Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-05-26
Fate Of the Tariff.

We have never known opinion To be more ui'
vided than it is at this moment IN Washington
city, in regard to the fate Of the proposition,
which yet sleeps upon the table OF thf House OF
Representatives. 10 modify Virtually TO repea)
the Tariff of 1912. The vote will unquestion-
ably be very close in the House, as it will
be also in the Senate, should the bill ever reach
the latter body. And yet this seems to be unac-
countabe, in view of the fact that the Administra-
lion party is pledged not only by IFS incessant
and furious assaults upon the Act of 1912, as un.
constitutional in principle, and unequal and OPP
pressive in its effects, but by the unanimous an.
ANNEXATION Of its purpose by the Baltimore no.
minatIng Convention, TO overthrow it, and to IN
troduce wiser. Juster and more efficient system
IA its stead On great party issues, heretofore,
the public mind has never been at loss TO know
beforehand the fate Of any question pending be-
fore Congress, If the party introducing it were,
before election, pledged TO support to oppose
1t, and under that pledge had secured large ma
iorities in both Houses. But what a singular spec
tacle do we now behold A party which went into
power with overwhelming meIOrties in ls44,
pledged to the subversion of the principle of Pro-
lection, well by It's attacks upon thai policy,
IN which public opinion can be embodied, nov he.
states and faulters ia its assault and with n ma
Iorty Of about seventy in the popular branch of
Congress, il l. at this moment matter of specu-
lstion and doubt, even among its own leading
members, whether it will be able to redeem its
often reiterated pledges TO the people. IL this
extraordinary change of position were ascribable
TO the change that has taken place in the aspect
OF our foreign relations since the election OF the
members Of the present Cengress-,hat is 10 say,
If the additional demands upon the Treasury for
money 10 provide for the national defence for.
bids, in their opinion. the proposed reduction of
the dulles, because a diminished revenue must
be- the consequence of that reduction-we should
be at no loss 10 comprehend why 1t is that our
opponents reluctant to approach this great
question, nor to account for the uncertainty in
which its flte is involved. But no such prete1t
is set up-nor indeed, consistently with of
the leading assumptions Of the Free Trade School,
IAN It be urged. According TO that assumption,
ihe Tariff OF lSI2 is very stringent in its opera.
;jon to destroy commerce. and consequent.
" To diminish the revenue from customs and
one OF the main Arguments in favor of the re-
venue which will flow into the Treasury as the
consequence OF that reduction. IL such would be
iis effect, SO far from the existing critical condi.
ton OF our foreign relations afTordng any pre-.
tence for the refusal to carry out the pledge of the
party emphatically given at Baltimore in 1914 TO
reduce the duties, 1t furnishes the most powerful
seasoD ior IFS prompt and decisive redemption
The war with Mexico, though il should be speed.
~ terminated, (as we hope and believe II will be.
viii add several millions Of dollars To the expen-
drures OF the present year and the proposition to
augment our naval force, by the addition Of thir-
reen iron steamers, will call for an expenditure Of
some five or six millions additional. II, then, the
revenue will be augmented 10y the adoption of the
Tariff Bill now pending before Congress, it is
obvious that II cannot 20 into operation day too
coon.
The most reliable estimate Of the probable vote
IN the House Of Representatives, that We have
Been, IS contained IN a letter from W lshmgton to
The Philadelphia North American. The writer
states that it las been prepared by decided
friend Of the new Tariff Bill whose facilities for
obtaining correct information upon the subject
are probably unsurpassed by those of any other
in n fu House, will stand thus For the bill TO-
against i, lO2, doubtful TO- The ten doustfu
members are all Locolocos from New York
Collin, Demoit, Ellsworth. Goodyear, Gordon
Grove, lIough, Hungerlord, jenkins nne
Russell. Among those counted in the afirma
i've, too, the writer says, arc four or five condi
tional votes, depending upon certain appropria
lions for their dttricts. II Mr.. Mckay, (ChniF
nan Of the Committee Of Ways and Means,
agrees to report the appropriations they desire
iheir votes will be in favor Of the bill-if moi
,hey viii go against it "Tbis Che adds) come
from their own lips, aud could name the men
Il would not appear inyidious." Among the nay.
hlso, there are two. (Me.srs. Rathbun Of N. Y
aud Tiblaus Of Ky.,) regarded ss somewha
doubtful, though they have declared that the,
cannot support the bill IN It's present shape.
Il is understood that this great question is to b
called up in the House during tho present week
though IL s possible that Il may be still longe
deferred. We will no, conceal the strong hop
that We entertain, however, that Congress will re
h,se ~ present materially to modify a system, III
beneficial effects Of which. upon the revenue a
wcll as upon all the industrial interests Of tn
county. a. most bitter opponents are unable {
deny. Nay some Of thosS who are welded 70 To
theory Of Fee Trade, are nevertheless candi
enough TO confess, that ts results have complete
IN reiuled all the predictions and confounded a
the spcculaiionS Of Us opponents. They adm
thst, wbile according TO the true theory Of trade
a. espouuded aud enforced 10y the most accredite
writers on Political Economy, our foreign con