Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-08-28
ADDR EsS
ADDR ESS
oE THE
HON. WILLIAM H. HAYWOOD, JR.,
PEOPLE OF NORTH CAROLINA

| IEOThE OF NORIH CAkOLINA
! have never appeared before the public, by
myself or otherwise to write down an accusa-
ton against me, but have hitherto chosen to
pear unjust Tebuke in silence, and RELY upon
time, and my manner Of life, to consign to
oblivion the whisperings of the envious and
the caIumnies of the malignant. do not af-
fect to conceal, that departure from this rule
gives me much pain; and am persuaded that
1t many of my friends did not think that it is
a duty owe TO the people not to remain ST.
lent, under the recent censure Of frenzied par
tisans, should leave it, as far as concerns me,
to my known character, and the selfdenying
act which has provoked it, to vindicate the pa
trlotlsm and purity of my motives; reposing
confidently upon the dscernment and iudg-
ment OF an intelligent public, in view of the
simple facts as they occurred; and not doubt
ing, that so soon as the occasion had passed
by, and there was no longer a necessity for
overawlng others, who, it might have been
supposed, were more timid in their purpose,
and no chance to deceive the people at the
North Carolina elections, by interruptions IL
bells against me, my assailants would cease
from their "dirty work." and bad men, who
measure the motives of the vrtuous by stand
ard OF morals which vice has erected in their
own bosoms, would go hunting after some
fresh victim to crafty their ignoble malice
But come before you at this time to speak of
myself, not Of others, and to defend nay own
IfalthtuIness, not to expose their designs and
l think myself happy that have the honest
people of North Carolina to Judge my cause.
invoke no sympathy, ask no compassion,
and thank God need them not. But with
the proud consciousness of one who has dared
to do his duty as a servant Of the republic, a.
,IoGl
to grow common in our governme Mt, stand
before you to lay claim to the confidence, res.
pect, and appreciation of all good men, more
especially Of those belonging to the democrat
ic party. feel and know this day, and will
prove even to my enemies, that in my station
as senator, and in retiring from it. l ncurr-
ed no guilt deceived no one-1 BETRAYED
no party-l made no sacrifice of your inter-
ests, and no surrender Of your rlghts,-none
at all, directly or indirectly. And they who
have charged the contrary, with all who, from
any motive, personal or political, have given
to it their aid and countenance, did ''bear false
winess.''
1t is trne, that on the 25th of July, few mo-
ments before the vote was expected to have been
taken on the new tariff bill of 1916, (,mpro-
perly called "McKay's billy | resigned my
seat as a senator in Congress, into the hands
Of North Carolina, to whom it belonged; be-
ieving thatit was my duty to do it, sooner than
cast my vote against my own conscience, for
a law that could not approve, and knowing
that it was my perfect right to do it, and that
| would be but exercising that right in pre-.
else accordance with the last written doctrine
of the Legislature and of the party who elected
me. In this only have | offended and in
manly sincerity, bn: with that plainness of
speech which the humblest man in the COM
, munily will be able to understand for himself,
T proceed to lay before you my explanation.
The subject Of the tariff, and the system OF
laws by which taxes are imposed and collect
ed for the use Of the general government
throughout the Union, is one of deep import
ance. but of much intricacy and great difficult
ty in its judIcious arrangement. Soon after
taking my seat in the Senate of the United
States. lin December, 1843,) | for one felt
; what any man when he first goes into Con
cress directly from private life will be apt to
experience, and that was lack of necessary
knowledge and information upon 1t. With an
ambition to learn my duty as a legislator for
this great republic, and fixed determination
to pursue it afterwards, Immediately give
my whole mind to the study and considera-
ton Of this tariff system, well knowing that
upon it depended, in good degree, the chief
ufactures, in the other States as we'll as ours.
During the first session Of the last Congress,
and after having devoted nearly all my time
for some months to this study, hoped had
made myself qualified, and my political asso-
ciates believed me fit, to be consulted and
EcounselIed with in orr united efforts to arrange
tariff with Justice to all sections, and with
entire safety TO the business, prosperity, har-
monv, peace, and independence of The Union.
To admit that this could not be done, was to
declare that the Union cannot be preserved,
and the cause of free government had failed.
| The democratic senators In particular, con-
curing as we did then, and do now, with
few exceptions at the north, in a sentiment of
opposition to the tariff of 1912, desired to see
it changed. That act was believed to be ex-
IRENE in its protective character, and therefore
unequal and unsatisfactory to large sections
of the Union; and our aim was, to modify it
by the nearest possible approach to that hap
Nv mean between the extreme opinions OF such
as demand total abandonment Of all protec-
ton on one hand, and of those who insist up
on protection as primary object, on the other.
| | have no doubt that this is the only tonnda-
ton upon which wise and just Legislation can
be based, when interests really conflicting are
to be affected by the action Of the general 60
vernment. Conferences with each other, and
with the chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means of the house of Representatives,
[ Mr.. McKay,] were frequently held, as to
the bes: mode of altering and reforming the
tarif of 1912. The more eminent men of the
democratic party in tHe Senate. and leading
statesmen from different sections of the Union
in Congress, took part in the deliberations
and investigations which proceeded and &C,
companied the formation of what was then
called and known as Mckay's bill and re-
port" viz in March, 1914. In the councils |
whence that bill proceeded. had the honor
to be admitted as an humble and un2reten.
| L. .>.-A;o;nntor 90 that ] kne,,. oal AL, |