The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-08-01
HRepeaI Is the word WING Chorus,
.The Tariff Panic"
REMARKS OF MR. BAYLY, OF VIRGINIA,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESEN iATlVES|
YESTERDAY .a-'

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
II YESTERDAY.
Mr. CHAIRmAN The gentleman from Connecticut
Mr.. T. SsirTH,l who has just taken his seat has
rated the gentleman from Alabama, Mr.. HILLiARD,
very roundly for the manner in which he spoke OF
the circumstances under which the tariff act OF lo4l
was passed and he has drawn a contrast between
the manner in which that act was passed and the
one which has Just become law, very unfayorable
to the latter. And in another wing Of this Capitol,
we have had the attention of the public very formal
ly called 10 the fact that democratic senators were
4 unwilling to vote for amendments TO the bill as II
4 went from this House even IN cases where 1t was
4 supposed they would make il more acceptable,
Il These, sir, are the first steps towards the PANIC
| which is attempted 10 be gotten up, and OF which
we have had notice given in the Senate and the lead
| ing whig Journals Most of us here, Mr. Chair
man, recoIlect the manner in which the act Of l942
was passed. II buffeted about for days in this
/ hall where the wings had large majority. II was
/ several times rejected once by the casting vote OF
the wing Speaker; and, at last, TO carry by us
meagre maj rty, members were literally pressed
| into the service, | am told by those who were
here at the time. And subsequently, we had a
controversy between u distinguished gentleman
| from Kentucky Mr. Marshall and another
| from Pennsylvania, Mr.. Mckennon, as TO
whom the credit was due for resuscitating its
lifeless corpse Passed by this House in this man
ner, il was sent TO the Senate, where wing COM
II
mean time il found that If il ever came back 10
the body, which, under the constitution, has the
! sole right of originating revenue bills, u would be
lost; and the wing members OF the committee de-
iberately voted against their own amendments, for
| fear, il the bill came back 10 this House, IL would
abandon their work with which il was known they
were dissatisied and at last Il was carried by dem
ocrac senator's, who voted for II under protest, as
they were of opinion, il no bill passed, would be
left without any law providing for the collection OF
revenue. Ia what favorable contrast does our action
of this session, which il sought 10 be so much con-
demned, stand with that Of the Congress referred
to- Our bill passed this House by the easy MAORI
| ty Of nineteen-the largest majority ever given for
any tariff law, save the compromise act. IL went to
the Senate In that body, IL true, there was an
indisposiuon on the part OF the democratic sen
ators TO amend it, The session far spent;
the day of adjournment fixed, and was
| near at hand There was time for the
deiberaIon necessary TO tsake any radical changes
Besides, it was in the main acceptable and the dem
ocratic senators were too much OF practical states
men TO expect that each one could get the bill pre-
csely as he wanted. But there was no voting down
| by a committee Of amendments which It had itself
proposed; there was no fear Of trusting this House
| a second time with the bill. An amendment was
adopted; the bill came back here, and we all know
its fate. Ii underwent twice the ordeal OF this
House, on each occasion by the same majority.
Now, sir in reference TO this panic which is TO be
gotten up desire to address a few remarks to the
manu- facurers, particularly Of my own State. Be
fore they engage IN this business, they had better
first count the cost and ascertain the prospect Of sue
cess We are told that the people are 10 be agated
upon this subject through the summer and autumn
and that on the first day of the next session a bill
IL to be introduced to repeal the law have just
passed before II has got into operation; before 1t Is
tried and the tariff act of lS42, relnstated. beg
the manufacturers before they throw away their
time and contribute their money to this business
| hal aha fhawF .
have of success. By this panic you may do
great mischief; you may derange business; you
may before the bill has yet gone into opera
tion create great deal Of unnecessary alarm. You
may-and that is the great object OF the politicians
who are most active in getting up this panic-to
small extent impair the confidence of the country
in the democratic party. But will you do this per-
manentyi-and, above all, will you prevail upon this
Congress at its next session TO undo what II has so
lately and deliberately done'-and that, too, without
trying the measured Can any man IN his senses
expect this | ask gentlemen to consider moment,
and tell me how the thing is to be donel We passed
the bill by nineteen majority In this House. To
change the result you have to change ten members.
Are you likely to do this Where are they from
The south and the southwest No one expects this,
We are now where we have been for a long time,
and no one can calculate upon such an extraordl-
nary revolution Is the change to be in the great
and growing vest IL is precisely there that the re-
strctive policy has most steadily and rapidly lost
ground. The west presented almost an undivided
front in favor of the tariff of 1924 So 1t did
of that of 1923. The protectionists were
much stronger in 1912 than now. This change
is the result of obvious causes, and 1t will
progress. Our magnificent internal Improvements
and her majestic rivers have opened to her the COM
merce Of the world. Her soil is teeming with pro-
auctions which in demand the world over, and
she will never consent TO be shut out OF Its markets.
She grows in great abundance the articles of COM
MERGE and she is not suited for manufacturing.
Free trade is and will be her interest and her
policy. The change there in favor of this policy has
not been irregular and spasmodlc, but 1t has been
steady and progressive. And 1t VIII continue to be
So Ii the change is not to come from that quarter,
whence is it, From Pennsylvania The whole of
her delegation, with one gallant exception, voted
against us The same is the case with New Jersey.
Do you expect change of ten among the New York
members Does anybody, who knows these gentle
men, expect ten of them to change New England
went against US, except New Hampshire and Maine.
Do YOU expect change of ten there3 Or, indeed,
is there airy ground to expect any change at alR
Besides before the next session, Iowa and Wlscon-
sin will be admitted States. IT the precedent IN
the case of Texas is followed, as l presume 1t
will be- we will gain four members there; adding
which to our present majority of 10, and it gives
us 90, requiring change Of IL votes to change
the result Where is that change to be effected
But suppose done, and your repeal bill pas sed by
this House--how will it fare in the Senate? BY the
admission of Iowa and Wisconsin we will gain
four senators; you may gain one in North Carolina
making our nett gain three. How are these to be
overcome From which ofthe States do you expect
changei Will any gentleman be good enough to
name one? But suppose you succeed there too,
how will you fare with the President? Has he not
taken ground against the protective policy as un.
constitutional Does any one, who has observed
his course since he has been in the presidency, ex
pect him to shrink from the discharge of his duty'
Sir, there is one species of protection he will sus-
tain, and that is protection of the constitution
No dispassionate man can believe that the protec-
tive policy will be revived by this Congress, which
has so deliberately sealed its fate. How will it be
with the nexp will not speculate about this House.
although do where the wings are to gain their
accessons far as the protective policy is concerned
Pennsylvania, where we are told there is to be such
mighty change, already has voted against But
to say nothing about this House, in reference to
which much would he speculation, let turn to
the Senate, where we have certain data to go on
In Maine we have already elected democrat in the
place of wing. so we have in Louisiana. The
same will certainly be the case in Michigan and