Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1842-01-15
. O N G Il L sslO n A L..


resolution Of MIR. Fillmore, providing for the ref
ersnce Of The Annual Message of the President
which IS in The following words:
Resoired, Tha, so much thereof as relates to
the tariff be referred to The Committee on Manu-
lactures.
Which resolution Mr.. Aiherton had heretofore
moved 10 amend by striking out the words"Com-
mittce on Manufacturers and Inserting the words
Committee on Ways and Means"
Mr.. Marshall, Of Kentucky, was entitled to the
floor, and observed that IL did not seem 10 him 10
involve any c,niculty, or justly to authorize Inc
extent Of debate 10 which II had gwen rise: 1T
was IA simple question OF reference, which, IN II
self, involved no declaration of principle IN rela-
ton TO tho merits, either on one side or the other.
Of the much-debaied question OF the tariff. 1t
was n mere question OF parliamentary propriety,
as between two Of the standing committees 81 the
House, 10 which Of ihem a certain portion OF an
Executive communication should be sent. 10
Mr.. NJ. IL appeared that an examination vi the
language employed by the President in the com
munication referred 10 mus. at once settle the
matter. Here he quoted from the Message the
passages referring to an increase OF dn'IesJ In
these passages he understood the President as IN
tending 10 intimate 1t as MS opinion that, although
duties should IN no case be I'D be ond the amount
OF revenue actually needed bv the Government,
vet IN the imposition OF them Congress might
~legItimatelv have an especial eye to the protec-
ton Of the industry of the country, and might so
frame its legislation thai the taxes needed by the
Treasury nigh. incidentally contribute to that
end. Ii that wus the opinion ut the President,
and Congress was CHILLED upon 10y hum TO lay rev.
enue duties with a view Ia gIa,d the domestic IN
dustry Of the People, without transcending the a
mount needed by the exig ncics OF the Treasury,
could there be any question ihat the committee
on Manufactures was the appropriate committee
20 which 10 send the portion Of the Message con
tanning such recommendation? That was the
rnmniite0 under whose care the interests OF
manufacturers were officially placed: and surely,
as 10 the new question OF parliamentary proprIe-
" and fitness, the subject should be committed to
them. Yet the mere proposal TO give the matter
this direction seemed to have sounded "a note OF
alarm from one end Of the Hall to the other. MIR.
NJ. ~pfofessed his establishment at what he saw
AID heard. Though not a young man, he was,
TO be sure, bat young as a member here: but he
was amazed at the excitement which had been
reused on tins occasion, and at the topics which
had been dragged into n debate on n mere ques'
ton Of referring a document to a committee:
abolition; free and slave labor; a protective tar
If: all sorts of exciting subjects had been SIN
moned TO swell the agitation. Such. however,
having been tic case, and the debate having
proceeded thus far and assumed the character 1t
now presented, he presumed thai ,accord,ng 10 the
range and latitude of remark heretofore permitted
TO other gentlemen, he would not be out of place
should he also express HE opinions on some of the
points which bad been drawn into discussion.
There could be nothing so fatal 10 The peace
and to the Union Of The States as tho agitation
OF questions in which the interests OF slave labor
should be set IN opposition TO those OF free labor
in which n line was drawn between different,
sections Of tho Union, as If ,heir interest were
hostile to each other. And the idea was attemp-
ted to be established that the Government of this
country could not exert the power conferred upon
i, by the Constitution to establish a uniform sys-
for the regulation of commerce without ar
one half the country against the other,
and beneftting the one at the expense of the 9th
cr. Mr.. Ms views Of tho general subj act were
different. The fact that slavery prevailed
in a portion of the land, and no, in another por
ton, taken in connexion w:,h tho diversity #
products and Of persuIts among different portions
Of the country, had always struck him as one of
The strongest possible cemenls Of the national
What furnished a more certain founda>
for the interests of commerce than such IA d.
sersi,y! Or what had proved Il surer basis for
peace and amity among different nations Of the
World? Were one dead un tformitv IN natural pro-
duction and IN social persuIts. there could exist
no mutual exchanges between different portions
IF the earth, and the natural tendency would be
10 rivalry and discord; whereas a natural diversi-
" of products and of social habits among differ.
ent sections of the same country. or among differ
countries, naturally tended. If passion were
absent, to unity and peace and mutual prosperity
md happiness. Could il ever be the interest of
he North to crush slave lahorP To destroy a
'pscles OF industry different from its own, and Ca
Fable of being made a fruitful source of prosperi
Iy2 Or, on the other hand, could the South have {
interest in prostrating the industry and de- I
the capital of their Northern brethren? ,
Never, surely. never. But. so soon as any meas {
ire was proposed in tina, Hall which looked, or
even glanced, a, fostering interests in which one
portion Of the country was peculiarly concerned,
instantly tho walls resounded with outcries Of
Tariff! tariffi-Taxationi taxation! &:
~Ini,heory the doctrine of free trade was. he con-
lessed, very imposing. And If theory and phiIoso-
ply had the remoddelling Of all the States and
of the world; If a political econo-
were set up bv common consent as Judge
over all the earth; If all national an,ipathies and
enm,'ies and preiudices could be softened down
oy The mere force Of reason. then indeed it nigh, &
90 70 adopt the maxim that industry and capital Z