenty per cent
would have it in their power to provide at the same
time, and in the act, that the distribution of the
proceeds of the public lands should take place. not
outstanding the imposition OF these higher duties
Such declaration Though have recollection OF
having heard it from any quarter) might have come
naturally enough from the Senator of Maine, who
opposed to, and actually voted against the pro-
viso. But suppose that it had been then made by
my friend from Indiana, the chairman of the Com.
mttee on Public Lands, MIR. Smith, or by the dis
tnguished Senator from kentucky, MIR. Cay,) both
Of whom, together with many other frien IS OF Dis
ributon, assisted by their votes to eDgraft this pro-
yiso upon the law-suppose that they had announced
to us, IN effect that though vote for this pro
vso to secure your votes for the BILL yet having eff
fected the passage of the law by your cooperation
thus obtained shall seize the first moment which
may place in our hands the power, to withdraw and
cancel 1t. l appeal to the honorable Senator from
Georgia, mir. Berrlen,) if such sentiment and pur
pose had been ayowed this floor, by any coDspicu
friend Of Distribution, pho had poted for hi
amendment, whether he would, after such declara
ton, have given his support to the bill. appeal &c
my honorable colleague, (Mr. Archery whether il
would have received his support, if he coudha ap
pretended, even, any such purpose of retracton OF
the part of any Of the leading friends of Distribution
who had given their votes Tor the incorporation o
the proviso in the bill But, in truth, not the slight