Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-01-21
From the National inieiligeacer.
Speech OF WT. Marshall,
OF KENTUCKY,
IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
December 90, 1871.
REFERENCE OF TIE PRESI-
DENTNS MESSAGE.


DENTS MESSAGE.
The House resumed the considera-
ton of the unfinished business, being
that branch Of The resolution of Mr..
Fillmore, providing for the reference of
the Annual Message of the President,
which is in the following words:
ReSOlUed, That so much thereof as
relates to the Tariff be referred 10 the
Committee on Manufactures.
Which resolution Mr.. Alberton had
heretofore moved to amend by striking
out the words "Committee on MaNnrac.
lures," and inserting the words Com
mit!ee Of Ways and Means
Ma. MARSHALL, after abiding 10 some
remarks Of Mr.. Barton, Of Va, who
seemed anxious 10 obtain the floor, ad-
verted to the question before the House
MIR M. observed that il did not seem to
him to involve any difficulty, or Justly
to authorize tho extent of debate 10
which it had given rise: It was simple
question of reference, which, in itself
involved no declaration of principle in
relation TO the merits. either on one
side or The other, of the much.dobated
question of the tariff. 1t was mere
question Of parliamentary proprioty, as
between two Of the standing committees
Of the House, to which Of them a certain
portion Of an Executive communication
should bo sent. To Mr.. M, it appeared
that an examination Of the language
employed by the President in the com
municaiion referred TO must at once set
tie the matter Here he quoted from
the Message the passages referring to
on increase Of dnlica 10 these pas
sages he understood the President 70 in.
tending to intimate it as his opinion
that, although duties should in no case
be laid beyond the amount Of revenue
actually needed by the Government,
vet in the imposition of them Congress
might legitimateIy have an especial eye
10 the protection Of the domestic indus
try of the country, and might so frame
its legislation that tho taxes needed by
the Treasury might incidentally contri
butte to that end. If that was the opin.
ion Of the President, and Congress was
called upon by him TO lay revenue du.
ties with view TO guard the domestic
industry Of the People, without trans.
cending the amount needed by the ex
eencies OF the Treasury, could there be
any question that the Committee on
Manufactures was the appropriate COM
mittee to which 10 send the portion Of
the Message containing such recommen.
dation2 That was the committee under
whose care tho interests Of manufac-
lures were officially placed; and surely,
as to the new question Of parliamentary
propriety and fitness, the subject should
be committed to them Yot the mere
proposal to give the matter this direc.
tion seemed TO have sounded note OF
alarm from one end Of the Hall 10 the
other. Mr., M. professed his astonish-
ment at what he saw and heard. Though
not young man, he was, to be sure,
but young as a member here: but he
was amazed Of the excitement which had
been reused on this occasion, and at the
topics which had been dragged into a
debate on mere question Of referring
a document to n committee; abolition
free and slave labor; a protective tariff;
oil sorts Of excrling subjects had been
summoned 10 swell The agitation. Such,
however, having been the case, and the
debate having proceeded thus far and
assumed the character it now presented
he presumed that, according 10 the range
and latitude of remark heretofore per.
mitted 10 other gentlemen, ne would not
be out OF place should he also express
his opinions on some Of the points which
had been drawn into discussion.
There could be nothing so fatal to the
peace and to the Union Of these States
as the agitation of questions 10 which
the interests of slave labor should be
set in opposition to those free labor
in which line was drawn between dir-
ferent sections Of the Union, as if lhei,
interests were hostile to each other
And the idea was attempted TO be es
tabished that the Government of this
country could not exert the power con-
ferred upon it by thh Constitution :, No.
tabllsh u"''orm sys'e., ror the regnIa
Ito" OF Commerce without arraying ono
.aIf the country against the other, nnC
benefittng the one at the expense of the
other. Mr. Ms views Of the general
subject were widely different The
fact that slavery prevailed in portion
nI tho land, and not in another norton,