Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-08-22

sdent whom could have eiectoi without the votes Of
Northern States Of cannot undertake TO affirm,
fact that the Northern States which voted for the Demo
cratic party induced TO do il BY Mckays bill and report
of 1914 But this know, and will say, that was put
forth political peace Offering upon the tariff and that the
Northern people rallied the support Of the party in
numbers largely beyond those which had heretofore supported
il and that was expected By ,0hen tint Offering
made that tooM colciiate the Northern Dem0eyats and
have doubt that ENLISTED the support q thousands who
would not have sustained the party without it. Now them
put the Of the people Of North Carolina
who know love all their NORTH South, East and
Wostshether, under such circumstances bound to
violate my of duty, and contrary alike 70 this party
pledge and my sober judgment Senator TO assent
to an act which violated out and out the McKay bill Of
s44 when there public emergency TO require II and
national exgency to excuse it, and that when did most
confidently believe that the tariff act Of the present Con
gress was ITSELF unwise and full Of mischief to the Re
public Was my duty TO you or to the Democratic party
of North Caroline have done that And had no right
to resign and retire from Was bound 70 hod on 70 my
Office and put up the pretended that the Democrats OF
North Carolina had changed their minds and repudiaed Mc
Kays bill Of ls44 for and different measure IN $780,
or that people desired to pass the latter when Io
sooth did not know the fact to be and in my heart dd
moi believe Il So far from its being the case than
doubt whether thousands Of you have not taken Tor granted
Or been led believe, down to this day, that the " Mohay
bill" of 1874 the same thing that is called 50 IN is4o
whereas they different as light - from darkness o
nv constituents never required such things OF me- 10
Believe me- do bring into question the course
If other Democratic Senators who condemned the act and
fignt " saeo tnat
not few of them who did that Neither do mean py 'ns
to assa my friend Mr.. Mckay Far from It. iaey are my
friends personally ard politically and taking derent view
Of their duty they did wrong and IN defending my own
conduct intend not arragn theirs Whilst have pur-
sued the light of my conscience they have followed theirs In
questions of conscience, must be conceded pat uoD
Judge and every must stand or fall according as eacn
eves for himself So that not unequenty there are cases
where the circumstances may act derehuy' anu
yet both be guiltless " l ,a1F Y u
But what have said upon the history and purpose Of the
Mckay bi of 1874 did not form all Of my objection to
the new tariff Of 1896 Improperly named Mckays bill and
which SHALL for the sake Of discrimination more properly
call the " Experimental Tariff"
NY opinions shall be laid before you without Disguise and
you shall whether taken in connexon with an
ary and improper abandonment of the real Mckay Dill OF
1914 thew do not show that my hostility to the expert
mental tariff was faithful to you and my country ana uue
to myself and my party. MIA,
Fortunately for those opinions, so lar as hey
forward to its ultimate the harmony Of INC
party or the welfare of the Republic, am no longer unno
the necessity supporting by labored arguments FOR good
or evil the law has passed If should be repealed or moo
fed at the next session, that Will be OF se
cation of my opposition at the present should DC
Der mted to remain the form that was required 10
vote upon it, then will determine whether my opinion
right wrong abide the result without ear ye
know myself without wish evil come OF it, mere
" for the claiming hereafter the merit OF political sa
gacity for my resistance to 1t. $50
These, then, were my opinions, as they are now
First Our country is involved IN an expensive war ana
the among you cannot foresee It's Close we
large army invading Mexico and large navy OIL her COASTS
along the Pacific Ocean and in the Gulf OF Mexico Inc sum
already appropriated by Congress for the Government expeh
tures of the fiscal year exceeds FIFTY MILLIONS o.
Win the experimental tariff raise sufficient to pay
as we 90 " Certainly Congress knew that and there
fore authorized loan Of ten millions, at the very time we
passing this tariff and the first act OF the next session
will probably he for ten millions more WIN produce
revenue enough to pay half of the appropriations am
quite sure it will not Its advocates did not assert that will
do much Wherefore if this experiment works as wen
ass friends have predicted the VIII
ebt twenty millions this (hsca year 90 long as the
lasts such period of time after as the war ex
penses continue will be the thing But the expe
works lily its violent opponents have saa
it. why then it will hardly go all think the truth lies
between them II will work, but it will work badly, and
work you deeply in debt and il it is adhered to without al
eraon, the public debt viii be increased not much short OF
the rsyear, and can see no way 10 pre-
its yearly increase except by resort to direct taxes
Direct ought be last resorPubc deot IS
evil that abhor than ever since was member o.,
Congress and therefore the conclusion oil my MIND
that this tariff experiment ought not TO be tried and certainly
not this particular time. The acts OF Congress which
diminish revenue, but to increase the expenditures
did to be consistent with prudence IN any
Government especially in time OF war The tarrn
system, according my Judgment was most unnl SUBJECT
for party experiments and the Of yearly expenditure
Of fifty millions Of dollars, and Of foreign war; such expert
amounted to party rashness II the war should emo
soon, still the Government here we knew expected 70 em
it by treaty for and new eruiory VIZ Caior
MIA No honest country would take the territory without
paying the for and if would Mexico cannot yield
il upon any other Hence, whether we were 10 have
peace with Mexico needed much more money to
carry the Government When the planest rules oil ath-
nec and common thus compelled me to withhold my
support from tariff experiment TO be made now, at the cx-
pense of the nations credit how could hesitate
Secoad The tariff of 1912 ought to have been modified
but not by an act which reduced the duties early as the LIST
December. p
In all great alterations Of the tariff diminishing duties, the
reductions ought be made upon reasonable notice to the
pie whose property and business will be affected by them In
that there may be Inconvenience TO some but does not
bring ruin down upon many innocent people NOT giving
time infant factories destroyed by the hand OF legislation
and the older and establishments compelled
diminish their operations forthwith and consequently TO
discharge number of their aboers and reduce the wages OF
all The aborers suffer than the because they
less able to bear it. The sudden loss Of work will be to
many Of them and their families loss OF food and aiment
and that which the lawmaker commanded to pray forh
daily bread he would be thus rudey taking by law from
the woringman of his country And the experimental tariff
act was the more Objectionable nasmuch many Of
ymen the Northern laboer, who to suffer under it,
will be put Of employment in the beginning OF winter,
when other epIoymens viii be obtained with great difficulty
and the North the poor without labor and wages encoun-
degree Of suffering in that Indictment which we
no Just conception Of at the South You must see be-
70 you fully appreciate it. Also sudden alteration OF
the tariff must of necessity disturb the home market OF our
manufacturers coadgge and mechanics and involve hun
eds and thousands in losses some, ruin to Others and
suffering to many.
Even bad tariff law, then, should not be repealed 30 as
to fall down too hastily when its gradual abrogaon would
create less the Government and It's sudden
change may Cypress the poor do injustice TO any section
The ought have compassion all the people,
particularly upon the abong classes The manufacu
the North all " Abbott Lawences, whose for
Lo.. a. n Ibc