The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-08-29
Hon. VIM. III. HAYWOOD's
r Z A s O N S
for Resigning on the Tariff
Question.

sent on the 9th ult. rather than vote for the
New Tariff, holding himself bound by Legis-
latye Instructions not to vote against it. Mr..
III. was ferocously denounced for his course
in the House next day. and thereupon declar-
ed that he should give his reasons in full for
his course at proper season. That pledge
has been fulfilled in "An Address to the Peo-
ple ofNorth Carolina" which has just reach
ed us. tits frank, forcible and must TO thou
sands be conclusive. We have room only for
Mr.. Haywoods reasons for opposing the New
Tariff bill, which are us follows:
First. Our country is involved in an eXpen-
sive war. and the wisest among you cannot
foresee its close. We have n large army in
vadiag Mexico and large navy of her COASTS
along the Pnciic Ocean and in the Gulf Of
Mexico. The sum already appropriated by
Congress for the Government expenditures Of
the fiscal year, exceeds fifty millions of dol
lars. Will the Experimental Tariff raise rev.
enue sufficient TO 'pny as we go?" Certainly
not Congress knew that, and, therefore, au-
thoriZed loan of ten millions, at the very
time we were passing this Tariff and the first
act of the next session will probably be one
for ten millions more! Will it produce rev.
enue enough TO pay one half of the appropri-
ations? i am quite sure it will not. Its ad-
vocates did not assert that it will do much
more Wherefore, if this experiment works
ms well as its warmest friends have predicted,
the Government will fall in debt twenty five
millions this (fiscal) year. So long as the war
lasts and for such a period of time after It as
the war expenses continue, it will be the same
thing. But ifthe experiment works as lily as
its more violent opponents have said OF IT,
why, then it will hardly go at all. Think the
truth lies between them. 1t will work, but
it will work badly and work you deeply in
debt. and if it is adhered TO ''without altera-
zion" the public debt will be increased not
much short OF thirty millions the first year,
and can see no honest way to prevent its
yearly increase, except by n resort TO d.
RECT TAXES.
Direct taxes ought to be our very last re-
sort-Public debt is an evil that abhor, more
than ever, since was Il member OF Congress-
and therefore it was the conclusion OF my
mind, that this Tariff Experiment ought moi
to be tried: and certainly not at this particular
time The acts ofa Congress which went TO
diminish the revenue, but TO increase the eH-
pcnditures, did not seem 10 Inc TO be consis-
tent with prudence in any Government, more
especially i'm a time of war. The Tariffsystem
according to my Judgment, was most unht
subject for party experiments; and, mt the time
OF yearly expenditure offifty millions OF dol
lars and of foreign war, such experiments
amounted to party rnshncss. ii the war
should end soon, sui the Government here,
we knew, expected TO terminate It by treat
v for peace and new territory, viz: California.
No honest country would take the territory
without paying the owner for it, and five
would, Mexico cannot yield il upon any other
terms. Hence, whether we were TO have
pence or war with Mexico, we needed much
more money 10 carry on the Governments
When the pluinest rules of arithmetic and
common sense thus compelled me 10 withhold
my support from Tariff experiment, to be
made now, Mt the expense ofthe Nations cred
it, how could1 hesitate?
Second. The Tariff of 1912 ought to have
been modified, but not by an act which reduc-
ed the duties as early as the LIST of December.
In all great alterations of the Tariff dimin-
ishing duties, the reductions ought to he made
upon reasonable notice to the people, whose
property and business will be affected by them
In that case, there may be Inconvenience to
some, but it does not BRING RUIN down up
on so many innocent people. Not giving time,
infant factories are destroyed by the hand of
legislation and the older and more mature es-
Establishments, are compelled TO diminish their
operations forthwith, & consequently to DIS
CHARGE a number of their LABORERS,&
REDUCE the WAGES OF ALL. The Ia
borers suffer more than the owners, because
they are less able to bear it. The sudden
Loss of works WILL be TO many of them
and their families loss of food and raiment;
and that which the law maker is commanded
to pray for-his "daily bread, '-he would be
thus rudely taking by law from the WORK
INGMAN of his country. And the expert
mental Tariff act was the more. Objectionable.
inasmuch as many of our countrymen-the
Northern LABORERS, who are to SUFFER
under twill be put out ofEMPLOYMENT
in the beginning of winter, when other en-
Payments will be obtained with greater diff
Guilty; and at the North, the POOR, whenwith
out LABOR and WAGES, encounter de-
gree of Suffering, i'll that Indictment season,
which we have no just conception ofat the
South You must see it, before you can fully
appreciate it. Also, u sudden alteration ofthe
Tariff must, of necessity, disturb the home
market of our manufacturers, coal diggers,
and mechanics, and involve HUNDREDS and
THOUSANDS LOSSES to some, RUIN
to others; and SUFFERING TO many.
Even a bad Tariff law, then, should not be
repealed so as to fall down too hastily, when
its gradual abrogation would create less in
convenience to the Government, and its sud-
den change may CYPRESS the POOR, or
do injustice to any section. The Government
ought to have compassion on all the people,
and particularly upon the laboring classes
The manufacturers at the North are not all
"Abbott Lawrences," whose fortune has been
the theme of so many Tariff speeches. The
Compromise Tariff Act, under General jack
son, in 1888, reduced the duties gradually and
periodically for nine years. 10 gave nine years
notice. This Experimental Tariff will reduce
all the duties upon only four months notice!
The latter was HARSH, CRUEL, UNJUST