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

uIsmay' Inc most hopeful haii desPairea OF inc
republic.
And thus was exposed to risk the most imminent
the integrity Of that Union which the good and the
brave had laid down their lives IN establish. And
all this for what To build up among US system
Of taxes not demanded for revenue not necessary 10
support the goyemment-an fmsriean system
American! A tee is known by its fruit; do men
gather grapes OF thOrns, or hgs OF thlsdeS hmer-
can! and yet system that cast discord and heart
6urnlngs into republican councils, where reigned,
all It's advent, only harmony and goodwill Amer
lcanl and yet bringing into midst not peace, but
a sword lie that an American system that sows
hate in the hearts of freemen that makes brother
the enemy OF brother, that arrays section IN oPpos-
uon to section, that State against the Confed-
eracy2
The distinguished father of that system himself
felt, when the day of trial came, that II was not
Americana that IL could not live on IN a republican
atmosphere that, after brief time, II must he up
rooted, and cast away. Mr.. Clay saw verplanck,s
bill making Its way through the House. lie bowed,
as all men must TO the fiat of necessiyi but he did
morei he gave way gracefully, in good temper, in
good season. Henry Clay and John G. Calhoun
together voted for the compromise bill; and South
Carolina, dlsbsnded her troops and retuned-if Of
a sovereign State the expression be permltted-re-
turned TO her allegiance.
There was not a man Of that day, deserving to be
named a statesman, who did not feel that that
struggle, and that compromise, sealed tas fate of
tariff protection IN America for ever and that, like
Other hlnureu forms OF commercial fesulcloh, IL
had outliyed Its day, and must yield 10 the Inno-
waiting influence Of the age. | say not this with
reference to the mere provisions Of the compromise
bIl important its gradual red Iclions were; but
say II of the spirit in which the change was ayow-
eddy wrought; and OF the principles that were rec
ognised, in so many words, on the face of that
celebrated act.
Mr.. Clay openly acknowledged that the protective
system could not long survive and only asked that
il might not be hurried prematurely, To its doom.
II but few days before the passage Of the com
promise that he said
Now give Us time Cease all fluctuations and agitaiions
for nine yesi and the Manufacturers in every branch
anxious to hnd out principle OF mutual accommoda
cra,s the ,thy Of iesslson and Al some future day
but distant when take into view the magnitude
OF the Interests involved to btag d0VhAs rate Of dt,' 10
the HguAsrd Tor rhch opponents haze long
eOnieHdsd' Speech Of f'IruGry IS 1888
He asked not to save his favorite system. He
asked but time the nine years which the compro-
mise BILL with It's annually abatIng rates, gave him.
These past and he knew and confessed that revenue
must become the sole standard Of an American
tariff
He seems even TO have doubted whether public
sentiment excited as it was, would suffer a
demned system thus gradually TO die out and he
protested IN advance, against the violation OF a
compact not binding in AFTER sessions, except by the
moral force which the time and the Circumstance
gave it. His words, on the same occasion, were:
what man who is entitled 10 the character Of an Amer.
would stand in has place in either House
Of Congress and disturb thu. treaty Of and amyr
And through these nine years that 'treaty Of
peace and amIty" was not disturbed. Public opin-
ion respected It, because 1t chimed in with the
ward spirit Of the age; and because it set forth the
only Just principle OF taxation Thus 1t reads in the
third rection:
Duties shall be laid roE rUGro'E oT SlsrNo 'reH
RELEvuE NEcEssLEr TO AZ EcoSoNucAL LpNIS-
nrEArIoN o. GoTEENNENT.'
Tnis is the essential principle of the compromise
bill. This open avowal Of that principle was the
great triumph obtained, at that crisis, by justice
over privilege.
} The nine years of graduated reduction of duties,
under the compromise, out on the Both of June,
lS42; and thus the day for the final ratification of
that "treaty Of peace and amity" arrived. Its
! pledge-moraly binding, if ever legislative pledge
! was-was to the effect that after the said Both
day of June, imports should be admitted to entry
subject to such duty, NOT EXCEEDING TWENTY PER
CENT. AID vALoREA, shall be provided for by
aw."-Tuif aci Of March 2, 1888, Sec. 5.
Ii is fair Inference from the general tenor Of the
act that of actual deficiency Of revenue, but
in no other this limit Nigh be exceeded. This
. low maximum, it is proper TO remark was coupled
with home valuation, cash duties, and specific
free list
} Privilege always dies hard. And, as the compro-
mise approached its close the friends of tariff pro-
lection rallied for death struggle. On the 18th Of
October, l84l, the "home league" was formed; and
its proceedings appeared in the leading tariff Jour
mails, heralded by flourish Of trumpets, and put
, forth a great national movement. At their first
meeting, after condemnlng the compromise unjust
and imPracticable, they proceeded further TO re-
I solve:
THAT fa for the economical support OF govern
to be the of protective favor to
such scale OF duties be adopted will by
ing increased consumption of imported fabrics favor
rsSsnae oap ndas, may be Without injury
any home lnerest"-N's Register Of October 80, ls4l
Here is the high tariff policy set up in all its
= ked deformity The doctrine is curious, and worth
plain translation, thus: sit is a hard case, that
e government should not be allowed to raise more
: money than it requires; but, if to be con-
demned to this at least let raise it by high a
tax as we can; by tax of thirty per cent. rather
than of twenty per cent or, better still, by of
e forty. Justice and policy demand this"
These claimants for protective favor" seem TO me
Y to have somewhat confused notions of justice and
!. policy. All favor granted to class, at expense
Of another is unjust; and mpolitic because unjust
= Justice satisfies; favor does. Let favortsm
enter the family circle and love is replaced by jea-
lousy, and peace by strife. Let it invade fedora
e tive Unon--we have and felt the woful re-
= suit.
Mr.. Clay held out, for time at least against the
G movement of the Home Leaguers On the lst of
r March, lS42, he said, in the Senate:
The law itself he compromise) appreciation Of
all parts OF the country its provisions ought not lightly to
faith. A-NI,ss Register Of March 10, Isi0, pa.
And again, in the same speech:
lift necessary raise the duties higher than twenty
per cent ought adhere the principles of the
promise far as it should be possible to do"
Yet, as the day Of final decision closely APP
preached, the father of the protective system SEEM
ed disposed to make last effort to save his expiring
offspring Pressed, perhaps, by the rash urgency
of friends less clear-sg hted than himself, Mr.. Clay
in his Lexington speech of June 9, 1912, permitted
himself to say:
Another remedy powerfully demanded by the necessi
ties OF the times and requisite to maintain the currency in
sound state is tariff trhieh pH lessen impoTtaons from
abroad and tend increase supplies at home from domes
tic industry ."-Yisss Register Of July 9, lsia p 2oi.
This was a distinct relapse into the old expl oded
abuse. 1t Wa, breaking ground against the Urea
ty of peace al a,nhy - which the speaker had him
self declared 40 deserving the character Of an
American statesman would disturb. The incple
of the Compromise was, that tariff should he
laid for purpose only; to raise necessary reve
| bnra thovo he far yhnl-