Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1842-01-07
CONGRESS-.

Nothing Of importance has yet transprod
in Congress. But as the Christmas Holly
days arc now over we expect the two Houses
will commenc business in coed earnest
A little sparring has occurred in the Senate
in regard to President Tyler's Fiscal Elk che
quer. .Wr Benton attacked it as soon as
the message was read and before the Cabi-
net Project wa. subbi,ied to Congress. Blu,
Messrs Calhoun and Buchanan, with little
more decency, waited till the Secretar,'s Re-
port was laid before the Senate before they
commenced their criticism. But we consid-
err the fate Of the project as already decided,
for no one has yet stood up in its defence,
while several prominent Wing senators, have
denounced it with bitterness and severity,
MIR Mangum of North Carolina, among other
members, has made what we can but regardas
a most in udicious speech against il. To
say nothing of the violent language with
which he assails the plan itself, the senator's
tone towards the author of the Report is al
together without justification or excuse. AL
though MIR. NJ. is strong friend of Mr..
CLAY yet we can not believe that the latter
gentleman will approve of the tone and
temper ofhis speech. But the subject which
has excited the most interest is the Tariff
discussion in the House. This debate has
arisen on the motion to refer SO much of the
Presidents message as relates to impost Du-
ties-the friends ofPro,ecton urging its ref
ercnce to the committee on manufactures
and the Tories and southern anti Tariff men
contending that it should be referred to the
committee Of Ways and Means. Although
this motion by no means involves the mer-
its of the Tariff question, yet it has called
out several manly speeches from Northern
Wings in favor of the protective policy
Among other gentlemen we notice Mr.. Slade
Of this state and Messrs Hudson and VIM
throP of Massachusetts have embarked in
the discussion with zeal and spirit which
cannot be two highly applauded. The fol-
loving is a brief abstract Of Mr. Wiuthrop's
speech. Our readers will be gratifed at the
high ground he takes in favor of Northern
Free Labor.
Mr. Merriwether, of Georgia, concluded his speech
against the Protective System, and IN favor Of the
reference of this portion of the Message 10 the Com
mtee on Manufactures. In closing his argument
Mr. NJ defended manully the Wings against the char
ges of extravaganza IN the expenditure of the public
finances which had been brought against them, and
| showed that the whole debt and burthen had been
| thrown on the shoulders of the Wing Admins
,raton by the crafty and designing policy OF the Van
Buren, party previous 10 the late Presidential election
Mr. Winthrop, of Mass followed. Speaking'of the
debate itself (which had now run out so great a
lengthy Mr. w. remarked that he regarded il as I'M
seasonable and Improbable but that as there was
manifest disposition on the part of The House to let it
60 until the Members were actually starved out of
their boarding houses for of funds TO paw their
bills, (Which judging from the declaration made yes
| terday by the Chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means TO the condition of the public Treasury
was likely TO be the fact) he no reason WHY he
too should deprive himself of the privilege of speak
ing.
to the exact issue before the House than really be-
| longed TO II. As question of mere Parliamentary
proprley, II had undoubtedly good deal of interest,"
This House, in its organization had adopted the idea
of division of labor; of labor distributed among
some twenty or thirty committees. Among them was
the Committee on Manufactures. 1t was in VAIN now
TO say that such committee should not exist Ii did
exist. And Southern men must have been asleep
when that Committee was estab ished ; for it wsuld
be found by reference TO the journals that the very
motion on which that committee was raised, was
maze ny a SOutnefn WaN-One MI IcteT Little, OIL
Maryland and that the motion, as made by him.
was acquesced in.
But without dwelling on that fact, found that
the Committee on Manufactures did actually exist ;
and had been filled up at the present session by the
appontment of gentlemen, lis members competent in
every way to the discharge of lis responsible duties
And he could not see what subject could with any
{ reason, be said to belong to that Committee # his
did not.
; Sul he thought that something more Of importance
Than really belonged 10 this question, as ne simply
of parliamentary proprlety had been attached to H.
The idea that the constltutonalty and the necessity
OF Protective Tariff was about 10 be dspc sed of for
ever even for the rest of this session. by the decs
ion whether few sentences in the Presidents Mes
sage should 90 TO the Committee of Manufactures or
to the Committee Of Ways and Means, was nrepos-
ferrous. Gentlemen would find before the session had
closed that the subject was no, of such easy ad.
;ustmen in this House.
, The House, # it thought proper might abolish the
Committee on Manufactures; il might decide that nc
! memorial containing this odious word "Protecuon
should be received but still the question ,rould h,
aGitned, and Congress would have to entertain it,
The voice of the people of this country was moi to b.
so easily hushed il would finally be heard. Nj w
alluded TO the recent meeting of Iron Manufac urer
II in New York, who were sending up their menora
!. here and admitted that others OF similar chsractr
would come. What was IN be done with them >