The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1844-10-17

uh''Is VI HIS speech.
5 'In my humble Judgment had the tar
1T OF 1912 been passed strictly in the spiri
OF the compromise itself, it wonld hav,
) been better tariff for protection than thu
law now in force. 1t would have bette
guarded the revenue against frauds in the
foreign valuation; and it would more eflec
tualIy have checked excessive importation
which is one of the greatest curses of ou
country"
Without expressing any opinion of the
comparative merits of the compromise act
and the act of 1912, ] ask you if it is moi
very strange, or rather if it is not yer,
much like playing coon in Mr. Clayton and
other friends of Nh. Clay, to attempt to cas-
censure upon Mr. Polk for prelerring as the
basis of tariff the principles of the com
promise act of 1912, Mr. Clay has ex.
pressed his decided approval of the princi
pies of the compromise act, and both he
and Mr. Clayton their decided preference
to them over those of the act of 1S42
besides it is more than year since
Mr. Polk expressed any opinion Of the ACT
of 1912, at which time its workings had
not been very well tried nor very favorable.
AT that time even Mr. Clay chad no, the
means of Judging" at its merits or demer-
its, and preferred the compromise act
i have said and attempted to prove that
Mr. Clay is rather late convert to the
present tariff act, nor is the zeal of the
wing party generally for it of long date
only few moaths believe. 1t certain
ly is not such tariff as the Simon Pure
wing friends ofthc protective policy de-
sired 1t was not the bill reported by the
Wing Committee of Manufactures, to
the Wing House of Representatives.
Mr. Fillmore, the Chairman of the Com
mittee Of Ways and Means, who intro
duced it, stated it to be "only revenue
measure" Mr. Simmons one of the
strongest friends of the protective policy
in the Senate, and a Wing Senator from
Rhode Island, said:
SIT was well known that he did not a.
gree with all the friends of the bill, in
many particulars. He admitted it was
not the best bill that could be formed,
but he believed it would now be allowed
that it was the only measure which at
this late period of the session would be
likely to accomplish the main object OF
providing revenue. In his opinion there
was not time within the few days which
Congress had yet to remain in session,
to adjust the tariff in such manner as
to give the greatest possible satisfaction
to the several interests concerned"
Mr. Evans of Maine, said the bill was
already sufficiently onnouS on The Ship
ping interest of the country. Already
every article that enters into the con-
sumption Of ship builders is heartily tax
ed'--'hc did not think for the sake of
some four or five manufacturers, that the
whole of the shipping interest ought to
be sacrificed"
MIR Merrick, another wing senator and
friend of protection, said sit was a bill
to tax the interests of the agrculturalists,
for the benefit of the manufacturers, -
that it was "unust and unequal" and
moved that it last but t,co years, and
said
ellis object was to give to the next
Congress an opportunity to deliberate
nine long months on the subject, and TO
rc-adjust and arrange it on proper prin-
ciples."
Mr. Preston also advocated the limita-
ton amendment; and it was defeated by
only one mnjority-nine whigs voting for
it, and among them Mr. Crhtendcn, Mr.
Clay's particular friend and the exponent
fhs views, and THREE democrats voting
against it, thus saving it from premature
deatli-from being strangled in its inian-
cy by its whig friends.
But good or bad as the present tariff
bill may be in the estimation ofthese wing
gentlemen, and they seem at different
times to have held very different opinions
about its merits, what right have they to
call it a ewing Tariff" or to write them
selves down lis exclusive friends; Did
they pass it by their votes' Let the rec
ords of Congress tell. The tariff bill
they passed was avery different one; but
that was vetoed.
The present bill was not such one
as they passed, nor was it passed by
their votes-it never would have become
law had it depended upon the wing
party--that is fact that cannot be de-
MED. was in Congress when it passed,
and speak what | know, when | SAY
that there were no more bitter enemies to
its passage than some Of Mr. Clays par
ticuar friends, and that but for the votes
of democrats it never could or would
have been enacted. That many of the
democrats who voted for it, did not be-
lieve it the best bill that could be made is
most true; but the same may be said of
many wings who voted for 1t. That they
now believe it can be made better than it
is, and better to promote the interest and
prosperity Of the country, is also most
true; but that Mr. Polk or the democratic
party have ever proposed, or have any
intention to r'peai it, and substitute .free
hade in its place, as is represented by
Mr. Clayton and the wings generally, is
most false.
The democrats who voted for il voted
for il with all its faults, rather than leave