Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-08-07

WILMINGTON. n. c.. FRIDAY. AUGUST =, 1916

REMARKS OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
GEORGE M. DALLAS. ON GIVING
THE CASTING VOTE IN FAVOR OF
THE NEW TARIFF BILL.
In the U. S. Senate on Tuesday, the
18th July, when the yeas and nays were
taken on ordering the new Tariff Bill TO
be engrossed for third reading, the vote
stood ~ to %. The Vice President who
had the casting vote, then rose and said
The Senate being equally divided on
this Important question, may be INDUCED
in briefly stating the principal reasons for
the vote | am required by the constitution
10 give.
Excluded from any participation in Tor
ming or modifying. the bill. am bound
to sanction Or condemn it exactly in the
shape in which it stands. The RESPONSE
bility is deeply felt. 1t belongs, however,
TO The office assigned to me by my fellow
citizens, and will be assumed with frank
ness, and, hope, Not unbecoming firm
ness. The consequences Of my decision,
either way, may seriously affect the coun-
try. No one can entertain, as TO that, a
profounder solcitude. But, after summon
ing TO my aid the best purposes and bes!
lights that can command, the consequent
ces, be they what they may, must be haz-
arded.
The system for obtaining the revenue
necessary TO support their government is
established, directly or Indirectly, by the
people of the United States, within the
limits, and agreeably TO the prescribed
> forms Of the constitutions. Whatever is as
certained TO be their will on the subject
y all should undoubtedly acquiesce in. Tha
3, there are known and approved modes by
which their will is expressed, cannot be
questioned; and the public officer who
reads that will with CANTOR and integrity
may feel assured that he conforms to the
institutions Of his country when he make;
it the guide Of his conduct. To my mine
ample proof has been furnished that ma
jori,y of the people and Of The States de
sire to change, to great extent, in prin
s. cipIe, if not fundamentally, the system
heretofore pursued in assessing the dutie
Oh foreign imports. That majority ha
manifested itself in various ways, and
attested by its representatives in the othe
house of Congress, by whom This bill ha
been approved, and whose votes undeni;
bly, indicate the popular sense in The larg
proportion of eighteen out of twenty-eigi
States. In this Senate an analysis of Il,
vote before me discioses that while 81
States (Ohio, Virginia, New Hampshire
Georgia, Michigan, and Maine) are equa
Iy divided. eleven Louisiana, pennsyIv
MIA, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusett
N. Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, NJ
ryiand, N. G.. and Vermont,) are ayains
and eleven ARKANSAS, Missouri, Alabam
Illinois. Indiana. South Carolina, Missi
sippi, New York, Texas, Tennessee, al
Florida} are for The change. Peculiar
situated as [ am in my relation to the n
tional Legislature, these impressive fac
cannot be overlooked. In case free fro
constitutional objection, could not jus
fiiablv counterfeit, by sort of official vel
The general will.
The struggle to exert without abateme
the constitutional power OF taxation in su
manner as to protect by high duties
ave imports many Of the productions of Q
sole own soil and labor from the competition
'i'i' other countries, has endured for more til
. thirty years. During that period sys,'
!. Of high taxation has prevailed with fiuc
n atoms OF success and failure. 1t is as
L gorously and as exactingly insisted up
-. % now as ever; and indeed it would seem
,IsJ some instances, as if the longer the adv
w's tage Of particular tax was enjoyed,
we'll stronger became tie desire for its con-
nance, and even its augmentation. A
yet it ought TO be remembered that this
,red ercise of the taxing power by which
as great mass of consumers are made TO sv
the profits of few branches Of indus,
was originally intended to be temposa
ress to be continued only SO long as its con
~, -, uance was necessary to the industrial
- Dependence and safety Of the whole r
If pie. Such was the language, the incu
$ Of ton, the spirit, in which it was propo
,ves, and justified by its earliest and wi
watts, friends. The design was to foster fee
,:y "nfaat" manufactures, especially sue
n Of were esse'l'lal ~ VIC "o'0".o VI '''o ~
try ia-ti,ne of war. In this design,
0. people have persevered until, with so
t rom. but not weighty~ exceptions, these
49, nlinns have taken depn root, have bee