The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-12-23
COMMUNICATIONS.
The Tariff and Warehouse biIi-AIso Robert Peel
and Mr. webster's Policy.

CONGRATULATIONS
The TaEi1 and house biIi-AIso Sir Robert Peel
and Mr.. webster's Policy.
NO. H.
The great and important interests OF our country are
agriculture, commerce, and manufactures The latter
bears no comparison in consequence and value either
OF the Others but, strange TO say the legislation OF
country Tor the last thirty years has been mainly directed
70 the advancement Of that interest Indeed il has been
but too partial and onesi1ed and il may fairly be asked
what special iayors Congress has conferred either agr
culture Or commerce, beyond those absolutely called oI
on purely national grounds broad and distinct without
being marked by favortsm or partialityi They have
been mainly self sustained; and with noble resolution
to be independent OF legislative aid they have sconed to
so with the manufacturers for myra1s of weak and rick
city establishments have been fostered BY the natona
legislature whilst our commerce has been paralyzed-
nay seriously lnured-by the illjudged Parnay eyneed
to the great American system" And il this potent ele
nent IN our power and influence as nation has suffered
rcultgTe, BY natural sympathy, has quickly and
kesnly ielt the wrongs inflicted on commerce;
True is, the warehouse bill passed for the bene-
NJ OF commerce at the last session OF Congress and al
though the boom If II were one. was called for by every
consideration Of sound national policy (when we adye
to the mutiarous interests connected with commerce.
yet was not conceded without violent struggle the
part OF the manufacturing interest 10 defeat IT, The self
shness OF the "American-sysem" gentlemen had nearly
accomplished this and, as is, they have made il almost
an abortion. Its provisions are garngy defective and
the period TO which is restricted too short to be OF
senha benefit to our ports the Atlantic or the Gulf Of
they wish TO confer substantial benefit the commerce
OF the country the period for warehousng goods must be
extended to TWO years. and the general provisions of the
bill greatly Iberalized In IFS present shape il is too
much OF the hybrid order-a warehouse bill and not
warehouse bIl-a favor reluctantly given and loaded
with restrictions and penalties which go far to neualze
its benefits
With warehouse system similar to that of England in
all its liberal features, commerce would flourish and
would increase but adopt the willy sugges-
tons of the manufacturers who ecrean to their
nd IN al
and everything which seems in their Judgment TO initiate
against their interest the whole will be nuled and
dered utterly useless II they cannot destroy, they will
emasculate. Their policy is emphaticaly the Chinese
policy and II they could encircle our vast country with
wall OF PRoHIBTIoN- pains and penalties, If not with
stone and morar-they would, like those who are their
very type, denounce all who were not OF "outside
barbarans" and interdic them from bringing anything
here, whether were opium or dry goods, crockery
hardware, &c Their aim has been abundanty obvious
ever since 1916, when the much vaunted System be-
came the pet OF our national legislation.
We have borrowed much from the land of our ances.
tors and might be well for both countries perhaps, il
we borrowed more. Our language is the same well
whole social organization in all its essential iea-
lures religion, too, and that noble system Of uris-
prudence which Mansfield and Murray, as we'll
Marshall and Kent, have adorned by their virtues and
their learning We have borrowed much from their sys-
tenn OF legislaton-much OF good with much OF evil also
much that we ought to strike from statute book
that great country has struck from hers No where
is the science OF government better understood than
there. We speak not OF forms of government, but the
science Of we may so speak, OF legislation, BY and
through the action Of which the comfort and happiness
of the whole people may be promoted without derment
to one class another By other country is its
merce more warmly cherished than by England, for to
this she mainly her wealth and her power
Her warehousng system has been mighty auxiliary to
her vastly extended Go to her government
docks, her government warehouses and immense wine
vaults in Lonion--you have formed feeble and most
imperfect conception OF her proligous wealth and
sources until you have examined them-and you will no
longer wonder at the amazing energy she has displayed
in her wars OF recent PERIOD when that which was her
very lfes blood HER coMMERcE-suppied her with so
vast portion OF the means required for her operations,
offensive defensive With the extension and improve
ment OF the warehouse SYSTEM the commerce OF England
has ourished but for this IT would have increased
rapidly and her farseeng statesmen too sagacious
to cripple that great arm OF her power by curtaing the
facilities which 50 imperatvey demands by every
sideTation due TO nations welfare. ..
Nothing is more prejudicial to our interests than
vac ating policy-nothng more injurious than unceas
ing change; what appears with us to be settled to-day is
aoat Tomorrow and caprlcous Legislation makes sport
of that which ought to be fixed and enduring-at least
until experience proves that the interests OF the lcho
country demand change. There is quackery in legis
lation as well in other matters and if the vital inter-
ess OF millions did not suffer by their experiments,
state empires might go on dd Abitum in administering
their nostrums. We would laugh at their folly, if
could not commend their wisdom. That our commerce
has suffered, grevousy suffered by the exacons OF the
manufacturing interest in past years, is undenabe
and that to her strong recuperave energies alone she
has been mainly indebted for the position she holds
is equally true; but let state doctors go with
their admirable succelaneums-their purgng and blood
letting, their styptCs and bandagng, soon too soon, the
process of exhaustion may commence and the victim die
under the infection reduced revenue and an empty
treasury will proclaim the folly of Solons recourse
to direct taxation Must be had if the expenses of govern
ment are be betrayed population, on no mean and
rhing scale, must be proclaimed and practsed.
That the manufacturers are resolved on change OF
tariff policy is no longer matter OF doubt In
Ueritas strong voice has proclaimed it from the festive
board in the city OF brothery love- and the first de-
monsraon OF the monopolss is to be made coal and
IRON Since the decree has gone forth from the CHINESE
HALL, "a fitting theatre for proclamng tariff dogmas
il behooves the congressional friends of liberal policy
unfettered by restrictions unwse they selfish and
mpolltc, to stand up like men, statesmen of large and
liberal views, and vindcate the work they have only
commenced. Some statesmen well lawyers have
happy faculty in making the appear the better
cause; and truth not always necessary ingredient
in their arguments they draw freely your credulty
with the ready belief that you will protest their drafts
Mr. Websters great freetrade speech of 1924 stands
sorry contrast with his great speech of
1916, Illuminated from Chinese Hall" 1t is painful to
see and hear great man making confession of his
political offences in advanced life, and still painful
and distressing to hear him the very words he had
previously uttered as the TRUTH. Political consistency
involves something OF moral honesty, and should not be
lightly hazarded without the most urgent and pressing
reasons .... ... ........... . ....
If Mr. Webster has abured the faith which he once
advocated with ardent zeal and burning eoquence, many
still welded to the opinions which he skilfully
them with in 1924 Great is his success
as a pleader he cannot induce them to exchange the
honest convictions of Daniel Webster in 1924 for the
honest convictions OF Daniel Webster in 1915 We
sign no explanation OF the singular
advert to'Daniel Webster uersus Daniel Webster but
49,, he