The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-07-18

PRODUCTION ana passage Oh the lnedSuEe. Ills
aim was not only 10 prevent a civil war and
and the dissolution Of the Union, but to SAVE
THE PROTECTIVE POLICY. | am convinced
that, but for the passage ofthat act, the pro-
~tective system would have been substantially
repealed, more than ten years ago, and every
manufacturer in the country dependent upon
it stricken down.
l know that nothing is more common than
for us TO hear certain individuals, who are
utterly ignorant of the real circumstances
which existed in the early part of the year
1888, in a spirit of idle bravado, Boosting
how bravely they would have defed the
threats of the Nullifiers-how ~resolute they
would have proven themselves, had the OPP
%portunity been offered them, in hanging up
all the leaders of that faction, and 10Y re-
joiced they would have been in administer
ing, through the swiftly willing agency of
General Jackson, a s%alutary castigation to
what they term '.the imbecile arrogance and
bullying of South Carolina" These and
similar remarks are generally made Tor the
purpose of introducing a condemnation of
Mr.. Clay for his agency in the passage of
the Compromise Act, which they say was a
sacrifice ofthe protective principle 10 prevent
a war with the nullifers. Without doubling
the courage or the sincerity of those who
thus often boast of the superior frmness and
more manly bearing which they would Fave
exhibited, at the crisis, | will endeavor, brief
ly, 20 show you that these gentlemen are ig-
norant both ofthe effect and meaning of the
act, as well as of the objects sought TO be Sc
cured by its author.
Il Il = 49,. @l,ot The
itself proposes a horizontal Tariff of 20 per
cent. on all articles of Importation, as the
minimum rate Of duties, and the final rest
ing place at which the reduction Of duties,
proposed by the act, shall cease, and stand
unchanged and Interchangeable forever. AT
this day, gentlemen of intelligence, profess
r sing TO understand and discuss the legal eff
feet of this act, often speak of it as a law,
the great object ofwhich was, by a system oil
gradual diminution, to reduce the duties as
|, they stood under the act of 1882, to an uni
versal leyie ot2 per cent, at The expiration
2 of nine years and four months. In other
5 words, they regard the Compromise Act as
4 fixing one rate for all dutiable articles from
and after the Both of juno, 1912 that rate be-
: ing 20 per cent. ad valorem; and as contain
ing certain binding stipulations or pledges
on the part of the authors of that law, that
no higher rate of dnty hanldA-e-5~Ee thai
1 day, be collected by the general govern
e ment. This supposition, preposterous as il
e is, you have doubtless observed, is an opin-
: ion quite commonly expressed, and that too,
d not unfrequently by grave Legislators on the
floors OF Congress. That the enemies ofMr.
Y Clay should have so expressed themselves is a
E matter to be regretted; but when the friends
R of the Tariff, and the very men. who profess
e the utmost confidence in the rectitude and
consistency of that great statesman, fall into
= the same error, it is high time their mistake
e should be corrected. all ~ sE.at6
1t is perfectly true, that the first section Of
S the act fixes 20 per cenium ad valorem as
the lowest rate at which dutiable articles
e should be admitted, after the 30th of June,
l. 1912; but the third section of the act pro.
vides, that, from and after that day, "duties
upon imports shall be laid for the purposc,o Of
raising such revenue as may be necessary to
an economical administration of the govern.
(. lnent - and also that such duties shall be as
sessed on the home valuation and payable in
cash. The leading principles established by
the act were, FIRST, that after the Both O
le June, 1912, a sufficient revenue should be
raised from import duties alone to delray the
expenses of the Government;-secondly
ry that no more revenue should be so collect
tn ed than should be demanded by an econom
n ical administration of the government; third
u ly, that the best possible guards against fraud:
ON the Tariff should, be established by the
I'd adoption of the new system of assessing The
" duties on the home, instead of the foreign
a value, and making those duties payable il
a cash. Whether these duties, from which al
ne the revenue for the support OF government
ty was to be derived, should be fixed at 20 pc
Cent, or at so per cent. or any other rate
re was, of course, a subject left Tor the fntur,
u consideration and action of Congress, when
it ever it should be discovered that the mini
RI mum rate of20 per cent, adopted by tn
ed first section of the bill, was insufficient
for the supporter government. Nothing WI
IS, further from the intention of those who pass
ey ed this law than to attempt TO prevent ful
ther legislation, discriminating with a vieN
to protect Home Labor, in the contingenc
tn of a defect of revenue from duties of 20 pc
ne cent. have ever regarded the Tariff pas:
I'D ed by the Congress of 1912, as a subslanti;
he compliance, in most respects, with thi
pledge in the Compromise Act, with this ea
y, ception only:-that law, while it levies dl
he ties on imports 10 support the governmer
Sc looks 10 the proceeds of the sales ofthe pull
ay lie lands as an auxiliary for that purpose
cy while the Compromise Act gave, TO me, as
,m thought when | voted for it, and to ever
NC other friend of the protection system, at th
all same tlme, a solemn assur ance, that, aft