The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1844-02-01
TWENTY-EI0HTH CONGRESS.
Correspondence of the Ohio sta,esman.
WAsHHoroS, January 90, 1918.
THE TARIFF.

jurisdiction ofMs Ssnae-hr. 1tLgBfeS construction
otMe Constitution and opinion of II: act Ot'49
There has never becn since the great quarrel Of the
extra session between Mr. Rves and Mr.. Clay, on the
veto ofhe fiscal bank BILL such congregation of beau
tiful women such waving of ostrich feathers andsuch
rusing Of ftaritaxed silks and sans, as were exhb-
tied in The front row of the semcircuiar gallery of the
Senate today. The sunshine brought out the butter
flies by companies; but they all came to hear Mr. Nc
Dufiies speech the resolution Of the Finance COM
mitee that the further consideration of the bill reported
by the South Carolina Senator, for reducing the duties
upon imports to the compromise standard be tndenate
ly postponed the ground that itcame not within the
jurisdiction of the Senate as being bill for raising
venue that all such bills in the terms Of the constitu
ton, shall be originated in the House Of Representa-
tives.
When the aforesaid resolution of the Finance COM
mitee was announced as the order of the day.
Mr. McDuffc rose 10 the question. He said that if
one ofthose Industrious patriots who framed the const
tution had been presento hear the construction put up
on that instrument in lis bearing upon the reyenue pow
er OF Congress- he would have been struck with aston
ishment The late revisons ofthe tariff law he looked
upon as carrying out of the most monsrous, unjust
and unGdaa systems of legislation hatever stained the
annals of the county. He proceeded to examine the
constitutional provision that 'no bill for raising revenue
shall originate in the Senate" This provision was in
tended as protection to the people-such was the in
tent of the trainers of the constitution, because they
deemed it more safe 70 trust the imposition Of burthens
upon the people, to that branch of Congress more espe-
cally acquainted and interested in their immediate pro-
lection Buthe spirit ofthe clause was that no bill
raising revenue by imposition Of taxes should originate
in the Senate. 1t not intended prohibit the Sen
ate from putting money into the Treasury but to pre-
vent them from taking out of the pockets of the peo-
pie This was no bill 10 raise revenue-its wholefunc-
ton was to repeal the enormous burden imposed upon
the people. Butt it was to be held responsible, not for
what repealed in this BILL but for what it did not re-
peal He related an anecdoe to show the folly CT such
plea. The whole purpor Of the constitutional clause
was prevent the imposition fburthensome taxes up
on the people.
Mr. McDuffie passed from this point, to an eulogum
upon Henry Clay for his mness and decision in the
cosummation o. the COMPROMISE ACT from witch he re
turned to animadverupon the late North Carolina let
ter of Mr. Clay in which he had said that some amend
mens to the tariff act of 40 were necessary in his opin
on but that until he hadentered into further exami-
nation OF lis details he could express specific obec-
tions to the act Mr. McDufe said he liked the text OF
this letter. but that he despised the commentary. He
regretted that the distinguished statesman had not here
poinedly declared his dissent TO that law and he wass
disposed 10 WONDER though no sentiment lhana parent
affection for IT'S offspring was DEEPER or more natural
he really wondered at the affection Of the Senator from
Maine, (Mr Evans) for his bantling the tariff bill of
l942. He had hoped the gentleman would yield up that
banng willing sacrifice to his conny and 10 justice
as the OLD Roman did his son-but his affection was in
creased by the deformties of the abortion; deormies
which repeed and disguised every body erse
What was this ctot ~? 1t was like tabled mon
ser of antiquity whose head and body were those of
man. and whose tail that Of fish, 1t was entitled
IA bill toraise rercnttes" &c. 1t bore deception upon
| its very face.
The Senator from South Carolina then took hold Of
the tariff act now in force, and argued to the conclusion
that by its prohibve impositons it excluded goods
from the country which if admitted at 20 per cent in
stead of from to zoo per cent? would bring into the
Treasury $l0000,000 Of dollars. Among these ari.
ces, he enumerated window glass; iron, trace chains
all the implements of the farmer which were taxed from
105 to 200 per centand there was the duty upon salt
which enters into the use Of every family. A bushs
which costs five cents in Liverpool was taken at ou
Custom House 10 cents duty of 200 per cent lpor
salt.
Mr. McDufie defined revenue bill to be- awsucl
would yield the greatest possible amount OF revenue
at the lowest possible rate of duties, alwaysdscrmina
ting in favor Of such articles as are most UNIVERSAL,
consumed among the poor He held, that ifby ia!
per cent the same amount of revenue could be col
lected from tariff of 40 per cent, the former wou
be less oppressive to the people, and advanageou
to the country But here in this so called revenue bill
Of 1872 we have duties ranging from 7e to So 100 IS
;. and 200 per cent and upon goods which enters NOR
generally into consumption among the poor, than an
other-o wit cotton goods. The foreign article in Ma
chester valued at cents, and which on arriving at III
IS port Of New York, would not be raised higher than
1t cents but by the ingenuity Of the home valuation, til
IS article is set down worth 30 cents and upon this
n cents tariff of 30per cent ad valorem, is added
tax Of 1s0 per cent upon the original cost of the arcl
And while calicoes were taxed 1870 per cent fiji
81 muslins, most generally consumed by the wealthy,
taxed but 90 percent The whole system oil the d SCI
I'd limitations ofthe actof42, operated to the oppression
S. the poor-i was altogether unjust, and he would
Il verse it entirely. single instance of its operation
The tax upon cotton goods, of average of40 per ce
resulted in revenue of S40O0,0OO, upon ten milio
m imports; while at the same time, there were S4
he 000 600 in the same goods manufactureda al home all
which were tn Yed 40 ner cent nv the onerain nfthe