The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-28

/. and respectfully ask-because we have not time
10 lake up these instrucions,-to be discharged III
, we cannot be discharged, we must 90 10 work Tor
the balance Of the session, and perhaps when inc
Iday of adjournment arrives we shall be as near a
report we are now. .s,
Mr.. BENTON. am one Of the majority Of the
committee who directed this bill to be brought back
To the Senate, and the motion 10 be made 10 dis-
charge the committee from its further consideration
did So not from any desire to avoid labor, or 10
show dissatisfaction at the order OF the Senate out
truly and sincerely for the reasons stated oy the
chairman Of the committee The instruction sent
to the committee would require from them an anh-
i0us and abonous investigation, requiring mueh
time and much research. [ desire the secretary Of
the Senate to read the instruction. that the Senate
NAV see again and more fully feel, the extent and
responsibility Of the labor il imposed upon them.
The secretary read the instructions as follows;
Commit the bill to the Committee on Finance
with instructions to remove the new duties imposed
by said bill in all cases where any foreign raw ma
teral is taxed 10 the prejudice Of any mechanic or
manufacturer, that no other higher duty shall
be collected on any such material than is pro-
vded by the act Of August 80 1912 and further, 80
regulate all the duties proposed by this bill, as TO
raise revenue sufficient for the emergencies Of the
country"
The Senate will now, and under the calm appeal
which is made To II, see that an amount Of labor
would be imposed upon the committee by this in
strucuoR which there is no time 70 perform, and
which il is in vain 10 undertake The instruction
divides itself iAto two distinct branches-hrst, TO
remove the duties from foreign raw material which
10 taxed to the prejudice Of any mechanic or manu-
faeturer; secondly TO regulate all the duties i'm
posed by the bill TO raise the revenue which
the exigeney Of the country requires. Each branch
Of this Instruction would require large inyestiga-
Ition. The first one requires a close examination
INTO the raw materials brought from abroad, and
their use by mechanics and manufacturers In the
first place what Is raw material IL is presumed TO
be that which the manufacturer or mechanic uses
in carving on his art or trade. Now apply this TO
leather. To the manufacturer, 1.-THE tanner,) the
raw hide with the hair upon Il, is the raw material;
10 the mechanic who makes saddles, brides, har-
ness, boats, shoes, the dressed skin Il comes
from tho tanner, is the raw material. Then what
shall the committee do' untaX both articles,
and prejudice one or the other Of the par
ties. The same Of cloth To- the manufacturer,
wool is the raw material: 10 the tailor the finished
cloth is the raw material Which article shall be UNI
taxed But the instruction requires both 10 be
leased from tax, and the time prejudice one
Of the parties which the instruction forbids. This
is only a sample. The difficulty Of ascertainng
what is raw material will require long examinations
from practical mechanics and manufactures. IL
would be impossible for the committee 10 act upon
their own lights with any safety or knowledge Of
the subject. The nine remaining legislative days
Of the session would not be sufficient TO this
branch Of the subject except as blind man would
cut and carve, or a man would perform
tomical operation, who did not know the difference
between a muscle and nerve, or between vein
and an artery. The next branch Of the instruction
still more intricate, comprehensive, and resPonsi-
BILE. After freeing materials from duty, the
committee is proceed to regulate all the duties
as to produce a sufficient revenue for the exgencies
Of the country. This involves large inquiries.
4 First as TO the exigencies Of the country. The
committee will have to make up opinion upon
these exIgencies. They will have to decide upon
the length and breadth-the expense and cost-of
the Mexican war, and Of all other branches Of the
public service The committee will become some.
thing like committee Of public safety, invested
with the duties OF the executive officers Of the gov
ernment and authorized TO know Of the President
how he means 10 conduct the war, and whether he
is for making early peace, or carrying on long war.
Well when the committee should have decided all
these questions and made up their minds as to the
amount which the exigences Of the country may re-
quire, then comes the labor Of calculating the
amount which each article of importation will
produce and the distribution Of the whole
sum among several hundred different items This
would be herculean work; but before il could be be-
/ gun, a literal obedience of the instruction would
| render superAuous bill already passed-thst for
loans and treasury notes!-for the instruction
quires oil the wanted for all the exgencies
Of the country to be raised from the duties which
the committee arrange among the articles inn
ported. But, leaving this difficulty out the two
points Of ascertainng the amount Of revenue
sary, and their levyiDg 1t upon the items in the BILL
would be work OF weeks, or months, and could
| not possibly be performed with any judgment or
discretion in the few days which remain Of the ses-
sion and when the presence Of the members Of the
committee is required in this chamber in dis
charge Of their ordinary legislative duties from morn
| ing till night. | make this exhibition OF the labors
which the instruction would impose the commit
tee for two purposes-frst TO Justify the committee
in asking to be discharged from the consideration Of
the instructions sent 10 them; and, next in warning
senators Of the consequences of refusing the dis
charge. This is the serious point Of view under
which the question Of discharge must now be con-
templated. Thus far the committee is not in con-
tempt, in a state of disobedience TO the Senate;
nor is il my intention, that of any part of the
committee speak for them from knowledge of
their characters, without having consulted them-to
commit contempt, or dsobey the Senate. The
motion we have made is parliamentary: il is re-
spectfuI II reference TO the Senate to say wheh
err after hearing the declaration Of the committee
that they cannot execute the duty required of them
with any justice to the subject or themselves, in
the short time that remains of the session
whether under this declaration, the Senate will still
require the committee to 60 on TO execute the in
strsctoni If the Senate does this, and this will be
the effect of refusing to discharge u.s. then the case
is altered with us. We can no longer refuse to
obey the Senate. We must 60 to work, and that
in good faith, to do the best we can. We cannot
come back with what the workmen call a botch-
that Is to say, spoilt piece Of work. We must do
our best, and that will require time-far more
time-than remains of this session. And this
brings me to the great point: the vote now to be
taken is a vote on the life death of the bill! And
in that point Of view shall ask the yeas and NAYS
on this question Of discharge, that every senator
| may show to his constituents how he voted and
whether he went for the life or death of the bill
Every senator will wish to show this to his con.
stitnents; and every constituency will wish to see
what his representative did in this final vote. This
vote upon the discharge is final If the committee
is not discharged, the bill is killed no, not killed,
but worse-buried alive to die slow but certain |
death in the committee room Of the Finance Com
mittee Of the Senate! Let senator deceive him
self Let no one indulge in Illusions This ques-
ton, in Its form, seems to be collateral and inter-
locutory but is not In its substance and ef-
feet is the final and decisive vote! much 80 az if
it was a direct vote the final vote Of the BILL |
This is the fact, and declare it from my place, as
senator, and member of the committee, that no
senator may be under mistake to the effect of |
his vote. nor have the least doubt. if he yotea