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

From the GtO5el
REVIEW OF MR.. CI.AY'S COURSE on TIE TARIFF.
Before We come down 10 MIR. Ciay's recent course
in relation to the Protective policy, It rs proper that we
should revert 10 his first proposed modification OF the
Tariff of l-2S, for which he claims credit IN his late
Georgia letter. We have Shown tina. he adhered TO this
bill with lnv,nctble obduracy; that, when the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES (contal N, ny 4 majority IN the manu-
faciurInp ,nterest) ,elenied a little, and made some
slight concessions IN the bill as sent up by them 10 the
Senate. MIR Clay reinaiated the high rates, and las MIR.
Hayne proved incontestably,D made the protective tax
higher than that OF ISIS; that, when tue Senate $ com
mi,tee OF strong protectonjsts gave way n the CON
mittee of conier re nee, and yielded the excessive lmposts
introduced by Mr. Clay IN the bill, as sent from the
House, their autho. adhered 10 every one OF the
amendments, making the eXtorton greater than IN
ISIS; aud would thus have closed the door 10 ell re-
lief. and brought on the crisis 10 South Carolina al
once. We have exhibited the circumstances unce!
which MIR. Clay, SIX mouths aiterward, jackson aud
Van Buren, beng elected) fastened 10 bring down, IN
his Compromise act, duties (Which, at the previous
session, he declared lie would not conhne 10 the pro
posed Limitation OF 100 per cent. AZ volo.em,) TO the
horizontal Limitation of 20 per cent ad vatorem, ap-
plying 10 every article OF import. TINS was his own
comment upon the extreme and violent oppression of
the system wh,ch ir was resolved So lniisxtiy 10 en-
force as long as he rad The power TO do it.
To make our readers fully sensible of the extreme
Injustice and tyranny of Mr.. Clays course in relation
TO the enforcement of the tariff of lS2S, when the pay
ment OF the national debt IN 1892 SO demanded It's
repeal, we annex the brief, calm, regretful commenta-
ries made by hlsssrs Grumpy, Brown, and King,
three of the mos; a5aofed Senators ot the South, for
.heir able, Just, temperate, and patriotic course, during
the tariff controVersay,) To regard 20 Nr. Clay 5 ultima
tum. To these we add q portion Of the closing speech
of General Hague, delivering his views of the sub
iect with such . tone OF moderation as 10 suppress, If
possible, the outraged feelings OF his constituents, aud
thus prevent immediate aud violent resistance. That
eloquent and patriotic Senator, OH The occasion TO which
we allude, subdueJ ms own Sc nsibililies, suppressed his
emotions, and laboied 10 keep down the emphasis with
which he should have exposed The oppression oil the
measure he c~onbot;ed We can find room only Tor
his more general femaiks without his details and sta
tistics.
From Gass and s'af,"'s hesi.nr q oja's(a' ne s@ss'"F Of 1851
AMI b.
The bin IN alteration OF the severa, acts imposing
duties on imports having been read the third time, the
question was, Shall this bii pass :"
MIR. GRuSpl said, he had been exceedingly DESTROYS
,ha. some bill should pass u, this session, tha, would
relieve the public burdens, and in some degree restore
quiet 10 an excited section VI tie country. Under these
feelings, he was wiling to vote Tor the bill as ii came
.rom the House Of Representatives; but, in lis present
shape, be could not n0w vote for Il. On account ot
the many amendments made on Saturday, II was IN
possible for hm. al the late hour IT which the question
on the THIRD reading was taken, To arrive a. such a re.
suit as TO be fully Informed OF The effects Of The bill !;
and, therefore, unwilling 10 put IL out OF his power to
vote fuaiiy for the bill, if he could, on examination,
approve II, he had voted ir the third reading. He had
since obtained Sufficient Information to satisfy him ,hat
the bill! gave frol relief; that II contained nothing cal
cnla,ed 10 alag the exci'epent that existed agains. the
Tariff system oad, that, IN some instances, it wen,
beyond the present Tariff lie was, therefore, CON-
PEELED 10 vote against the bill.
MIR. WEBSTER knew not wha, calculations had been
made by the Senator from Tennessee, but he was salts
fed that they were incorrect The present bill diminish
cd considerably the public burdens. Mr. w. mentioned
many articles on whch the duties had been reduced, VIZ:
sugar and coffee. Half a million, he said, had been
reduced on wnoliens.
Nh. Ggrxby dad not believe that either the gentleman
g-,c Aaa,,-i.ua.,c or E,r,e1lf nm ,nis,aLpn tbonnh
their views were different. lie (Mr. & admitted that
there had been u reduction on wines and silks, but none
on those articles Of universal consumption, ron and
woo!!sn goods.
MIR. KIxG ssI he had cherished hopes Of some cqui-
table adjustment Of tie tarni, unti ta5s bill came from
The House; ana, although 1t did not 20 as lar us he
thought the acgrieved Safes had a right 10 demand,
vet he had, with some difficulty, Brought inmseif 10 the
conclusion TO vote fox it as 9 partial relief A change,
however, had taken place n tins bill, that had been
very properly alluded TO by the Senator from Tonnes
see. That change has taken the burden off from the
manufacturers, aud placed II ga those who were leas,
able 10 bear it. The cour>c pursued by the friends OF
the bill showed TIA, this was to &c a permanent system
that they would not, for a moment, listen 10 The COM
plants OF their oppressed brethren, aut would carry
through their scheme by the strength of numbers. The
bill they had made relieved only those who were alrea
DIV protected, while u increased the burden Of those
who were suffering under the system. In one word, IT
was the scheme ot the gentieman from Kentucky, IN
tended for the benefit OF that interest that grasps at
everything, and will be satisfied with nothing. Mr.. X
said he coulc no, now, and never would, vote for such
a bill, be the consequences what they might. One oil
his greatest desires had been TO relieve the prevailing
excitement; but this bill was SO monsirous-so much at
variance with the promises and professions oil those who
framed it-as 10 leave no hope but that The system is TO
be continued for an indefinite time.
MIR. HANN rose, and sad, he must throw himself
upon the Indulgence OF The Senate 10 state the reasons
which should induce HIM 10 vote against the bill.
am well aware, MIR. President, said (Ar. H. tia,
nothing that can be now sad Will have the %slish;es,
effect on the votes OF gentlemen IN the other side, and
| know that the House at THIS late period of the SEES
sion. is too impa:eGt of delay, to admit OF proiracted
discussion on any question. SILL | indulge the hope,
that they will consent 10 hear what promise them
shall consist of little more than Il bare statement at my
objections to the bll am opposed 10 the hhl IN lis
present shape, Nr. PiSG!ent, becaEsc II contains nj
The objectionable features ot The existing tariff
II recognizes the protecting system az ''lhe settled
policy OF the country. Ever since the commencement
of tins system, from the year lSl6-nay, from the be-
ginning OF the war 10 the present ti,e-there has al
ways existed, IN the actual condition OF the country,
some reason, OF a plausible excuse, tor a system O! high
duties. During the war, VIC wanted money 10 carry II
on and alter The peace, the enormous public debt
which was lett upon our hands rendered high duties
indispensable 10 enable the country 10 fulfil its obliga-
tons. will not say, that all The duties imposed
were necessary 10 revenue bn, | will fcarlessly as.
sert. that but for the demands on the Treasury, The
system of high duties, which, has acted so powerful
Nv for The protection OF manufactures, would never
have been established, and could not possibly have
been maintained for n single year. The successive
Tariffs of 1916, 1921, and ISIS, owed their existence
10 the condition OF the country 10 relation to the pub
lie debt and the manufacturers had very ndroi;iy con.
nec,ed a protection 10 thelI industry with the collection
q revenue for the redemption OF the public faith. -