Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-07-07

June, according 10 the home valuations;
a,d yet the bill expressly provides that
r'.ii. before the dirst Of August, there be
nj further legislation upon the subject
the laws for laying and collecting duties
shall be the same as though thi, act had
not been passed" Ia other words. that
the act of 1855. imperfect as it is consid-
cred. shall in that case continue to be,
and to be executed, under such rules
and regulations as previous statutes had
prescribed, Or enabled the ExecutlvesDe-
partment to prescribe for that purpose.
leaving the supposed chasm in the reve-
hue laws such as il was before.
| am certainly far from being disposed
to deny <that additional legislation upon
the sublest is very desirable; on the CON
traiy, the necessity as well as difficult
ties, of establishing uniformity in the APP
pralsements to be made in conformity
with the true intention of that act. was
Brought to the notice of Congress IN my
message at the opening of tie present
sesslonoi Congress. But however sensi-
ole may be Of the embarrassments to
which the Executive, in the absence of
of all aid from the superior wisdom of
the Legislatures will be liable, in the en-
forcement OF existing laws, have not,
with the sincelest desire to acQulesce in
its expressed will, been enabled to per-
suade myself that the exisency Of the
occasion is 50 great as to justify me in
signing the bill in question, with my
present view of its character and effects
The existing laws, as am advised, are
sufficient to authorize and enable the
collecting officers under the directions
OF the Secretary of the Treasury, to levy
the duties imposed by The act of 1883.
That act was passed under peculiar
circumstances to which it isnut necessary
that should DO more than barely alIude.
" hat may be in theory, its character. |
have always regarded it as impartn5 the
the hi CHEST moral obligation. 1t has exis-
ted for nine years, unchanged in any es.
sental particular, with as general acou-
eScence, it is believed. Of the whole
country. as that country has ever mani
tested thr any OF her wisely established
institutions. 1t has insured to it thu. re-
pose which always flows from timely.
wise, and moderate councis-a reosse
the more striking, because of the long
and angry agitations which preceded
1t. This sa'utary law prociaims, in ex-
press terms, the principle which, while
1t led to the abandonment of a scheme
OF indirect taxation founded on a false ba-
sis and pushed to dangerous excess, iusti-
tles any enlargement OF duties that may
be called for by the real exigencies of the
public service. 1t provides "that duties
shall be laid for the purpose of raising
such revenue as may be necessary to an
economical administration of our Cow
ernment." 1t is therefore in the power
OF Congress to lay duties as high as its
discrimination may dictate, for the ne
cessary uses of the Government, without
Infringing upon the object Of the act of
1888. do not doubt that the exigencies
OF the Government do require an in
crease of the tariff Of duties above, 20
per cent; and as little doubt that Con-
sress may, above as below that rate, 50
discriminate as to give incidental protec.
ton to manufacturing nddstry-thus to
make the burdens which it is compelId to
impose upon the people. for the purposes
OF government productive Of double
benefit. This, most of the reasonable op-
ponents Of protective duties seem willing
to concede: and, if we may judge from
the manifestations of public opinion in
all quarters, this is all that the manciac-
turing interests REAL y require. ! am hap
py IN the persuasion that this double pB-
Ject can be most easily and etfectually
accomplished, at the present iuncture.
without any departure from the spirit and
principle OF the statute III question. The
manufacturing classes lave now an OPP
portunlty, which may never occur again,
OF permanently identifying their inter-
ests with those of the whole country. and
making them, in :lIe highest sense Of the
term. d national concern. The momen.
is proptious to the interests of the whole
country, in the introduction of harmony
among all its parts aud all its several in
terests. The same rate of inpos;s, and
no more, as will most surely re-establish
the public credit, will secure the manu-
tacturer all in protection he ought to de-
sire, with every prospect Of permanence
& stability which the hearty acquiescence
Of the whole country. on areasonabie sys-
tem can mold out to him.
But of this universal acquiescence. and
the harmony and confidence, and the
many other benifits that will certainly
result from it, regard the suspension Of
the law for distributing the proceeds of
the sales of the public lands as an indis-
pensable condition. This measure is, in
my Judgment, called for by large num-
Der, if not great majority, Of the people
Of the United States; by the state Of the
public credit aud finances; by the crit-
cal posture of our various foreign rela-
tons; and, above all, by that most sacred
of all duties-public faith. The act Of
September last, which provides for the
distribution, couples it inseparably with