Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-11-21

n ,oncb-,he ,rue character and practical effects Of
This bill. We are about To arrange a permanent sys-
TEN of revenue adapted to a state oil profound peace'
after the total extinction Of the puoi'c oeot loesta
biisb a rate of duties now, no higher than those iuiposeu
in lc25, q reduction al least OF from twenty 70 th'f.! Pc
cent. on every article paying specihc au''es Is -
pensable. Since ISIS, there has oeeh . consioeiaos
reduction in the prices of all the articles embraced ~
our tarif-a reduction which is progressively gong on
and it requires no argument TO show tnal every fe1ue.
ton Of price operates as an increase o. ~ GUY.
duties under The act of 1928 are, therefore, much h'su'
er now Than lhey were when that act was inpose.,,,
IA an illustration of this branch OF the subject, VIII
call The attention oe The Senate to The TACT, that wnen
a duty of thirty dollars a ton was imposed on ro'er
iron, ii cost eleven pounds STERLING, so ihat Inc Fate y.
duly ON The article was then hity.n'ne pc! cent o"'
The same duty now on such iron at the present re-
duced price would be one hundred and sixiy-seVen
per cent, making a difference oil one hundred ana e'en'
per cent. II is proposed to reduce the duty il"ni
thirty even 10 thirty dollars per ton; out thifty doiia's'
nj existing prices, is n much higher duty than thirty,
seven dollars in 1925. The same thing is true oil
co,,ons under the minimum price OF thifly-hve GEMS
And every one must know that sixteen cents me
square yard on Hannels which may De had Tor tweiVe
cents, is u much higher duty than twenty-five Genus
a square ward al the former prices OF eighteen or TWEEN
~ cent?: so tina, every gentleman will perceive at once,
that, in taking the tariff of 1923 as the standard for TINS
bill. the duties will be considerably increased beyond
what they were when that act was passed. The Tuth
is. Mr.. President, that there has been a considerable
L IAN III Eli DTICe u III
in this country, but in Europe and throughout the
world. No mistake can be greater, than 10 suppose
that this has been produced by inc establishment VI
manufactures in this country. IL Ut perfectly apsulu
10 saw. that the introduction OF cotton manufactures
IN this counlry. for instance, 10 an amount equal 10 two
or three per cent. on the cotton manufactures OF 0reat
Britain, could reduce the value OF the whole OF the
latter one half; and yet we know thai the cotton manu-
features of England have actually fallen fifty per cent.
in Inc nrice. The truth is, that this reduction in prices
has fallen Unfortunately on all articles, protected
and unprotected; and has resulted from general causes,
in one ration 10 Il certain extent all over The world,
such as changes in the currency, improvements IN ma
chipery, and a diminuiion in the wages OF labor. (p
206-ll.(
In conclusions, Mr.. II. said, that to hs mind, 1t was
PERFECTLY clear, that this bill, in It's present shape, had
not n single feature 10 recommend II 10 the FAVOR Oh
any but the fast friends of The American system. IL
Is neither more nor less than the resolution oil the Sc
nator from Kentucky reduced TO the form OF a law. 1t
takes off the duties altogether from almost the entire
mass Of the unprotected articles, such as Tea, coiiee,
spices, fruits, and n hundred other articles OF luxury,
and reduces them 10 almost nothing on SILKS ana wines,
while it leaves the protected articles almost untouched,
or with additional burdens thrown upon them. In
this view of The case, it affords no relief Whatever TO
the South. 1t only aggravates the injustice oil which
we complain. 1t throws the whole burden oil Federal
taxation on the very articles, the duties upon winch
operate as n tax upon Southern capital and labor, and
as a bounty upon The industry and capital OF another
section of the Union. The passage OF such a bill as
this, would only be regarded as the contamination OF
the protecting policy. 1t leaves no hope for The fu-
ture. 1t must rivst upon the country, i!retrievably
and forever, II system which he did most conscien-
tiousIy believe was hostile 10 the general we!!are-ut-
terly unconstitutional land destructive of the best in.
terests and dearest rights of tue plantation States. The
gentleman from Kentucky had expressed a hope
doubtless most sincerely enteftained-that the South
would receive this bill as q peace offering, founded on
concession and compromise; and he had kindly ten
dered his advice, that we should go home, and say TO
our constituents that we had accomplished all That we
had q right 10 expect; that our grievances were re-
dressed; and thus the country would be once more re-
stored TO harmony and peace. Let me tell That gen
,leman, Sir, that Il, with my convictions of the true
character of this bill, | could 90 to my constituents
with such language on my lips, | should 60 home
with a he in my mouth No, Sir. when l speak
on such i subject, | shall speak the honest convic.
tons of nv mind; and shall be constrained, however
reluctantly, to declare, as | now do in the presence of
this House, my Country, and my God, that the Anne
rican system has become the settled policy OF the
country; that the hopes OF the South are al an end;
and, as Tar as their prosperity IS dependent on Federal
legislation, their ruin sealed.-(p. l2l1.)
Nj Brown said, before the question was taken on
the final passage OF the bill, then under consideration,
he felt that it was due 10 those, whom he had the honor
in part to represent in that body, and likewise 10 HIM
self, 10 explain The motives which, on The most de-
liberate consideration, would induce him 10 vote IN OPP
position 10 the bill. This he would do IN a very few
words. If the question had been brought to the con-
sideration OF the Senate, in the form OF 4 bill, al an
earlier period Of the session, he should have awaited
himself Of the occasion, 10 have expressed his views,
generally, on a subject of such deep and momentons IN
terest 10 the country. To consume time in Improbable
discussion at that advanced period o. the SESSION, would
be as little in accordance with his feelings, as il would
be respectful TO The body which he addressed. H. chad
felt the most anxious solicitude, that some adjustment
Of this question, dictated by n spirit OF concIliation,
should be made before the adjournment Of Congress.
Influenced by a spirit OF that kind, he had come TO The
determination TO vote for the bill which had passed the
House of Representatives, unless made more oalec
tionable by amendments in the Senate. He admitted
that the bill, as II came from the House of Representa-
tives, stopped far, very far short of reducing the reve-
nue. to that standard which the condition of our fiscal
affairs required, and which Justice 10 a large portion OF
the Union demanded. But II proposed a reduction, and,
from the best examination he had been able 10 give 10
the subject, a substantial reduction on a number OF ar
ticles which entered extensively into the consumption
Of the whole agricultural portion of the Southern
States. 1t had been said by one honorable Senator, IN
the course of this debate, that voting FOR the bill, as II
came from the House, would conceGe the constitutional
right Of the Governmental protect manufactures. lie
mir. b vie wed the subject IN a very different light
He had yet 10 learn, upon what primer pie 1t was uncon'
stitutional to vote for n bill diminishing the burdens o
his constituents, and the effect Of which would be 10
mitigate the evils Of the system. In expressing his IN
tention 10 vote for the bill, rs il came from the House
he wished it to be distinctly understood, that he should
not have supported it MS n measure of compromise
They had no authority to compromise the rights OF then
constituents on great questions deeply affecting then
interests. Nor would he, if he possessed the authority
exercise it in refe renee 10 this question.
He vas hostile, on principle. to the whole protecting
system; and, while ne was honored with a sea-. in tina,
body, he would contribute his humble efforts, on al
proper occasions, to eradicate from our laws a principle
which he believed Incompatible with the enlightened
spirit of the age and of free government. This much
he had deemed it his duty to say in reference to the bill
as it came from the Honse. He would now assign, in
4 very few words, the reasons which would influence
him 10 vote against il, as amended by the Senate
4 The amendments had, in his opinion, destroyed what
ever of value was contained in the bill, by increas-
ing the duties on the protected articles; and he viewed
its passage, in lis present stale, as substantially re.en-
acting some OF the most obnoxious features of the Ia
riff OF ISIS.
He must be permitted, with great Difference 10 the
opinions of the majority OF The Senate who thought
differently, 10 express his regret that any addition had
been made to the rate OF duties proposed By the bill
from the House of Representatives.. To that body The
Constitution had peculiarly given the power to oTigi.
nate bills on the delicate and Interesting question OF