Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-09-24
al talorem Dutics--Mr. Claws 0piufou
Of Them.


When Dir. Webster stated, in the Senate. some
weeks since. that public man IN our country had
ever ventured, before the last session of Congress to
recommend system Of ad vaorem Duties" we re-
piled that Mr. CLAY had expressly approved such a
system, and we quoted DIR. Clsys language TO ihst
elect. ThereuPOn tie Wings replied that Mr. Clay
meant only to approve ad valorcm duties on home
ra'uatinn- This statement has gone the rounds Of
the Wing journals. And Mr.. Carrot Davis has lately
published Two three columns in the National In.
teiligcnceT TO sustain IL.
tbs settlement is entirely erroneous. Mr.. Clay did
indeed say. in tic Senate, in ISL, 1912. that he
preferred hoEse r0uofion; but lie also said, and
over again, that lie preferred the ad raOrem system
tcithout regard 10 a home rdluafiol.
To prove this. quote from Mr.. Clay's speech in
the Senate in the discussions which preceded the en-.
actment of the tariff of 1852.
The speech may be found in Greedy and McElrath's
edition Of the Life and Speeches Of Henry Clay vol
ID, PIP. 1928:
say, therefore that independent Of all considerations
OF protection independent Of all ends motives but the pre-
vention of those Infamous ands which the die
Of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES which foreigner
with bis double and triple and quadupe invoices ready 70
Of Re eehsna may hSe the value
dignity just c. aud Independence demands the substitution
Of home valuation in the place Of foreign What effect such
eAange may nave IN The ugneniaiion OF the revenue am
not prepared 10 say. because do
Think the rate may be set down at from twenty 10
twenty-five cent in addition T. the foreign value Of i'm
ports do not speak with confidence II tie is
twenty-five PEI cent then would add only five per
the of twenty per cent established BY the eompo-
mise act. or the home be substituted for the for
en valuation the augmentation Of duties beyond twenty
per will be less BY that home valuation, whsieveT il
may be. WITHOUT HOWEVER ENTERING INTO THE QuEs-
HOME VALUATION LEAVING SUBJECT
BE ARRANGED HEREAFTER SHALL TREAT rHE suBJrcr As
PRESENT system FOREIGN VALUATION TO con-
TIME"
After discussing, at some length, the amount Of
revenue required and some Other topics, Mr. CLAW
thus returns to the subject of Gd raloren duties.
Treating the subject" (be it obseryed) as if tie
(then) present system of foreign RADIATION to
continue"
lie said "What the other principles Of the
act! First, there is the principle that fixed AID
vALoEEM DUTY shall prevail AND BE IN FORCE AT ALL
TINES. For one. am willing to abide by that prin-
ciple. There are certain udgue notions bhOat as 10
the Utig and necessity of specific duties and discrim
nations, which, am persuaded. arise from rant Of
a right understanding Of The suiject"
This is enough; but there Is more. Under the
compromise act, from 1882 to 1872 duties were col
eced upon the foreign radiation. Mr.. Clay in this
very speech recognizes this fact, and points ou what
in his view, IFS inconvenience. Yet, in spite Of
the foreign radiation, during that whole period, he
expressly approves of the application Of the 0d rdlo-
principle during the same time. He says: We
have had Tie ad raorem principle practically in force
ever since tie compromise act was passed. and there
has been difficulty in administering the duties Of
the treasury on that principle
in another passage, he strengthens his assertion
follows:
"Again: what has been The fact from the origin Of the
until The articles from rhieh the greatest
amount Of hos been dr0trn such scoOens hnens
silks cOf0Rs pOrSfed and fer Others hare all been Gred
The cd raiOrm principle, and there has been difficulty
the operation bliere the Uhole that is the best
mode
After this, il is idle to say that Mr. Clay's prefer
of nd raOre1S in 1912, depended upon the then
suggested home radiation He approved them, he
says as they had existed for ten years "under the
compromise act.' when there no home valuation.
He expressed his approval of them when treating
the subject if the foreign radiation 10 continue"
He approved them as they had been laid on the prin
cipa revenue articles, woollens silks linens,
eds. and Others" "snce the origin Of the govern
ment" And since the origin of the government
had had foreign RADIATION. Let US hear no more,
therefore of Mr. Claws preference Of the ad valorem
system being founded ihe idea of home raluaton.
- Union.