The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-19

well as IN extent Of protection. will not Withhold
the opinion, that all laws which fetIer trade arc de-
tenslble only as temporary expedlents; and that,
even IN mltlgated FORM they cannot be Justihed as
a permanent policy.
But, in all legislative changes extremes are TO be
avoided. While the petty questions Of the hour
should not call of our judgments from inquiries Of
higher order and wider range; while we should
aspire above the smoke and dust Of partisan war
fare, 10 seek calm and clear prospect into the flu.
of progress yet does behoOye us also 10 bear
in mind, that it is one thing To distinguish a coming
change, and another TO carry Il out, In htling form
and due season. The mariners observation, even
of the changeless sun itself must be subjected To
corrections and allowances, before It suffees 10 de-
termine his position and direct his course. And
deduced from the unerring principles Of ustce, must
be tempered and modified by considerations of time
and place, they become available for daily ser
vice. We cannot rush 10 perfection. IL Is not
enough that a reform be ust in ITSELF 1t must be
well timed also. IL must not jar rudely on the
usages of the day. II must not ourun the opinions
and intelligence Of the times To influence the
masses we must approach them. As the power OF
the magnet ceases to operate beyond given dis.
lance so laws framed far in advance Of the age lose
their attractive force over mankind.
Influenced by such views, | am the friend OF com
promise and Cancellation. In that spirit has the
present proposal TO modify the tariff been framed by
its projectors la that spirit let our brethren from
the manufacturing States come half way 10 meet
And we may once mere, with the unanimity Of the
olden time, pass revenue law by majority 80
large, that there will be little motive or disposition,
for many years to come TO alter its rates or disturb
| its provisions.
Mr. COLLIN next obtained the floor, and ad.
dressed the committee as follows:
Mr. CHAIRMAN: The honorable gentleman from
Pennsylvania, Mr.. STEWART IN his third speech
upon the subject Of the tariff made the astonishing
discovery that the revenue in ls40 under the COM
! promise act was but about half as great ii was
in l5I5 under the act Of 1912. To his comprehen-
sion it proved cOncusively, that TO modify the OF
! 1912 would inevitably reduce the revenue. 1.-THE
gentleman had been a little more minute in his exam
nation, he would have discovered that in l640 less
than half the goods imported were subject to the
! pay ment Of any duty, and upon those upon which
duties were paid in that year, the amount but
about one-hslf Of the amount Of imports subject 70
duty in l645 That fact must solve the mystery for
the gentleman; and If he will more carefully exam
Inc his whole record, he will find his whole argu.
ment demolished ny II. In the second place, (as
even Horizontal duties are TO be preferred TO the
present unjust system Of Determinations If he vii
multiply the amount Of imports in ls45 by thirty
he will find the product 10 be SIS, 600 900 greater
than the amount Of revenue collected in that year
This will show to him that the tariff act Of 1916
may be modified, and yet increase the revenue with
out an increase Of the imports. II, as we may anti
cipate, such modification should be increased both
upon exports and imports from twenty to fifty mil
hons of dollars annually, should increase III,
revenue to a sufficient to carry on the Mexican
war, ~ addition to other reasonable expenditures
In such increase Of exports, II We should adj
such per centage TO the agricultural products of thu
country, as We may reasonably anticipate, il woulC
bestow benefit enough upon the industry Of tn
country annually TO pay the expense Of with
England | have made some minute calculations
upon the revenue that would accrue under the pro
| visions Of the bill now under consideration, and
from these calculations have ascertalned that ever
II the commerce OF the country should not be in
creased, yet the reduction Of revenue would b.
too small TO be for one moment taken into the &C
count, IN the comparison, to the benefit that wouli
accrue to the interests the morals the whole indus
try OF the country. Sir, we have received anon,
our documents some statistics collected under al
act Of the legislature Of Massachusetts, in which
is shown that IN 1874, while the products Of abo
in agriculture is SIS per man, the products Of In
woollen manufactures in that year 81 DOS 81
perindiydual, including both men and women
7 These statistics show US that it require
} eight times as much labor, and FIVE time
as much capital IN given amount II
agriculture, as are required in the same amour
in the manufacture Of woollen goods. Each of tn
other protected interests do vary very material
ly IN this estimate from that of the woollen manu-
features. III should he argued that manufacturer
require protection in consequence Of the cheap in
terest on capital in Europe, it must be answered
luire it. IL it should be argued that manufactures
require protection in consequence Of the high pric,
of labor, II must be answered that agriculture hai
from six 10 eight times greater reason to require
for the same cause. And yet the Congress of thu
United States is gravey debating whether the eoun
try ought not to be taxed for the benefit of manufac
lures. The gentleman from Pennsylvania, in advo
eating that tax says II Is party question. Sir,
should never have been made party question Gen
tlemen should never have dignihed it by the nam'
of an American question. II is question: sir, tina
has more the characteristics Of the Arab-it is
great question of plumber.
l Those works upon history and moral scenc,
which have at all times been used in our schools
have taught that commerce has exerted the strong
est influence in raising men from barbarsm to civil
cation. That those nations who have been the mos
commercial have been the most distinguished fol-
their intelligence, social virtues, enterprise, wealth
and strength. In proof of this position, are re-
terred 10 The PhGnicians, Tyreans, Greeks, anc
Car:bagenans Of the ancient world. At a later pc
Rod, to that of Venice which, with limited territory
and small population, while she enjoyed the whole
commerce of Europe, stood the bulwark against the
power of the Turk, which then threatening the
world with subjugation. Holland too, through tht
power created by her commerce, long contested
with England the empire of the sea. Spain and Por
tuga while commercial nations, astonshed the
/ world by the fruits Of their enterprise. Each OF
these nations, upon failing to retain their CONNER
cial asceDdency, have sunk in the scale Of nations
England owes her power and wealth TO her success.
full efforts as a commercial nation. This view Of
the subject has not only been taught in schools
but has been entertained by nations; and the grea
effort Of governments have been to secure universal
commerce, and to outrun competition in this pur-
suit. Those efforts checked by the long win
dctive wars the close of the 18Th and the com
mencement of the 18th centuries. In those con.
fcts, commerce being most vulnerable, was mos
readily assailed The wealth derived from com.
merce being the strong sinew of war to DESTROY that
commerce was TO clip the wings Of the enemy. In
pursuance of this object, France, under Bonaparte
founded the continental system England, through
similar policy, became the tyrant Of the sea, and
in consequence, we became involved in the conflict
France, deprived of her commerce. began to tax ma.
ure to raise in her climate the products Of the trop
cs England, deprived Of the resources of CONT
mental Europe and of America for her breadstufTs
began conflict with nature to try to raise them
herself We, too, had adopted many artificial sub
stitutes for those facilities which nature or ercum
stances had seemed TO deny Such, sir, was the
state of things found TO be in existence ot the