Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-06-07

/ pos, TO open mp discussion of the Tariff ques-
lion; but inasnuch a. the opinions o! lhe Demo
cratic candidate for the Presidency had been ie-
fcrred to, he could not permit the occasion 10
pass without endorsing, foiO c1o, the doctrines u
Colonel Polk on the subject Of protective a
riff The time had now arrived, when man
could be presented for the suifrages OF the Ailc-
| rcan people, whose views weie sound on tn'S
question lie wished the views OF Colonei foih'
in relation 10 the Tariff policy, TO be clearly uil-
derstood BIZ the whole country An effort had been
made 10 induce the people 10 believe that Goiohci
! Polk was in favor ot entire tree trace MS G.
roneous representation was akin TO all lhe Pr,
cecdin@s of their opponents. Colonel fo'k N>diu
Mr.. P.) is in favor Of raising from duties on mn
ports revenue for the support OF government
| He was of opinion that The Constitution gave
Congress that rower but while he thus believed,
and while he was willing that This power should
he exercised, he utterly repudiated and condclni'-
cd the doctrine of the Wing party, that Tins pow
er may be used, not for the purpose oil raising
revenue, but of creating hounlics, and OF giving
protection TO one section OF the Union al The eS-
| pense Of the other.
In reply 10 question from Mr.. +. J. Morris,
Mr. PAYNE said, he took pleasure IN STATING
that Colonel Polk was opposed 10 The Ialih Oh
1912
L.
qualities between The duties upon articles oil &C.
neral and necessary consumption by The poorer
classes. and those used by the wealthy. ne
however asked the gentleman from Pennsylvania
TO stale what were Mr. Clay's opinions: dld ne
not advocate the taxing Of the laboln@ CLASSES OF
the country higher than those who revelicd III
luxury!
Mr.. Morris said he would answer the qllcs-
lion of the gentleman from Alabama. MT
Clay was in favor OF protecting The INDUSTRY oi
the laborine classes OF the country.
Mr. Payne said the gentleman rom rem
sylvania had not met the question. lie replied
Dor OF The country; but how was il proposed 10
do il? Was il by imposing tremendous laN on VI
everything that the lahorins man consumer
Was that his system of protection! ii IL were;
il was the protection which the vu'ilc extended
10 the lamb whilst lhiSling for lis blood; ana
vet Mr. CLAY was an advocate oi such system
-he was The friend OF the bill OF denominations
oil 1912, and on that question he (Mr. ~ was
willing 10 leave him 10 the American people
Mr. Schenck inquired II Governor fuik was
no, opposed To the bill of 1912, and III favor oil
n reduction of duties 10 an average ol ~ Fer
cent.
Mr. PAYNE replied that il the gentleman from
Ohio had paid attention 10 his remarks, he would
have seen that the inlemogatory which he had 'lsi
proposed was 4 work oi supcleroSatlon; he h',u
distinctly stated that Governor Polk expressly
admitted and coulcnded that the power 10 lay M
rosts and duties was a revenue power, ana Una,
that power for those purposes was an unlimited
power Blu thai power was given for legitimate
purposes, and ought not 10 be pFoSIuled 10 puf-
poses that were ilIrgiiimate.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania had spoken
in a tone of triumph and cxualion oi the certain
;,,t Al, D,.s ial t,aSI
and he. (Mr. Payne.) might bc INDUCED in icw
remarks on that subject. On what, he would ash,
did The gentleman from Pennsylvania base his
expectation OF Success? Was il based ON The
fact that he had been thrice presented To the me-
rican people aud as often rcpudiaed and REJECT
ed? Was That evidence oi prospective success
WHY, he was defeated even with The aid 1i lhr
gentleman from Massachusetts, (Nlr. Adams
ana with all the influence that that gentleman was
able 10 bring 10 his aid. Yes, his name had been
thrice presented to the American people, and they
:corned and Spurncd mm-where, Then ana They
now look Tor success He would tell gentlemen
here. that their predictions were made too hastily.
aud loo confidently, and loo noisiy--lhcy were,
however VIGOROUSLY, the most noisy party III
Observation-Disclosures and confident, although, from
the establishment Of the Government, tliey had
very rarely. indeed been successful. This Loco
Foco party OF which the gentleman had spoken,
would again defeat the Wing party al The next
election, as they had 50 often done before; ana
though this was a Federal Union, Federal prin-
ciples would mol be permitted 10 have dominance
in this Union.
He then entered into a review of the princi-
pies Of the Federal party. There was the di>tri-
button of the proceeds of The public lands amongst
the several States. And what was lis Object
VIVA, was its practical result! It's object was 10
pay the debts of the States with The produce OF
the public lands debts due 10 foreign countries.
And for what were those debts contracted? To
render valuable the property within The limits OF
the States by which they were contracted. The
system of taxation within those States was either
direct poll ax OF taxation On property; but by
this system OF distribution il was designed that
the proceeds Of the public lands should pay those
State debts, and necessary consequence would
be new taxation levied on The people 10 supply
the deficiency in the national Treasury whichthis
dirlribuion would occasion. And thus, there would
be imposed new and heavier taxes on conSrnmp-
tion--neW taxes on the poor consumer Tor the be-
net OF the property holders in The States. for the
improvement Of whose property the debts were
contracted.
Such was the practical operation of The dslri-
button scheme Such, also, was the operation
of the tariff act They were productive Of taxa
ton on labor, taxation on consumption: and ye',
such was the system that the Wing party would
pursue. and such were the grounds ON which Mr..
Clay was offered 10 the American people. Hap
pilv, however, for the country Mr.. Clay had TO
more chance of success now, than he had in pre-
vious contests of like character.
He next alluded To Mr. Clay's opinions in OPP
position TO the annexation OF Texas. and 10 an in
crease Of territory from any quarter, whether ley
as or OREGON. and called upon the friends ot Mr..
CLAY TO produce evidence that he was in favor of
annexation. There was a double game being
PLAYED to nislead different sections OF the Union;
and lac (Mr P.) wished it To he known in the East
and West the North and South. He had conil-
dence in the intelligence OF the people, ana he was
satisfied, that when the truth was proclaimed 10
them, they would reject Mr. Clay, as they had
done before.
Mr.. Hardin said, when he came into The House
this morning, he had no expectation that The sub
leci Of general politics would come up but as that
subject had been introduced he would make some
observations upon IT. lie then proceeded 10 re-
mark that when the American people knew MI
Polk. he would be as Mr.. Van Buren, now was,
used up man." though in point oltacni, as com
pared with Mr.. Van Buren,, he was but as a pig
ms TO a giant He made some remarks on what
he understood to he Mr. Folks opinions on the Ia
riff. andavaed himSelfof the more clear. sonorouS
voice Of Mr. Schenck, bread to the committee some
extracts from speeches madeby Mr.. Polk when in
Congress. He next proceeded 10 argue that il
was not the Texas question which had caused
the withdrawal Of Mr.. Van Buren,; for ii was
well understood at the time OF the Connecticut
election, that il resulted unlavorably 10 the De-
mocra,ic cause, Mr.. Van Buren, was TO he with
drawn. lie also quoted from series of articles
recently published in the Globe, in which the re-
lativc merits Of Colonel King and Governor Polk
for the Vice Presidency were fully discussed Ia
the advantage of the former; and went into par
" political speech, in which he glanced al many
other old and new party issues He spoke of
the resolutions of the Baltimore Convention, par
ticularly dwelling ON the Texas treaty.
Mr. Payne asked the gentleman where Mr..
Clay was on the Texas question. He had fire.
quen,ly Appropriated 10 ii, but had always avoid
ed it. From his published letter, il would seem
10 some that there might be circumstances under
which MIR Clay would go for annexation-that
,,.o T., hau,,;le Tho Soutl. hnt Ia. Shauld like I'm