The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-16

persuaded arise from a want Of right understand
log of the subject. We have had the ad valoreni
principle practically in force ever since the compro-
mise act was passed, and there has been no DIM
Guilty 10 administering the duties OF the treasury on
that principle"
III am moi adsoeaiing the revival ofa high protective
tariff am for abiding by the principles OF the
/ compromise act | am for doing what no southern
man Of fair or candid mind has ever yet denied
/ giving to the country revenue which may Proyue
for the economical wants Of the government anu AZ
the same time give AN incidental protection 10 our
home industry
ave 20 for revenue, for an amount OF revenue
adequate 10 an economical administration oil the gov
ernmenL We can get such revenue nowhere else
than from tariff on importntions."
All this was prior to the passage OF the act OF 1874
and serves 70 show that Mr.. Clay was opposed To
its protective principles and its specific duties, as
well as in favor Of duty upon tea and coffee. TINS
he avowed subsequently TO its passage, as will be
seen by reading the following extracts
| In his speech at Charleston, 3. O., on Aprh D,
1874, Mr.. Clay said:
"To preserve at once the peace and great interest
Of the country, HE HAD BEEN ACTIVE IN
| EXPECTING THE COMPROMISE OF 1883 !
and although he was far from maintaining the doc
,rine that any Congress could bind It's successors,
the extraordinary exgencies and state OF the coun-
try which led to the passage OF that compromise use
] MADE HIM FEEL 1T AN OBLIGATION OF
| HONOR TO ADHERE TO 1T IN GOOD
| FAITH, AND He CHALLENGED THE
MOST DILIGENT SEARCH OF THE REC
oRDS TO SHOW THAT HE HAD EVER
| CoUNTENANCED ITS VIOLATION IN THE
SLIGHTEST PARTICULARLY more, HE
WAS BOLD TO SAY THAT DURING HIS
| ENTIRE SERVICE IN CONGRESS SINCE,
THERE NEVER HAD BEEN AN EFFORT
| TO VIOLATE 1T WHICH HAD NOT NH
WITH HIS PROMPT AND EARNEST ne
| SISTANCE. IL was important to understand The
1 e a.. Ii al m
a gradual reduction Of duties down to twenty per
cent"
In his letter to Mr.. F. 8. Bronson, of Georgia, in
October, l543, he said:
| "Aher my return to Congress in 1882, MY Eff
| FORTS WERE DIRECTED TO THE MODl-
FlCATIoN AND REDUCTION OF the rates OF
/ duty contained 10 the act OF lo2S. The act OF
| 1882 greatly reduced and modihed them; ana 'he
/ act OF 1888 commonly called the compromise act,
| still further reduced and modified them. The act
| which was passed at the extra session OF lS4l
| which supported, was confined to free articles.
had resigned my seat in the Senate when the act OF
| 1912 passed" ''lf there be any ExCESSES or
| DEFECTS in it, (of which | have not here the
means Of Judging THEY OUGHT TO BE COX
| RECTED."
While in his letter to Mr.. Merriwether, he goes
still further and says:
| al nsper uas in favor Of ,phai regarded high
tariff No more rsrsnue should be lsrisd than Is
eessary TO an economical administration Of the govern
| nsnt."
That he was opposed to prohibitory duties is
manifest from the two following extracts, one from
letter a New Orleans committee, the other from
a letter to two gentlemen in Georgia:
"The prohibition Of the fabrics Of foreign eoun-
tries would transfer the monopoly TO the home man.
ufacturers in the United States. THE TRUE IN
TERESTS OF THE CONSUMERS ARE BEST
| PROMOTED BY A COMPETITION BE-
TWEEN THE FOREIGN AND THE Ma
TIONAL SUPPLY. The inevitable tendency OF
| that competition is to reduce prices as all expen-
epce has demonstrated"
~ nerer tcas IN taror Of duties being high 10
amount TO prohibition Of articles wheh they laid
haze thought best for all interests that there should
| be competition
MR. CLAY on AID yALoREM AND SPECIFIC d.
| TIES.
While the wings are protesting so loudly against
the tariff BILL because it adopts the I'D valorem
principle in the duties it imposes, rather than the
| system of specific duties-whch 10 a system abso-
lutely Dithou, any principle to stand upon-n this
state Of opinion is quite worth while to look back
little and how the opinions Of the tariff cham
pions have stood on this matter in time past. Here
| is Mr.. Clays view Of specific and ad valorem du-
ties given in the tariff discussions at the extra
| sion Of Congress in l84l
"He (Mr. Clay) maintained that the ad valorem
| form was the best. The specific system maintains
that articles Of different values should pay the
duty. No respect is paid to values, but all have TO
| pay alike. He admitted that there objec-
ton to the ad valorem form-that Of differences OF
opinion as to real value but he commended the I'D
yalorem principle could be carried out better than
any other. He believed it best, and where
uniform, frauds could be better escaped than under
different form. He quoted instances Of fraud I'M
der specific duties He was therefore willing to ad
here the principle of the ad valorem duty if
obliged to go up to 33t per cent"
This is clear enough. But correspondent, who
appears have watched very attentvely the debate
now going on in the Senate, has given us the fol.
lowing additional "reminiscences the subject. The
| two leading whig doctors" do by no means agree:
For the Union.
WEBSTER Us. CLAY.
Mr. Webster, in his remarks in the Senate yes
terday makes use of the following language in ref
erence to the ad vaorem system Of taxation propo-
sed to be adopted by the revenue bill that has passed
the House.
Mr.. Webster said:
at is bold proposition that ad palorem du-
ties for revenue, altogether preferable to
specific duties. | have not heard it before from
any public man. have heard it from other per.
sons-persons hanging sometimes about the custom
gress-persons Of an anomalous character. But
do not remember to have heard it from the lips
of any public man before, anywhere at any time,
that universal system of ad pniorem duties was
desirable or ought in any case to be adopted"
For the information of Mr.. Webster, | wish to
direct his attention to the following extract from the
speech Of the honorable Fl. Clay, Ia public man not
unknown to Mr. Webster) on his batch of resolu-
tons in the Senate Of the United States just before
he left that body. ~. ... ....
Mr.. Clay said:
"What are the other principles Of the acti First,
there is the principle, that fixed ad vaorem duty shall
prevail and be in force at all times. For one, am
willing to abide by that principle There are certain
vague notions afoat to the utility and necessity
of specific duties and Determinations, which, / am
persuaded arise from want Of a right understand
ing of the subject. We have had the ad valorcm
principle practically in force since the compro-
mise act passed, and there has been no difficulty
in administering the duties of the treasury that
pripciple