Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-25

in North Carolina, without exception, applauded
it; the Democratic parry zealcusly approved oil
it throughout our Limits. If there was single
one Of them who did not, am vel 10 learn The
fact. Hundreds, il not thousands, of the other
party in our Stale gave their approving voice IN
its favor. Our elections in 1874 and in lS45, all
OF them, were conducted upon that basis, SO far
as the tariff question entered into them al ALL
Every intelligent man in The nation knows The
fact, that the fall elections OF 1874, and those IN
the spring OF lS45, throughout the United states.
for members to the present Congress were carried
on, il not upon the same basis, with knowledge
of that bill and report. The North saw in il
pledge of the South and West that we did not
mean to break down and Cypress The labor and
industry of the North and East; the South saw
in it reasonable concession 10 their demand ior
practical free trade; the people every where saw
in it the hope Tor moderate legislation, and the
prospect OF a permanent arrangement OF cues
ton that had been agiialing the nation for quar-
ter OF a century; and il your memory still serves
you with a recollection OF any of the speeches of
our candidates for the last Legislature or the pre-.
sent Congress- made in North Carolina only
year ago, beg 10 know whether II was not uni.
tormly procla lined that all tine Democrats were
going in favor oil "Mckay's bill" OF 1874 Bear
10 mind, ,ha, the "McKay bill" OF 1874 and The
mchdy OIL Ol lStO dSlSS III Jul uiS
name, as will show you hereafter.
And what, let me ask, was The result Of all
lhisl In the North, as we'll as in The South and
West, the elections 10 The present Congress end
ed iavorably 10 the Democratic party. De-
mocralic majority of more than sixty were re-
turned TO The House OF Representatives. The
same party held a majority in the Senate And
Democratic President, nominated alter The
mckay bilr' of 1914 had been framed and
approved by The party, was elected by the votes
OF States in the North as well as the Souih-a
Southern and Western President, whom we
could not have elected without the votes OF
Northern States. OF course, cannot undertake
10 affirm, as fact, that the Northern States which
voted Tor the Democratic party were induced
to do il by McKays bill and report OF l84i. Bui
this know and will say, that il was put forth
as political peace offering upon the tariff,
ana that The Northern people at once rallied 10
the support OF the party in numbers largely
beyond those which had Heretofore support
ed il, and that il 'ras expected By us fctea that
.fcv,ng ,cds made, that II could concliiatc tie
Northern Democrats; and have no doubt that
it enlisted the support Of thousands who would
not have sustained the party without il =
Now, then, put it 10 the conscience OF The
people OF North Carolina-who, know, love all
their country, North, South, East, and West
bound 10 violate my sense of duty, and, contra
ry alike to This pany-pedge and 10 my own So
Der judgment as Senator, 10 assent 10 an act
which violated out and out the "McKay bill" oil
1914 when there was no public emergency 10 re-
quire it, and no national exgcncy 10 excuse il.
and that, when did most confidently believe that
the new tariff act OF the present Congress was in IL
self unwise and full oi misc hief 10 The republic
Was il my duty TO you, or 10 the Democratic par
~ of North Carolina, 10 have done that? And
had no right 10 resign and retire from il +? Was
bound 10 hold on TO my Office, and put up the pre-
tended excuse that the Democrats OF North Caro-
lima had changed their minds, and repndiated
"McKay's bill' Of 1874, for new and different
measure in 1876 7-or that The people desired me
70 pass the latter, when, forsoolh, did not know
the fact 10 be SO, and in my heart did not believe
III So far from its being The case, more than
doubt whether thousands of you have not taken il
for granted or been led 10 believe, down TO this
day, that the mckay bill" flS44 was the same
thing that is called So in 1916; whereas they are
as different as light is from darkness. No, my
constituents never required such things of me.
Believe me, do not mean 10 bring into CUES.
lion The course OF other Delnoci ac Senators who
condemned The act, and ye, gave il their vote
Il is nv right TO state that there were not few OF
them who did that Neither do mean BY this TO
assail nv friend MIR. Mckay. Far from it,
They are my friends personally and politically
and in taking .fferent view OF their duty, they
did me no wrong; and in defending my own con-
dict, intend not 10 araign theirs. Whilst
have pursued the light OF my conscience, they
have followed theirs. In questions OF conscience
il must be conceded that Con is The judge, and
every man must stand or fall according as each
believes for himself So that no, unlreqnently
there are cases where men in the same circum-
stances NAV act differently, and yet both be gnill-
less
Bu, what have said upon the history and pur-
nose Of, The aMcKay bill" OF 1914 did mol form all
II ny nheclion 10 the new tariff Of 1916 impro-
nerly named "McKay's bili;" and which shall,
for The sake oil discrimination, more properly call
the experimental tariff"
NV opinions shall be laid before you without
disguise, and you shall see whether, taken in con-
uexien, with an unnecessary and improper aban-
donment of the real Mckay bill oil 1874, they do
no. show that in my hostility 10 The experimental
tariff, was faithful TO you and my country, and
true TO myself and my party.
Fortunately for me, those opinions, so far as
thew looked forward 10 its ultimate consequences
ON The harmony of the party, or The welfare ofthe
republic, am no longer under The necessity OF
supporting by abored arguments For good or
evil. the law has passed. II il should be re-
pealed or modified at the nexl session, that will be
Of selfa complete vindication OF my opposition
10 i, at The present Ii it should be permilled 10
remain in force in The form that | was required
10 vote upon it, then time will soon determine
whether my opinion OF i, was right or wrong. /
abide The result without fear; yet, il know my
self, without wish to see evil come OF IT. mere
" for the sake Of claiming hereafter The merit OF
political sagacity for my resistance 10 il.
These. then, were my opinions, as they are now:
First. Our country is involved in an expensive
war. and the wisest among you cannot toresee its
close. Wehaye large army invading Mexico,
and a large navy of her coasts, along the Pacfic
Ocean and in the Gulf OF Mexico. The sum
already appropriated by Congress for he govern
men, EXPENDITURES of The fiscal year. exceeds FIJI.
~ MILLIONS of dollars. Will the experimental
,arjfraise revenue sufficient 10 'pay as we so?'
Certainly not Congress knew that, and, there
fore, authorized loan Of ten millions at The very
time we were passing this tariff, and Inc hrst act
of the next session will probably be one Tor Ten
millions more! Will it produce revenue enough
TO pay one-aalf of The appropriations am quite
sure il will moi. lis advocates did not assert inat
i, will do much more. Wherefore, il this expert
ment works as well as its warmest friends have
predicted, the government will fall in debt twenty
i've millions this (6scaD year So long as The
war lasts and for such period OF time alter II
as The war expenses continue, II will be the same
thing. But if the experiment works as lily as its
more violent opponents have said of it, why, then
il will hardly 60 at all. think The truth lies be-
tween them. Il will work, but it will work bad
ly, and work you deeply in debit and if il is adbe-
red 10 "wilhout alteration" The public debt will be
increased, not much short OF THIRTY MILLIONS Inc
first year, and l can see no way to prevent It's
yearly increase, except by resort to direct taxes
Direct taxes ought TO be our very last resort.
Public debt is an evil that ] abbor more than
ever since | was member OF Congress; and
therefore it was the conclusion Of my mind, that
this tariff experiment ought not TO be tried, and
certainly not al this particular time. The acts
of Congress which went 10 diminish the reye-
nue., but to increase the expenditures, did not
seem to me to be consistent with prudence in
any government, more especially in time OF
war. The tariff syslem according 10 my judg-
ment, was most unfit subjec, for party expert
men,s; and, at the time OF a yearly expenditure
of fifty millions of dollars, and Of foreign war,
such experiments amounted to party rashness.-
If the war should end soon, still the Government