The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-23
that there must be shown TO be special

that there be shown TO be special considerations
either Of policy or justice for their eoptinuancs.
am about 10 act upon the assumption that during
the last three years. there has been in this country
an increased productiyeness of revenue, notwIth-
standing that there has been remission Of heavy
taxaIloni eheers that there has BEEN an increased
demand for labor; that there has been increased
commercial activity and that there has been in
crease OF comfort, happiness, and cOntentment in
this country, loud cheers, chiefly from the oppos-
!Ion benches do not say that these great blessings
have necessarily been catsed ~ any particular Dol
icy whlchyou may have adopted, but this say that
me enjoyment Of these ineslmable blessings has
been concurrent with your legislation with the plan
and policy, mean, Of repeating prohibilory and re.
duclng protective duties. | am not now therefore by
PTashg man plan and policy, about To call upon the
House OF Commons TO recede from any portion of a
course which has been sanctioned by thu house h gill
be Tor the house 10 consider whether this course has
been productive Of public good; and, if so, il will
be but consistent to preseyere in IT, Sir am at the
same time, IN advising continued application of
those principles, not about TO discard those other
recommendations contained in her Maesty's speech
namely, that in the adoption Of new principles
we should be careful of the public credit, taking
care not 10 endanger it, and not to cause any
loss 10 the permanent revenue Neither sir, have /
lost sight of another recommendation, that in the
application of sound principles, we should act with
so much Precauuon and fOrbearance as that we
should not prejudice any of the great interests Of
the country. This will be, hope scarcely render
ed necessary, for the great interests will not be pre-
JUDGED by the proposal am about to make A6oy,
all, trust that the recommendation Of her Majesty
WIN be attended TO, and that this subject will receive
the patient and dlspasslonate consideration of the
House ! have already stated, in answer to the
question put TO me by an honorable gentlemant lha
| do not intend asking the House Of Commons tC
pronounce any opinion tonight upon the entire Of
any part Of the proposals am about to submit to
their consideration II is, on the contrary the wish
OF her MsIestys government thai the whole of those
| proposals may be dspass6nately and deliberately
considered and weighed | am about TO touch &C
many interests IN those proposals, that some hon.
orable gentleman may be induced TO dissent from
them, and to consider me rash and improyident Il
that should be the prevailing impression of thos,
who are unwilling TO renqulsh the principle of pro
lection, nothing can be easy than upon the
night when 1t will be my duty to ask the House tc
pronounce AN opinion upon the question: for them Il
place upon record their protest against il. At IN,
outset the proposal will be some such resolu
ton as this: not that protection TO any branch o
industry il advisable, but this comprehensive one
that protection 10 native industry is in itself gooC
lhearil or It may be on the other hand that consid
erlng all the great difficulties OF this queston-con
sdering the variety Of opinion upon il, ant
the nature Of the contest which has been so Ions
waged and which, fear, will long continue, unles
there be early and satisfactory adjustment Of il
scheme | am about to propose may be disposed Il
accept II as a settlement, and that the voice Of tn
country may pronounce upon 1t as whole, 'Thi
Is not an unequitable unwise ad ustment and
rather than continue a perpetual conflict we will re
celye it," II that be the conclusion or the reasona
bic and intelligent of all classes OF the community
shall have confidence OF ultimate success IT, Gl
the contrary, touch so many interests by the appl
cation OF the great principle that protective duties
are not IN themselves abstractedly good, and ought Il
be reinquished, another fate will await my propo
ston, and the it is disposed Of the better 70
the public good. Sir, in the relaxation Of prolec
tive duties, am not about to select any one partic
ular isterest am not about 10 select the great in
terest connected with the agriculture of the country
and call upon them to relinqush their protection
whilst forbearing to call upon other interests to re
lInqulsh theirs. Loud cheers. Mine is no sepa
rate, isolated proposal Convinced that the propose
am about to make is a just and wise one, will as
all TO make the sacrifice if it be sacrifice Of thei
protective privileges. Loud cheers from both side
Of the house, but chiefly from the opposition seats
Sir, the House is aware that, during the last tire
years, what is called the tariff has been amended
and that in so doing, the whole scheme Of custom
duties has been submitted TO the reyiewal and cor
sideration Of the House In 1872 it was my duty
as the organ Of the government, to propose grea
changes IN the then existing system of customs duties
The general principle Of The plan on which then aci
ed was to remove the duties upon articles of raw
industry. The principle of that plan also was, tn
subjecting generally the manufactured articles tn
effect Of the labor of other countries to duties no
exceeding 20 per cent. Not only in 1912 but at
subsequent period, the house adopted the prncipl
upon which had acted in lS42. Notwithstanding
the apprehension Of failing revenue, we selected
articles being raw materials for the remission of tax
alton. In 1874 we reduced altogether the duty up
on wool. In lo45 reduced altogether the dut,
upon cotton. There hardly remains a nnateria
imported from other countries the duty upon which
has not been diminished or removed The manu-
facturers Of this country therefore, have at prcsen
an advantage which they never before possessed
They have free access TO the raw material which
constitutes the fabric of their articles of manufac
ture, and consider that am entitled, therefore t.
call-upon the manufacturers to relinquish the ad
vantagcs which they now derive from protection
Loud cheers from both sides. The manufacturer ha
now advantages which he never before possessed
Ii might have been feared that dminution of rev
enue would have ensued from the import Of cottor
wool free of the duty which existed in 1914. Blu
the house was sensible that to the continuance Of j
there were objections, in consequence of the form
dable competition which was arising in other places
The house disregarded the revenue derveable from
1t, and removed the 100000 or f700 600 of dut,
which it annually paid They wished to establish
the stability of the manufacture Of articles from
sheep and cotton wool, and to place them upon
stable and sure foundation. They, therefore, re
mitted an amount of duty so easily levied and s,
little complained of that it scarcely excited the com
plant of any great body of the people. Both will
regard TO the removal Of duty from sleeps WOO
and cotton wool this house subjected its member
and the country to the imposition of an income-tax
out of consideration to the manufacturing inter
ests and thus it was that they removed the du
ty upon those articles Sir, | mean in tn,
first instance, in taking that review of duties
still existing to which are invited by
her Majesty, to continue to act on this prin
ciPle. ] propose to take the articles of raw ma
teria first shall begin with them in order to still
further justify myself calling upon the manufac
turers to reinquish the amount of protection whcl
they still possess. Sir, | hardly know any article
ofraw material still liable to duty except tallow ant
timber. '[tlear, hear. Sir, with respect to talow
which Is IN the nature of a raw material from il
being staple largely used in manufactures of grea
Importance, being used in the making of soap anc
candles, and in the dressing of leather, propose t,
begin by reducing the duty which is still left upor
it. Russia is the country from which chiefly tn,
importation of talow is made. Some also comci
from the United States, and there is at present ,
duty upon it of IS. ID per cwt. This subject wal
adverted to in the of the last session mainl,