The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-17
TMentp=SgORnth Congress
SECOND SESSION.
In SENATE,

Fcsolution Oh senate OF the lItn January sIo"
ing the average strength of the army during the year
ending the 3lst of December last and the expenses
| of the army during the period also a communi-
cation from the Register of the Treasury, showing
the expenditures of the United States exclusive OF
trust funds from the LIST of October to the 3lst OF
| December, l84l.
Mr.. BUCHANAN presented the memorial OF a
number of citizens Of the city and county OF Phila
delphia asking that a fine imposed upon General
Jackson in 1915 may be refunded petition from
Lebanoa county, Pennsylvania, praying that the PEN
law of 1888 may be continued in force, and that
its provision be extended to the widows of the 9TH
GERS and soldiers who served under Generals Arthur
and ST Clair IN Wayne's campaign; memorials from
different counties of Pennsylvania asking for the pro-
lection of the iron interest; petition from the same
State complaining of the operation of the compro-
mise act and asking that the law may be repealed
and protection afforded to domestic manufactures
and the petition of John Hart of Northampton coun
ty, Pennsy lvania asking that certain duties paid by
him to the Government under the former direct tax
law may be refunded
| Mr.. CALHOUN introduced bill to authcrZe
Chapman Lewis to purchase prescription right to
a certain quarter-secton Of land now occupied by
him, at the minimum price per acre which was read
first and second time, and referred to the Com
mtee on the Public Lands
The bill in favor of Mary Snow, and the bill for
the relief of Thankful Reynolds, were severaly
crossed for third reading.
THE TARIFF, AND KETRENcHMEFT AND REFORM.
| The Senate then proceeded to the consideration of
the resolutions of Mr. CLAY, proposing an augmenta
ton OF the duty on imports and dminution of the
expenditures of the Government.
! Mr. CALHOUN said that the resolutions
tanned much That he approved of and much that he
condemned he approved OF them because they as
serted that revenue should be raised but what
was necessary for economical administration of he
Government; because they gave preference to ad
valorem specific duties, and because they main
tanned that during period of peace, we ought not to
rely Treasury notes part of the ways and means
of the Government except for the purpose Of meeting
a temporary deficit Having approved of the resolu-
tons on these great points, it might be asked what
was left for his dsapproval He would state that he
condemned them in this viz that they did not prop to
carry out in practice what they asserted in principle
and while they professed respect for the Compromise
act they set it aside in almost every essential partcu-
lar. 1t was the very of that act that duty
| should be raised but for revenue, and no revenue
raised except for economical administration of the
Government; and without the concession of these
points the part of those who commended for pro-
lection, he of the Senators from South Caro-
lima, would never have given his consent to the
actment of that law and South Carolina would have
sustained him in that position One of the guards in
the act fixed the rate of duties after the 3Oh of June
next, and this was done with the clear understanding
that it should not be extended beyond that mentioned
in the law Another guard was, that no duty should
be levied beyond twenty per cent and this was in
serted to keep the tariff from going back to the old pro-
lcCtlVe pOCy, WnlCn was OU1eCL Oh act
down. Every provision ofths act had been violated
was proposed to be violated by the resolutions of the
Senator from Kentucky and every provision, one
for which South Carolina commended was to be yio-
lated and that was the continuance of the ad
valorem duty but he feared that that under the ma
gic of home valuation" also to be destroyed
AT the extra session. amidst the general extrava-
gance, respect paid to the provision of the act
so far related to economical administration of
the Government; and no attempt was made towards
a reduction of expenditure which was acknowledged
all hands to be enormous. 1t was his opinion that
if they restored the public lands which were given
away at the extra session, and reduced the
number of free articles to what it was before
that time even taking the estimates of the
Senator from Kentucky, in the third resolution
twenty-tw millions for the ordinary expenses of the
Government there would be necessity for trans
cendng the limits prescribed by the Compromise Act
Of 1888. But why this act to be violated2 The
to be found in the resolutions of the 81 ma
tor from Kentucky, who believed that the protective
system essential TO the prosperity of the country
and that free trade was ruinous. That Senator was
al the head Of the great Wing interest ofthe country
the prominent elements of which we've high rariH.
stocks, banks, and monopoles and he believed that
the Senator sincere in the motives which actuated
his in relation to these objects If the Senator
respected the Compromise Act there protection,
the highest duty would be but twenty per cent
and conseq uently he had to the alternative
Of giving up his own cherished policy Of setting
aside The Compromise Act.
hIlcl some Iurtner remarks, MI CALHOUN pro-
ceeded to demonstrate that the export trade Of South
Carolina in fourshng condition, as was also
her cotton trado with Massachusetts, and he reverted
to South Carolina for the purpose of showing that free
trade had given new and powerful impulse to the
industry Of that portion of the country; and although
she was suffering in common with he other States,
and had lost three millions by the Bank OF the U. s.;
| although great confagration occurred in Charleston
a few years ago; and although she had like other
States gone fooIshly into the system of internal
improvements, and from all these occurrences had
| lost nine ten millions within few years, she was
still able to stand up and hold the banks to specie
payments, Notwithstanding she was surrounded on
all sides by rotten banking institutions And all this
had been effected by the reduction of duties during
| the last years. MIR. Calhoun addressed the
Senate for more than two hours and when he con-
| cluded,
Mr.. EVANS obtained the floor, but declined speak
| ing in .nsequence of the lateness of the hour.
The Senate then went into an Executive session,
and after some time spent therein, the doors were
opened and it adjourned.