Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-08-01

needed unoo that floor and he (M Az should think that he
owed an apology the Senate Tor Offering word on the sub
ect had he preceded by other gentlemen lie be-
eyed wear would pass away before all men, OF all par
ties would concur rendering to that gentleman the highest
degree of appreciation.
The subject here dropped.
THE TARIFF BILL.
Mr. LEWIS from the Committee Finance, whoru
was committed the bill modify the tariff, with instructions
to the duties imposed by said bill in all
where any foreign material is taxed to the prejudice OF
any mechanic manufacturer, that other higher
duty shall be collected any such material than is pro-
ved by the act Of August 80, 1912 and further so to re-
guae all the duties imposed by this bill to raise reve
sufficient for the exgencies of the country reported
back the BILL and asked be discharged from the further con-
sideration of the above instructions
Mr.. EVANS said that in herePor made by the chairman
of the Committee Finance, he as member oil that com
mee, had not concured and there was another member be-
sides himself who did not concur IN any more han me- ne
should like know Of the for making such
a report he had heard of the committee. lie
should like hear Why after the Senate OF the United States
had by majority of the body ordered one OF Its committees
TO do a certain act why that that committee had mel
Their done the act directly, made any effort to do He
did think the chairman of the committee had
folded papers delivered to him by the Secretary Of the
Senate. He was opposed to dschargng the committee.
Mr.. LEWIS, the chairman of the Committee on Finance,
said that the resolution of such indefinite charac
ter that had there been time in compliance with it.
the committee could not have told to what articles was in
tended to apply. 1t difficult to tell what articles de-
sgnaed by the term material. He supposed that iron
was a MATERIAL and wool, and hemp If
the resolution intended apply these articles,
pance with must have set aside the whole work OF
the bill He thought under the circumstances that the
mtee fully jusfed in asking to be discharged from
further consideration of the resolution, nasmuch the hon.
orae Senator from Delaware Mr. CLAYroS) had openly
avowed when he moved it. that it intended for the de-
srucion Of the BILL If the bill be destroyed ne
thought that the committee might least ask not to BE made
the executioners of their bill
Mr.. R. JOHNSON said that he understood One chairman
OF the committee say virtually that the reason why the COM
mee did not act in obedience to the instructions the Se
nate that those instructions calculated 10 deieat the
bill
Mr. LEWIS Were intended 10 defeat IT.
Mr. JOHNSON. The chairman said they were intended
defeat the BILL because such intention had been avowed
by the Senator from Delaware and the commtee were iree
from anv ocaton 10 obey the instructions because if those
instructions should be carried out the whole frame of the bill
must be changed Now, Mr. j. desired TO know what right
committee of the had to refuse TO obey instructions
imposed on them by the Senate because in their own opin
ion those change the whole character of
a bill they had reported. Suppose they did, what then
That was the question which had been decided The
Senate after deberaton and full discussion Of the whole
rnser had determined instruct the committee and the
instructions required change in the bill then the Senate had
determined that such change should be made The duty Of
the committee ministerial They were not to Judge OF
the instructions but to carry them out 81
Another given by the chairman that these in
strucons indefinite in their and the committee
refused carry them because impossible for them
determine what articles designated materials
This certainly extraordinary declaration TO
from the chairman of Committee Finance. The nstruc-
directed them take up the bill of 1912 and find out
what articles enumerated in that bill consisting of mate
rails employed by manufactures in the United States then
left free of duty and TO insert the same IN the new bill as free
articles and then examine what materials were taxed
higher by this bill than by the act of s42 and to bring down
the upon them to that standard.
Mr.. j. would venture say that process like this might
as well be accomplished in two days in two years Why
had not the committee made the attempt He asked his
friend (r EvAss say whether any effort had been made
10 the committee to comply with the instructions The in
strucons ordered by the Senate five o'clock last
ing, and the committee did not meet till nine this morning.
and here the chairman into the Senate and asked to be
discharged from these because he would not under
take comply with that portion OF them which had relation
material Tho committee arsnnh rnnld not tell
what was intended by material Why, was there any
difficulty in any of understanding what
was meant by material employed in manufactures in the
United States But if the chairman was SO wholly unin-
formed as not know thus much let him go to the Depart
ment and there examine what articles come IN free OF
duty material Surely when he had found out what
these articles were there could be further difficulty
plying with the directions given.
But the required the committee to do than
this They directed them find out what amount OF duty would
be sufficient produce such amount OF revenue as was
quired by the eXigences of the country Did require any
great effort do this The country wanted certain amount
Of money be raised by duties The chairman could find
oct how much this by applying the Secretary of the
Treasury who had himself made estimate OF that amount
When be got the sum, then all the committee had to do
themselves work in and arrange the amount
of dues provide that He hoped the instructions
would be continued and that the oil committee
be discharged from them would not be complied with.
Mr. SPEIGHT said sufficient for his purpose that
majority Of the committee had ordered such request be made
He would give his why he thought ought to be
complied with other gentlemen might give theirs. We had
but eight Legislative days of the present after this
day The latter clause Of these instructions struck at the
whole BILL and required the committee TO report entirely
tariff They to arrange the duties to raise
sufficient TO meet the exgencies Of the country
Would the honorable Senator from Maryland be good enough
tell the Senate what the instructions meant by that phrase
the exigencies Of the country Did it include only the ord
it intended the whole amount of the annual
In either event. great adopts the members Of the
Finance Committee might figures and however learned
in the matters Of the revenue they could make the requ
site calculations in week They could not within that
time find out what would be needed and digest
the bill TO distribute that due proportion each
article taxed Yet the committee required by the
luton to go TO work and prepare and report tariff
BILL TO be discussed by both Houses-when Both Houses
had by resolution fixed upon the tenth Of August the day
for their adjournment The had done this indeed
contrary to Mr. SIS vote and the very state Of things which
he had predicted in consequence Of fixing had
BY the who fixed upon that day the Finance Com
mtee urged TO themselves work and prepare
new bill Did any in his believe that in the |
short time which yet remained such instruction this
could be complied with The committee certainly did
and they had accordingly reported back the bill which
they had before brought into the Senate and had instructed
their chairman TO ask that they might be discharged from the
resolution Of instructions. If however, the Senate should
refuse discharge Them they would go and exhaust the
residue OF the session in cndeavoring comply with but
when they had done Mr. s. predicted the day Of ad
md 6p1 thae