Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1846-08-19


gan, Houston, Lewis, McDnffie, Penny
hacker, Rusk, Semple, Sesier, Speight,
Turnev, Wescott, and Yrlee-27.
NAYS--Messrs Archer, Barrow, Ber-
rien, Cameron, CilIey, Thomas Clayton,
John Nj. Clayton, Corwin, Crittenden. Da-
Wis, Dayton, Evans, Greene, Huntington,
Johnson of La, Johnson OF Nd, Mangum,
Miller, Morehead, Niles, Pearce, Phelps,
Simmons, Sturgeon, Upham, Webster, and
Woodbridge-27'
There being tie, the President of the
Senate rose and said:
"The Senate being equally divided on
this important question, | may be indulg-
ed in briefly stating the principal reasons
for The vote am required by the constr
tuition to give.
Excluded from any participation in
forming or modifying the bill, | am bound
TO sanction or condemn it exactly 10 the
shape in which it stands. The response
blity is deeply felt. 1t belongs, however,
to the Office assigned to me by my fellow
citizens, and will be assumed with frank
ness, and, hope, not unbecomlng firm
ness. The consequences of my decision,
either way, may seriously affect the coun-
try. No one can entertain, as TO that,
profounder solctude. But, after sum-
moning to my aid the best purposes and
best lights that can command. the conse
quences, be they what they may, must be
| haZarded.
The system for obtaining the revenue
necessary to support their government is
established, directly or indirectly, by the
people of the United States, within the
limits, and agreeably to the prescribed
forms Of the constitution. Whatever is as
certained to be their will on the subject, all
should undoubtedly acquiesce in. That
there are known and approved modes
by which their will is expressed, ca.o.
not be questioned; and the public officer
; who reads that will with candor End inteo.
rty, may feel assured that Re confirms &c
the institutions of his Country when he
makes 1t the guide of his conduct. tt
my mind amp lie proof has been surr;sbe,
that majority of the people and of tn,
E States ees!re TO change, to gerat extent
IN Principle, if not fundamentally, the sys
e sem heretofore pursued in assessing thu
= duties on foreign imports. That major
~ has manifested itself in various ways
and attested by its representatives in tn
s. house of Congress, by whom this bill ha
p been approved, and whose votes undenia
bfy indicate the popular sense in the larg
proportion of eighteen out of the twenty
eight States. In the Senate an anavs
OF the vote before me discloses that Will
ne six States (Ohio, Virginia, New Ham,
ce shire, Georgia, Michigan, and Maine) al
- equally divided, eleven Louisiana, Penn
he sylvania, Delaware, Kentucky, Mass
- chusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Cor
~ necticut, Maryland, North Carolina, an
er VermonD are against and eleven (Arkar
a sas, Missouri, Alabama, Illinois, Indiant
C. South Carolina, Mississippi, New Yorl
ID Texas, Tennessee, and Florida) are fc
the change. Peculiarly situated as am i
ID my relation to the national Legislature
ed these impressive facts cannot be overlook
a ed. In case free from constitutional OF
lection, | could not justifabIy contract, b
!; Il sort of official veto, the general will.
u The struggle TO exert without abate
- ment the constitutional power of taxatlo
~ in such manner as to protect by hg
: duties on imports many OF the production
y of our own soil and labor from The compe
~ tition Of other countries, has endured 70
more than 30 years. During that period
/ system of high taxation has prevailed wit
III fluctuations of success and failure. 1t
d as vigorously and as exactingly insiste
- upon now as ever; and indeed it woul
'' seem, in some instances, as if the longe
e. the advantage of particular tax was er
s. loved, the stronger became the desire fc
its continuance, and even its augumenta
ne ton. And yet it ought to be remembers
of that this exercise of the taxing power b
he which the great mass of consumers ar
= made to swell the profits of few branche
- of industry, was originally intended to
:" temporary, to be continued only so lon
as its continuance was necessary TO tn
n industrial independence and safety of III
as whole people. Such was the languag
it. the inculcation, the spirit, in which
e, was proposed and justified by its earle
OF and wisest friends. The design was I
IS, foster feeble "infdnt'' manufactures, e
n, Pecially such as were essential to The d.
). fence OF the country in time of war. |
IL this design, the people have persevered Vi
IL til, with some, but not weighty exception
n, these saplings have taken deep root; ha,
W become vigorous. expanded, and powerful
e, and are prepared to share the commC
nd lot of human pursuits, and to enter wi
confidence the field of free, fair. and IN
lit versal competition.
n. The arrival of this period of time, lor
promised, has been anxiously looked for /
large and justly respected portion
n our fellow-citizens, who deemed then
as selves peculiar and almost exclusive suffe
y ers hv the nnlicv of nrotecfnn They ha,