Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-04-23

| the tnheNtltc cole OF ~ per cent.
But from what qGa ter does this obleeti. proceed
From South Cardinal Yes. from that Senator who,
with his friends, when It was proposed TO lay du
" on tea and coffee nj The extra session, insisted
that they should he admitted free OF duty; therein
doing that very thing which he low charges on w.
J IS violation OF the compromise act. DO not all
the members al the Senate also recoect the earnest
and successful appeal which he addressed to me 10
let IN Iewerv. and similar other articles at small
bulk and great comparative value, at duty OF
| twelve and half per cent? | had, before that,
been disposed to subject them to the general rule
with other commodities, but on the pressing appeal
OF the Senator, who was anxious then TO diScrim-
| mate, changed my purpose and voted with HIM.
MIR w right here reminded MIR Z. that those artI-
e.es had been originally subject only to twelve and
a half per cent?
MIR Clay. Very true: they had been. But my
| argument is TO show that the Senator himself was
in favor OF duty less than twenty per cent, there
| 10y acting the assumption that Congress, IN
| providing revenue, may discriminate. As TO the
existence OF such power, can any man doubt It
when he looks at the language employed IN both the
first and sixth sectonsl What says the lawi In
I the first, duties wherever they exceed twenty per
cent are TO be brought down TO rate so rs they
shall not exceed that rate; but if they were any
where under II, or altogether free, the presented
/ limit would not be tanscended. So, by the hiih
section all articles whatever, protected and free,
to be subject such rate OF duty as Congress
might impose 10; exceeding twenty per cen. Man
iiesty implying power Of discrimination teow
that rate.
Well. have already said that il we restel on
this fifth section alone, cOu not m any cHcum
stances 90 over 30 per cent; but We a'e not to I've
governed by that section alone. The whole act and
all ats paris to be taken together, and Just in
| terpretauon deduced from the entire act
The great difficulty, when wc nsssed the SCI
TO get rid Of the large amount OF surplus rese-
nue. winch then pressed rs an incubus on the rrea
sury, and threatened such dangerous consequences
TO the public prosperity. Besides the lis OF free
tlces prescribed IN the act of 1882. and which are
referred In in the section there is given IN thai
4th section another list OF important atucics, such
lircns OF all kinds, cambfics, worstrd stuff goods
shnwlS, and other man lcturcS OF silk and wofstci
| manufactures of Si.k, &c.
Here is list OF var.uu. and numerous aiiices
which, II taxed, would Weld large amount Of re-
venue. The act operated only on such commodities
as we're over 20 per cent they we're all brought
down To 20 per cent 10y the som OF June next; bul
those under ~ per cent. we're not touched at j ID
Previously. then, to the SOth Of June. .hese were
liable to duty TO be put or taken of. according
rs there should he Deficit nn 'xress ofTcvenue.
hut, after the 80 Of lre. the whole were throwu
open tn the acon OF Congress, ~ ith two restrictions
onlv-the hrst hat as gete,al ru the duty should
be hSrd al ral0t tnl, and SecCndly, that more
duty should he imposed than might I've sufficient TO
provide for economical! administration OF the Go.
vernmen'.
The 9TH section Of the law as have already ob
served, was not that which, exclusively, Con-
ton OF It's power; /: IS the 50 section which pro-
claims s1tt OF manifesto general declaration
TO the great objects intended by the law. That
section Is the true key to the whole act eud what :
ITS language THAT until the SOth day OF June.
lisp, the duties imposed by existing laws,
'dihed 10y this act, shall remain and continue - be
collected. And from and after the day last aiore
SAID oil duties upon nnrorts shall bc collected in
ready money; aud I'll credits now allowed by law
in the payment OF duties shall be, and hereby are,
salO'Is shed. and such uuftpS shall i,a Ind he
purpose OF raising such revenue as may he ne
cessary 10 economical administration OF the
Governments and from and after the day last
aforesaid the duties repaired 10 be paii by aw on
goods, wares, and merchandise, shall Toe assessed
upon the value thereof at the port where the same
shall be entered under such regulations as may be
prescribed by law"
Now, contend that the fair Interpretation of this
rule is, that on the Both OF June, lS42, we must
adhere 10 the two restrictions have named, and TO
these only, viz. 10 impose general ad valorem duty
with rs lew exceptions practca hle, and 10 impose
no more than IS INDISPENSABLE to an economical
administration Of the Government. We must al
init, after that day, the articles enumerated 10 the
5ih section free OF duty; but in regard TO all other
commodities we may admit them free or not, iu. {
as IN our judgment the interests ofthe country shall
demand.
As 10 the next objection urged by the honorable
Senator, and which was derived rom the land dis
tribution bill, undertake TO prove, wei! by eX
traneous evidence as by the language of the record
ITSELF that the avails Of the public lands never were
intended TO enter into the cxehequer part OF the
| ordinary revenue of the Government On that point
| | shall have occasion TO say something more here
after, IN reply to the argument of the Senator from
New York, tMr Wright,) bnt shall content my
self al present with erdeavorng 10 show that, SO
far from the distribution bill being violation OF the
compromise, the compromise would have been vio-
lated if the land fund had been retained rs part Of
| the revenue for annual d disbursements.
| said that had proof eNtraneous TO The record;
| and will now safe the facts to which | refer At
| the moment the compromise bill was introduced
| into Congress, The same humble individual now nd
dress ing you, who presented that BILL reported so
the bill TO distribute among the States the proceeds
OF the public lands; both were pending together
and were expected TO pass abou, the same tine
So conhden, were We oil that the distribution bill
with single amendment, would rece I'VE the apDro-
baton o. the Executive, that none but those who
were IN the Presidents most secre' confidence enter
tanned a doubt on the subject. The money which
the lands would yield was TO be applied for pufpos-
ses oil internal improvement education and co oni-
cation. In that shape te bill was originally drawn
and IN that shape It passed the Senate. While il
was IN the House received various messages from
ITS friends TO consent TO strike out that restriction
accompanied with the assurance thot II that res.tc.
ton was stricken out Genera, Jackson would sign
the bill; but, II not, that IL would inevitably be
vetoed: and had reason 70 believe that the form Of
the veto message was actually prepared N reference
TO that restriction upon the power OF the States
For long time held out against all remonstfances
and insisted on retaining the restriction; but per-
ceving the danger Of the bill, | finally yielded Il
was returned from the House with that amendment
and the Senate concurred. After this amendment
had been made, and while the distribution and the
compromise bills we're moving through Congress
part passu, the same person being the author OF
both, the language IN the compromise act on which
am commenting, was employed, and in that shape
the bill passed both Houses, and both were sent 20
the President; but The compromise bill only was
signed, the and bil having been virtually negativ.
ed.
And now let me again call the attention Of the
Senate 10 the express language % the third section.
j. declares that after the goth June, 1912, "such
duties shall be laid for the purpose II raising such
revenue as may be necessary TO an economical nd
ministration OF the Government"
Can any thing be more explicit Can words be
employed more completely exclusive Of all resort
TO the land resource for revenueY The Govern.
ment was 20 be economically administered" Yes
and howl By means OF such duties only a. might
be necessary for that purpose. Does not this com
petely exclude 10 resort 70 the public landsl The
author Of the one bill was the author Of the other;
the same individual who drew sp the land distrI-
button bill drew up also the third section oil the
compromise act. And can there be any doubt as
TO the intention, m both, that tho Government should
rely solely and eXcusively on duties rom the cus
toms and not on the proceeds Of the public lnnds7
! iMr Wight hofe inlerpOsed and, as he desired
/ 70 discharge himself from the necers,y Of rn,k,og
I any reply. he would beg 10 remind the HONORABLE
Senator that the distribution bill was limited In It's
duration TO five years
Mr. Clay. Very true, il was 80 limited in form,
10 be sure, the bill restricted 70 FIVE years; but
throughout The entire discussion IL was treated on