The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-04-04

TO favor foreign industry at the expense of our
own? Will they tamely and silently agree thus
to be crushed and sacrificed? No, sir, they will
not; they will speak out against this unjust and
ruinous measure your tables will soon groan
under the weight Of their remonsrances against
it. call on them to do SO; call on them to
come to the rescue before it is too late.
THIS IS A BRITISH BILL.
The ayowed object of this bill is to open our
ports to the importation of British goods-to IA
vor foreign farmers and mechanics, and destroy
our own. Sir, give the people time to be heard,
and this bill cannot pass let it be discussed,
and it can never pass an American Congress-
There is one way in which it can pass-send il
to the British Parliament, and it will be passed
by reclamation. England would give millions
to secure its passage 1t had recently been stat
ed in an official report, read in the House Of
Commons, that unless the American Tariff Of
1912 was modified and reduced, Great Britain
would have 10 pay the United States cash tor
their cotton, instead Of paying in goods as she
formerly had done; and this bill accordingly
the wishes of the British Chancellor, who, while
he recommends free trade and low duties to us,
takes special care to adhere to his own prohibi-
tory system. While this bill proposes greatly
TO reduce the duties on foreign distilled spirits,
England exacts duty of 2,700 per cent. on ours;
and this is reciprocity, This bill reduces the
duties on tobacco and its manufactures, while
England demands 1900 per cent. on ours, and
actually collects % million dollars Of revenue
annually from our tobacco, equal to the whole
revenue of this Government-such is British
reciprocity and free trade. Since the Tariff Of
1912, the tables with England have been turned ;
last year the balance Of trade with Great Britain
exceed $13,000,O00 in our favor, instead OF be-
ing about that amount against us, as IN former
| years. The imports of specie had in the last
| year reached the unprecedented amount, as APP
pears by official reports Of more than % millions
of dollars, most Of it from Great Britain. No
wonder England and her statesmen were anxious
| for the reduction of the American Wing Tariff
of AZ. No wonder her Chancellor exclaims
against the Tariff, and says it will oblige them
to send us specie instead Of goods hereafter to pay
| for cotton. No wonder our country is rapidly
recovering from its late depression-that its
| course is again onward and upward-that its
former prosperity is returning-a prosperity il
always had and always would have under an
efficient protective sysiem but which it never had
and never would have without it. No wonder
specie had become abundant-that the banks
had resumed-that exchanges had become equal
lied and interest reduced-that manufactures
had revived-that agriculture was recovering
| that the mechanic and every other branch of the
| national industry was fully and pro6tably EN-.
ployed All these were the necessary and I'M
deniabe fruits of the existing tariff policy-re-
suits seen, felt, and acknowledged throughout
the land--yet, in the face of all these facts
shutting their eyes to these great lights blazing
up before lhem--the Committee of Ways and
Means have reported bill to repeal this beni6-
cial act of 1912, and bring us back 10 the lou
duties and the lou condition of 1910. They have
struck death blow at this policy-a policy
1 oh hol atoI nd hxyo oil
| fruits which had fulfilled all the hopes Of its
friends, and falsi6ed all the predictions Of its
| enemies but shall this blow avail them? No,
| sir, it will recoil and overwhelm its authors
| The people who have experienced the benefits
and the blessings Of this measure, will not aban-
don it. Even its enemies are now disposed to
give it fair and full trial, and condemn it only
when it fails. Then why not, sir, wait till the
people have an opportunity TO pass upon this
question at the approaching electionss They
will then settle il one way or the other If the
enemies of the tariff policy prevail, they can
and will repeal it; but if you repeal it now, and
its friends are successful, it will be Immediately
restored. Then why not let it abide this result
Let it go to the people, let them decide it, and,
for one sir, am prepared TO acqulesce IN their
decision. The committee deprecate agitation;
why not, then, let the matter rest Let the ex-
pertinent be tried, and if it fails, put it down.
Whence the urgent necessity of a change; what
interest in the country calls for it; who has de-
manded it who has petitioned for this or any
other change? No one; but the Committee Of
Ways and Means say we must have more reve-
nue-,nore rerenue-and how do they propose
to raise it BY reducing the duties; and this,
my word for it, will result, as it always has re-
suited, in reduction of revenue; it is the me-
cessary and natural consequence. This was once
the opinion of the honorable Chairmen of the
Committee Of Ways and Means Mr.. MCKAY
himself, and as there is now every prospect of a
redundant revenue, should not be surprised it,
before the bill is disposed Of, it should be avowed
as a measure to reduce the revenue, and this re-
port be amended by striking out the words ga
bill to increase the revenue" and inserting the
words, "a bill to reduce the revenue" affirm
it as fact, and here challenge contradiction,
that the revenues of the country always have
been increased or diminished, as we increased or
diminished the duties on foreign goods; and
why will this not be the result now? (Here
Mr. MCKAY called Mr.. STEWART to order, and
said it would be time enough to discuss the
-. 10 fnrH