The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-08


South Carolina abstractions!"
In 1928, the tariff again altered, and an IN
crease OF hive per centum, on an average, made on
1.-The taxes imposed on the people for the sole benefit
Of one class ofmen" Where then slumbered the con-
stitutlonal scrupes of Webster, Appleton, and Law
rence' Why was the voice of New EngIands great
"expounder Of the constitution" silent this third
violation of the principles of our constitutional
Had the constitution changed Had its great and
noble truths, embodied there by pure and as IN
tellectua set Of men as ever assembled together,
been altered Mr.. Chairman, men may change, IN
terests may change, but truth and principle the
same now as in the beginning. The behests Of tbs
constitution binding In 1923 and 1924 as IN
1920, when protection was 80 forcibly denounced
by the men have referred to. No, sir; "the pria-
ciples of our constitution" had not changed, but the
great pursuits Of New England having changed, her
views of the constitution changed with them. Cha
meleon-hke, her policy received its tone and course
from the course OF events But i proceed 10 trace
this view still further. The tariff Of July 1892, was
enacted with similar reference 10 these local inter-
ests; or, In other words t0 the sole benefit Of one
class Of men"-to wit the manufacturers. And
what the result OF this system Of legislation
Why, sir, the spirit which induced New England
in 1920 TO pass such resolutions, and TO put forth
such sentiments IN opposition TO a policy involving
protection TO local interests by tax on other great
interests, had spread the whole Union. The
true friends of the constitution, knowing that IL
could only be preserved by strict adherence TO its
provisions, everywhere rose up and demanded an
abandonment Of the policy; which, however proht-
able to the few who made, was onerous upon the
many who consumed. The South in particular
whose interests were attacked and injured by this
policy, demanded It's repeal From all quarters Of
the Union came up memorials and petitions, year
after year. praying Congress TO retrace its steps IN
this matter These petitions were heedessly re-
ceived, and csntemptuously thrown beneath your
tables. Exssperated beyond endurance at the 10
~ ha hs.I
suffered last the State Of South Carolina resolved
no longer 10 permit duties unconstltunonally
laid TO be collected within her limits The longer
enforcement Of the law, therefore, which New Eng
land had solemnly declared TO be equally neon
sistent with the constitution and with sound policy,
about TO endanger the peace and the integrity
Of the Union. The solemn and momentous re-
sponsibilhes OF that moment, and the conJe-
quences Of longer continuance OF the protective
policy have been well and eloquently drawn by my
friend from Indiana, MIR. owEs.l will not touch
the picture which his master hand has produced
II exhibited in its colors the runous consequen
ces which must ever result from legslating in Pc
cuiar government such as ours Is, upon its local 10
eres3 without reference TO the restrictions OF the
constitution. II caused the great projectors and
wisest friends Of that famous system to pause IN
their career and to look about for even but tempo
rary shelter from the storm Of public indignation
which about to burst upon it, proved the fala-
cy OF the ground upon which il then stood-a union
Of interest with interest, each compromising sufh-
cient 10 insure the safety Of the whole My friend
from Kentucky Mr.. TBBATTs has said 'you can
| not eglslatc with reference to such varied interests
without compromise" The remark liz true as long
as you undertake lcgisate for such interests and
cannot succeed in legisating at all II ours were a
consolidated government having but one law-ma-
king power and containing within itself all the pow
and elements of sovereignty, the power to legs-
late with reference to all its varied industrial pur-
| p,,t haxa
no such a system of government 1t is an entirely
different one. II is federatve system for certain
specified general purposes. 1t is cluster OF gov
ernments each Of which has yielded certain powers
to federal head for purposes which are designated
in the chart of union. For these general purposes
the powers given are ample For all other purposes
OF government, the separate and independent legls-
latures of the States to be looked to.
But even in a consolidated government, covering
80 a space and such variety OF climate, SOIL and
production as ours, such system OF legislation
could not long endure, unless indeed sustained by
powerful standing armIes-by despotism whose
force, like that Of the hurricane which fattens the
waters Of the ocean to perfect level, would keep
down any variety of sentiment which its injustice
might produce.
How beautifully calculated, however, is our sys-
tenn to every variety Of climate, soil, and pro-
duction without producing a single discordant jar
in the legislation Of the country. We have States
whose legislatures have the care and supervision Of
the peculiar characters and interests of the people
composing them-all moving harmoniously within
their appropriate orbits around a common centre
which diffuses light and genial warmth to each,
and by its attractive power keeping each within its
sphere and preventing collision. Administer such
government correctly upon the State-rlghts prin-
ciple, which 10 the keystone OF the constitutional
arch and you may eventually successfully absorb
within its limits the whole continent from the 18TH
| mus to the frozen regions of Hudson's bay.
,nfo ical Sfafa he car
| BY a legislature sitting under tropical sun. The
necessities Of the States under the temperate zone
would be watched and provided for by assemblies
| composed Of men drawn from those regions, whose
opinions and interests would not clash; while the
wishes of the people ola colder cline would be met
and appreciated by "the cold in blood" One gov
eminent that should undertake TO leglslate for the
protection of such varied and immense interests
would inevitably, ours has done, produce secuon'
| al divisions, jeaouses and hatreds Sad experience
demonstrated the truth of this position IN the opera
ton Of the protective tariff laws up to 1888, when
to settle for all future time the true principle of legs-
laton on the question Of duties upon imports, Mr..
Clay introduced the celebrated compromise act lhe
very conception, the scope the design OF that act
| was to place upon record principle OF mutual
accommodation to satisfy as far as pract'caoie ooui
partiesto increase the stability Of our legislation
Mr. Clay and the other leading friends of the pro-
tective system had been taught by the constant OPP
position it had met with from the interests which
his system lived upon that legislation with reference
to those interests never could be stable and that he
must abandon it altogether, save it by compro,
misc. He wisely made the best terms he could, and
embodyiGg the views of Mr.. CALHOUN and Genera
! Hsyne in the act known the compromise act, he
submitted it on behalf Of the manufacturing interests
Il was accepted on behalf of the free-trade and anu
protective interests and became a law under al
those solemn guarantees, with which all parties were
able to surround It,
Under it all duties on goth June, 1912, were not &c
exceed 90 per cent, and to be assessed on the
ad yalorem principle.
i It's third section provided that
l Snch duties shall be laid for the purpose OF raising
such may be necessary to an economical admin
stration of the government"
i Its sixth section provided:
That much Of the of the 4h July 1882 Of any
other act is inconsistent with the provisions OF TINS aet
shall be- and the is hereby, repealed Proridd ina
nothing herein contained shall be construed as 70 pre-
vent the passage prior subsequent to the Wh
si3 of any from time to time that may ne ne
cesary detect prevent punish evasons oil the dute
imports imposed by law, to prevent the passage
any act prior TO the 5Oh June 1912 In the contingency
either of or deficiency of revenue altering the rate
Of duties articles which by the Aforesaid act OF al