Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-08-25
VOLUME XLIII.-NUMBER "a.

duuliiohdl laws, ne dGus
"Whatever may be the reliance that ough, to
be placed in lie efficacy Of The foregoing provs
ions, il is certainty prudent 10 diminish rs lar as
practicable, the lis, OF articles payingad ral0rc7a
dulies."-(See American State Papers, vol. 3, 2.
1867
These opinions, OF The great and eminentmen
OF our country, were never controyerted, SO lar as
we know, until The presenttim and upon what
principle of patriotism or OF Democracy was
expected to retus. 10 hem the homage OF my con-
hdence and support What should have induced
me 10 torego the conclusions Of my own juds.
meni, fortified by such authority, and confirmed
by The experience Of the Government for halt
century, In all my conferences with Senators,
no beller reason was Q wen 10 me Tor Il Than that
the bill would destroy the tariff oil 1912; bur The
remedy was as bad, if not worse, than The dis
ease. and the operation seemed 10 me almost as
unwse as 10 'cut off the head for cure Of Inc
toolhache"
Ihaye now explained 10 you the origin, and
reminded you Of The character of Mckay's bill
OF 1914. have minated TO you Inc nature of
those party, not 10 say those moral, obligations
which were contracted antecedentto The elections
of 1914; and have told you how they were i'm
posed upon me, as one Of your Senators, IN my
best attempts 10 sustain the Democratic Parry by
tracing conflict ot local interests. have also
shown you how the Tariff bill proposed at this
session was altogether a different one, and every
way Objectionable in its details and in its princi-
pies and in the time OF lis operation, and / might
have added, in the manner il was urged upon The
Senate, and how utterly impossible il was with
me, on accoun, OF nil Ihes ehngs, 10 vote for The
bill without amendment, even along with other
Democratic Senators, with our mouths gagged,
our judgments uncon2irced and our deliberations
forestalied upon question which alwaysthoueht
IL he national one, above the dominion OF any
political parry whatever.
now proceed TO lay before you an unadorned
narrative Of my party conferences in connection
with this subject, and leave II Tor you 10 charac-
erize as il deserves, the injustice that has been
done To me by all those VINO have brought into
question my faithfulness 10 the Democratic Party
Where my defamers have been prompted by ma
lice, they ale entitled 10 my compassion: where
they have been led By The spirit Of envy, they are
more worthy Of their own; where they have been
stimulated into activity BY vain concei', or the
love OF noorieiy. OF Of petty political eclat they
are deserving OF my contempt, and richly are
,Aey rewarded with il. But owe it TO honea
men, who may have been misled by their I'M
founded accusations 10 disabuse their minds, so
far as can do il without betrayal OF that con-
hIence which, amongst gentlemen, is implied IN
private conversations, no matter what may be
their subject, and which is seldom betrayed with
on, Misrepresentation. If necessary, | have
liberty 10 do Otherwise; but shall avoid all unne-
cessafy repetition Of The declarations Of others 10
me.
When The tariff bill first reached the Senate, |
was in Raleigh, and then communicated 70 an
intimate political friend hog difficult should
end IL 10 support il without important amend
mcnts, eSpfes-in. 10 him my exceeding anxiety
and !eais upon tie subject. Immediately alter
ny return 10 his city, the first day OF The debate
in the Senate, told several Of the Senators De-
mocras) with whom | was most Intimate, Inc
same Thing, and upon conference suggested TO
Two Of them that might have 10 resort 10 re-
sisnation; but they did not agree with me- and
consented 10 think further Of that Ii had been
voted by the party to have no reference, and agreed
10 have no amendment 10 the bill. Next day
held long and confidential conversation with
the President Of lie Unitsd STATES himself upon
the subject, and Informed him Of my determina-
lion rot 10 vote for The BILL but left il 10 his dis
creion whether to keep that purpose secret or mol.
In that interview, such was my anxiety 10 recon-
cile my dnty with The wishes oi Others, tina!
consented Ia Waiye nav nnnnsilion a nd rn,e Tor
the bill, however reluctantly. provIded II were
amended so lha, The new tariff would not 60 into
operation before The 9TH March 1877. The bill
would then have operated as repeal Of The Ia
riff ACT OF 1912, and 50 far was willing 10 sup
port il. But ! desired its operation 10 be post
poned 10 some period which would be less OPP
pressive TO existing manufactures, and which
might allow Congress time TO correct its errors,
and alter full deiberaion, to amend il before the
existing system had been destroyed; for delibera-
ton had been refused and amendments excluded
although the one was due 10 The sublecI, and the
Others were admitted to be necessary BY that
time, too, hoped We might have peace with Mex
,cn: and, indeed. entertained no Gau5tlhal Con-
.re.S would see The necessity Tor modifying the act
a, the next session | i;new we'll that The Se-
na,e were about passing the hill, contrary 10 the
Judgment Of malpry under the duress Of a
yartb dri9; vel, nnWise as that was, my feelings
were averse 10 going against the course Of my
party in that body. These reasons ! assigned 10
the President, whose name is not used 'ciihont ms
express license. Upon my return 10 the Senate
Chamber, as had promised 10 do, | told several
Senators, who were regarded as leaders upon this
question, that could not vote for the bill unless
il should be amended as above; but, If il were SO
amended, loouM giUe ii mn rate. And again
promised 10 keep my objections and purposes
secre. from the other side, until nv own party
had been consulted and until J should be obliged
IN acl. The secret was kept sacredly upon my
parl, and mn Wing Senator knew Of my opposi-
ton to the bill. With that view il was that, down
10 The day before resigned, | had no conference
with persons in Washington, and out oi The Sc
nate upon this suhjecf, except The President OF
he United States himself and one OF his Cabinet;
unless il may be that in general terms hined 10
one of my colleagues in the House that | was
embarrassed but he asked no interview, and
sought none. On the day before | resigned
went into the country with private gentleman
aud personal friend. "a distinguished Democrat,)
10 consult with him upon the single point OF my
rcsignins. or of making resistance 10 The bill had
frequent conversations with Senators, and during
Wednesday and Thursday, before The vote was
taken in The senate, hel three confidential con
lcrences with the President By his request, 10
whom M determination 10 vote against The bill
was always known. IL is unnecessary Tor me 10
alludc 10 our intimate personal and political re.
lations, or 10 state the particular conversations
tha; occurred, il il were possible 10 repeat such
conversations with perfect accuracy. Suffice II
10 say, that he had notice OF my difficulties, and
knew all about my determination, except my in
tention 10 resign. | was not willing to tell him
of my intention TO resign, when there could have
been no motive Tor il but to coustrain his magma
nimuy into resistance OF my self-sacrihce 10 his
Admin stration. He saw that my mind was
made up, and be respected my scrupes, though
he was not Indifferent 10 their supposed political
consequences TO me, or to his Administration. !
will moi say more.
had been positively informed, before my last
interviews with the President lha! The Democrat
ic Senators could moi unite or would not agree
upon the amendment which had suggested, and
The reason assigned 10 me was, that il would jeo
pari The bill in The 9TH 7 House 10 alter il: that
The House would reject il ii it went back re-
piled 10 this that il was a mistaken calculation
acd il not, hen Inc bill ought mol 10 pass with The
Peoples Representatives. aganst H. The sequel
proved thai was right, for il had 10 be returned
10 them in consequence OF another amendment,
and vet it passed, as it had done before. The De-
mocratic Senators must have regarded any et
fort Of mine TO amend The bill, contrary 10 Meir
pi,t,s. and after all that had passed, as sinister
attack upon their bill; and perhaps they would have
been Jus fled in thai; and, therefore, finally re-
solved not 10 move an amendment myself. As
honor and good faith 10 the parry required OF nc
no. 10 attempt amending the bill against their
will. determined 10 e. my opposition be, in all
respects. diysc, and ojorc Suspicion; so was eS-
cccdingiy careful not 10 90 any thing which might
expose me 10 censure, or interfere with my conf
DENTAL nartv relation. with Democratic Senators,
and therefore resolved not 10 be put in array