Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-28

80 ESS % SSSs SS65
| From this comparison OF the three las; tariffs,
will be that the rate of duties which is prepa
red by the Committee on Manufactures is less that
the duties under the tariff OF lS2S or 1882 And !
may bo well to inquire, what were the resources o
| the past administration
| When Mr. Van Buren came into power, only
two -tenihs OF the reduction provided Tor IN The
| compromise act had taken place, and the duiie.
! were then high, and in some cases higher than
| they in the proposed bills; and during his ad
niinstTation the public lands yielded n revenue o
So SOC, 900 annualy-a sum three times as large as
they will yield for years to come, even II they were
| returned 10 the Treasury, which hope may not be
the case; yet, with all these advantages he spent
during his Administration about eight millions
| nuay more than the accruirg revenue.
IL appears by the reports OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury, that there was in the Treasury a large
sum the LIST Of January, 1887. AT the extra
session OF that year, the fourth instalmeut due 20
the States was by act of Congress, withheld from
hem; the Londs OF the Uoited States Bank were
disposed Of and, after all, Mr. Van Buren, lett the
country millions IN debt.
The account when stated, stands thus;
In the Treasury, Jan. /, 1887 $4,000
Bonds OF u S Bank 2li.0OO
Interest and deposites 5S3,OOO
Debts due from the banks and paid $4,000
Fourth in.talment TO States, withheld 1857 900
Debt or the 81 OF March, ISL, say 100000
Total ss2.l6I, 900
Here We have u grand total of So, 600, 900 Of
revenue falling within MIR V. Buren's administration,
which from other than the ordinary sources; 80
that the hast administration, with tariff about as
high as the ono now proposed expended annually
- 900 600 more than the ordinary revenue. And IN
this state men make account OF the other debts
which he left TO the present adminsirntion-such
as pay for services in the Florida war; arreareses
in tn. Post Office Department, for which provision
wa. made at the extra session nor do take toto
~ fha afar
uniusty deferred, 70. some Of which provision has
already been made. We do no; mention this by
way OF complaint, so much RS 20 show gentlemen
that their taunts Of extravaganza and high ia
riff are ntoget misplaced. The tariff approved
by General Jackson was in many particulars much
higher than IN the bill before ne; and, even during
the administration OF Mr. Van BIren, the duties on
| many articles were not low they are in the
bill reported by my colleague.
Bot, Mr. Chairman, after all the complaints gains,
protection, find that each gentleman is IN favor OF
having his own staple protected.
The gentleman from the cotton growing region
who have addressed the Committee are in favor OF
low duties. And why is this They arc alarmed
lest our imports should be- diminished, ard thereby
reduce the export of cotton. They maintain tina,
any restriction upon commerce operates directly
against iheIr interest," and hence they ask Ne 10 give
Tree trade And what is this out protection IN auo
thet iorni7 But the gentleman from Va. mir Hub
aTd) Is still more direct. lie is not only opposed 70
protection as impouc and unjust, but az uncon-
siutonal; and yet that gentleman comes out direct
y and asks VS. 70 protect his avoriie siape-tObac-
CO. lie has told US that he doubted the p:opriety
of couniervains duties, and thought the subject
should be made a matter OF negotiation! IL pro q
lection by statute Unconstitutional, | would ask
that gentleman 10 inform us 10y what authority our
Government can enter into negotiations 10 obtain the
same end.
II | understand the force Of the remarks which
have been made, most of the gentlemen who incline
the doctrine OF fee trade admit the proprie;y OF
cOuutervailln. duties 10 certain extent. Ii Great
Britain should prohibit me tobacco, or cotton, or
rico, of the South, .nsy would come forward,
ans with one voice, demand that the Government
should interPOse, and, by treaty retaiatory du-
ties, obtain redress. This, venture to say, they
would demand; and their demand would he Just;
and hose who arc now so sensitive on this subject
of protection, would come up ike men, like Amer
cans, and vndicate the rights OF our Southern hre-
| thren.
| But, Mr. Chairman, this is yielding the whole
sroand. They would lay countervaiiIng duties to
promote the interest Of the planting Stoes they
would contend that they ought TO he placed on al
equality with the foreign produce OF the same arii
Gle. The principle involved in countervailing duties
isnll that the friends OF protection ask. We only
ask that there may be fair competition between
our own and foreign labor. And it matters not
from what cause this inequality arises-Wheiher
from single act Of foreign legislation, or from their
general poicy--if fair competition IS destroyed, il;
IS tho duty Of our government 10 throw her pro.
iecting shield around her ctzens, and prevent their
being driven from their workshops or their pania
lions by the degraded labor Of foreign countries.
Ii the manufacturers Of Great Britain cdn destroy
tho manufacturers Of this country, care not whs
Their IL arises from order in Council or on oct of
PaflIament-wholher this state OF things was
brought about by ono law or 10y hfty-uhelher the
policy was introduced last year or last century
the effect upon Our own eitzsns is the same and
TIE duty Of our government is in no degree altered.
The advantages which the foreign manufacturer
has over our own arise IN great degree from causes
which, II they are not produced by my one act Of
legislation. grow out Of tho general policy which
their Governments have adopted. For example:
Great Britain pays bourty upon tho class which
is sent TO this country. This gives the British ma
nufaclurer on advantage over our own. Those Who
engaged IN this species Of manufacture find
themselves undorsold al their own doors. This
competition, which s so ruinOus to the glass manu-
facturer IN this country, arises in this case partly
from the dfect action Of the British Govern.
mont But there are other cautes-such ss the
low rate Of interest, a dense population, and the
reduced prias Of wages-vhieh give the foreign
manufacturer n decided advantage over our own.
The cheapnoss Of capital and Of labor gives tho fore
ignor mis- principal advantage; and Wo have the
same right 70 come in, and by legislation counter
act the influence Of these causes, wo have to pass
eountervhiling duties in any other case.
Let tho advocates for CONTRIBUTING duties show
us tho difference in principle between protecting cur
citizens against single law Of n foreign notion,
and that low price fwages which grows out Of their
/ general policy or local condition. In tho one e,se
lhoy ask tho interference Of the Government they
complain that they are injm that every thing
lkelfar competition is destroyed. But no statute car
he more runous 90 fair competition than the Low
| price Of money and labor IN foreign countries and
II this is not produced by my one statute Il u.s. IL
great degree, produced hy policy which is cher
| sbe5 by their Government. Whilo tho interest o
moaey Is 80 per cent lees Europe than IL Is in th
| country, and wages 100 per cent less, our man
ufaetufcs must either give up their business or N
dccc the price Of their iaborers. DO gentlemen DO
gifo oithcr1 DO they wish 10 sec the millions o
capits now vested in manufactures utterly destroy
cd DO they desire the gloomy spectacle Of desert
81 villages aud Of vide spread ruin and bankrupt
Cyl do tho egrieultuiisls wish 10 sos their hom
narke, destroyed, and tbousa nds Of the consumer
n their products become producers ond ruin thoi
puees' Ot DO gentlemen desire to see the price o
labor 20 reduced that that meriorious class Of on
9 citizens shall DO brought down 10 tho l1w s'andar
Z Of European psupocs7 Unless gentlemen d,sro {
see The manufacturers Of tho country ruined, or III
= honest lahotcr deprived ~ the common comforts
g lhe' ihoy must be willing 10 % discriminate in IN
IF INFO ron Of duties, TO eiyo 10 the aboror bs ju
reward, md TO sustain his employer, 80 that h
II employment may We sure and constant.
a. The reduced pfloo Of lsLoS IN the R,stetO cont