The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-30

nsiassos, lyleiulns SIX nlnlOns on fesenuo,l hs
duties actually average 60 per cent? three times
the compromise maximum; while on cotton and WOOL
len goods, ton which the duties reach six millions
and thresquarters the average rate Is about thirty
nine per cent, nearly double the same maximum.
Under this tariff too, nearly one.haf the revenue is
obtained from specific duties
"ln a word, il was a violation the most hagrant
Of every principle and promise Of the compromise
act. Il was an open and undisgused return, both
ia form and in rates of duty, 10 the old protective
policy that had been tried condemned, and SEN
fenced in 1888.
"Agsin | would appeal to the friends of tariff
protection. Again l would ask them: DO you IN
tend, do you expect, to maintain unchanged such
system that Peacefully you cannot do III all
experience proves that and will you destroy the
harmony Of feeling that now binds State TO State;
stir up again hear-burnings that but slumber among
US, eDdanger the very integrity Of our happy aud
glorious Union-all in fruitless struggle after
privileges you cannot Perpetuste, and Pohey That
is passing away .
hBut you say to yourselves that you can but be
defeated al last, and may aa well struggle on against
the change, with the chance of relarding what you
may not avert Look TO ID The history of reform
throughout the world teaches US this lesson, that
privilege has often lost all because shs so not tshsn 10
yisld part. There was time, in the early days Of
The French revolution before the oath Of the Tennis
court the fall Of the Bastile, when, by wetimed
concession the unfortunate Louis might have saved
his kingdom and life. He suffered the golden mo-
menl TO pass, and with u all power TO control the
rising torrent that speedily overwhelmed him.
"Look well 10 ia To-day your influence Is still
m, and you haps posssr % shape modification Of the
hyiF You can obtain discrimination within certain
limits, and even for time, protection considerably
beyond the pledges Of the compromise To-day you
can do this, II you consent 10 guide movement
which You seem disposed obstnately TO resist To-
morrow il may be no longer in your power. Re
id kxyn HDFeaus
far and fast, when the barrier has given way"
The forlorn situation Of the treasury in 1912 was
artfully employed by the protectonists to support
their system, and pass the present act. Yet even
Mr.. Clay himself had seen the truth in 1888, and
syowed il to the country;
snow. give US time, exclaimed Mr.. Cay) cease
all fluctuations and agiations for nine years, and the
manufacturers in every branch will sustain them
| selves against foreign composition. am anxious
| TO find out some principle Of mutual accommoda'
tion to satisfy far as practicable, both parties 70
increase the stability Of legislation; and at some ia
| ture day, but not too distant, when we take into
view the magnitude Of the interests involved
bring doom the rate Of duss TO the rspenuk standard
for phieh our opponents hare so long commended =
| Speech Of February 25, 1888.
ale asked not said Mr.. Owen to save his favor
tie system. He asked but time; the nine years
which the compromise bill, with its annually abatine
rates, gave him. These past and he knew and con.
fessed that revenue must become the sole standard
| of an American tariff.
ale seems even to have doubted whether public
sentiment, excited as il was, would suffer con
demned system thus gradually to die out and hi
protested, in advance against the violation OF com
pact not binding in after sessions, except by thu
moral force which the time and the circumstance
gave il. His words on the same occasion we're:
"'What man, who is entitled to the character Of
L ats M N
place, in either house Of Congress, and disturb THU
treaty ofpeace and amtyr
"And through these nine years that treaty o
peace and amity' was not disturbed. Public oPln
| ion respected H. because 1t set forth the only jus
| principle Of taxation. Thus it reads in the thru
1ksection:
n "Dutes shall be laid for the purpose Of raising sue
reuen may be necessary TO an economical admins
tration Of the government
"This is the essential principle Of the compromis
| bill. This open avowal of that principle was tn,
great triumph obtained at that crisis by justice
privilege.
ats pledge-morally binding, il ever Legislative
pledge was-was to the effect that, after the sait
Goth day Of June, imports should be admitted Il
entry subject to such duty, not exceeding twenty
per cent. ad valorem, as shall be provided for By
law n-TuiG act Of March 2, 1888, sec. S.
Extract from Mr., Clay's speech in the Senate
| OF the OUlltu Stu ISiuiSn, hoT~, vi
last speech he ever delivered in the Senate on tn
tariff .r....... ..,. ...,. e....
"What" said he, in speaking Of the compromis
BILL are the other principles Of the ac' First, ther
| is the principle that fixed ad valorem duty sha
prevail and be in force at oil times. For one, an
willing to abide by that principle. There are Ger
tain vague notions aaoat to the utility and necess
ty of specific duties and Determinations, which
| am persuaded arise from want OF right under
standing Of the subject We have had the ad valoren
principle practically in force ever since the compro
mise act was passed; and there has been difficult
in administering the duties of the treasury on tina
principle"
But if an artful use Of the events Of 1912 brough
on the country the present law, the bondage of fou
wears has not served to reconcile to its abuse.
The friends of free trade are more decided tina
ever They passed the present bill by majority q
10 (the actual majority 1871 and who can believ
that any man in the House of Representatives, VIII
stood up manfully for the right on the Sd July
should now fater in the discharge of great publ
duty' Certain it is, that the defeat of this measur
of reform at this time will only animate its friend
to more enthusiastic exertions.
Mr.. Owen gives US, in his speech, various exam
pies of the abuses that have occurred in the histor
| OF England, ana even III hHtTiCa, WHICH haNo oee
remedied and suppressed by the progress Of tn
age; and we conclude our extracts with the yer
first paragraph which introduces his speech:
r "There are things, seemingly possible, which "
cannot be done in this world any more than to tur
the sun back in his daily There are certai
progressive changes in society and government tht
, must 90 on; it may be slowly it may be quickly
t but proceed at some pace they must. A man VIII
e looks calmly over the whole field of human affair
and of past history, and can put from him nat,on'
: and party prejudice, may readily distinguish thes
or some of them. The short-sighted oppose then
: The sanguine sometimes over-hurry them. tn
cautious may strive to check their speed, the wis
Il 10 direct their course: but he is statesman VIII
thinks stubbornly to arrest them. Ii is folly onl
I that attempts the impossible"
We were perfectly willing to drop the ball of col
ention on the tariff, particularly in relation to men
bers of the democratic party But our correspondeI
thinks himself entitled to claim the publication OF th
- AZ Ma,,, aua