The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-26
m CONGRESS- OF THE U. STATES.
TUESDAY. JUNE as. 1850
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.

TUESDAY. JUNE as. 1850
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.
Mr. DAVIS, OF Massachusetts,. presented three petit
ions from citizens Of Mddebuy. Dayton, and Grafton
the State Of MASSACHUSETTS, complaining o. the mum
effects q the tariff Of ls4S upon he industry o. the
country, and asking lis repeal or mobilization.
In submitting these papers,
Mt d. said am requested to present 10 the Senate
he petitions Of five hundred Inhabitants and legal voters
Nine town OF Grafton in the county OF Worcester, Of all
otical parties, representing that business has disas
ously declined under the provisions OF the act OF 1896
ana great embarrassment has ia consequences ensued
They express their belief that the substitution Of ad
yalorem for specific duties was fatal error where
bv frauds OF the grosses character are constantly pee
aed al the custom house BY false entry OF goods by
fictitious valuations deprving the aborer OF me dement's
intended 10 be secured TO him by the act and doing, at
hs same time fagrant injustice to the honest importer
They enreat Congress 10 apply remedy 70 these evils
hv snnressipg the frauds and scurng TO the American
~ he po,econ which will enable him 10 pursue
%s against the pressing competition
~ ,he cheap over,asked, and down-trodden labor Of
Europe The evils winch were prsdc.ea from .ne ac.
more severely felt, the making oil fraudulent entries is
more cunnngy devised. The laborers have struggled
on hoping for better times, till many Of them are either
overwhelmed with bankruptcy, or obliged 10 suspend
their business to save themselves.
find in the newspapers the following statements !:
Many OF the cotton and wooen mills are running with
ou croft Some suspended Ia part, others IN whole
Calico printing has been disasous and caused heavy
and calamous failures 1t is stated that Of forty one
oge.fres on the Saranac river thirty -four have been
exiingushed, Eight out q eighteen have been extln
guished on Salmon river; and not more than dozen
out OF forty-fve the Au Sable now in operation
is said also, that Of one hundred and twenty-five FUR
naces recently in operation in Pennsylvania, sItgtree
are extingushed In Mary sland, i Is added, hve out OF
six rolling mills have stopped The cause OF this Will be
more apparent by stating another fact derived from
New York paper, dated June .
We to-day list Of foryour vessels. most Of them
American which had brought British iron 10 one oi our
American railroad companies, within the space oi about
forty days
being for the reception OF thirty thousand
Of railroad ron now onits way from England direct
70 Dunkirk, throughthe Welland canal
Thus the competition by this country is diminishing and
ts products decreasing which will raise the value OF the
1oegn product and enable the manufacturers OF Europe
20 realize and profit from US BY the ruin OF our
own aborers.
But this is not the worst aspect of the thing Trade
being founded on the exchange Of the commodities of
labor the difference between making and exchanging
with foreigners is this il The Pennsy vanians make iron
70 The value OF million OF dollars there is much
wealth created by aborers for their comfort and en-
joyment and i they sell il to Ohio where u enters into
consumption Pennsylvania realizes million OF dollars
But Ohio acquires the OF payment by her industry
and therefore her sboers have the privilege OF producing
commodities 10 raise this million OF dollars. There is
thus produced by The interchange two millions worth OF
the products Of ndustry-one by the sellers and by
the buyers; both OF which go to support and CON-
o the aboers engaged in the production, as well as to
VI.
But II Ohio sends to foreign market for the iron then
Pennsylvania must lose a million OF dollars, and the
foreign country where the iron bought gains that sum-
The privilege Of making the iron y transferred to ,or
There be but for this loss II the la
borers of Pennsylvania who would have produced this
iron can find other employment BY which they can, by
their industry, call into existence commodities TO the
value OF million OF dollars then such earnings may
lake the place OF iron But all experience shows that
such rapger is difcult II not impossible Substitutes
IL
laborers qualified for it. The history OF crisis is
tod in few words. Excessive mportations make goods
minously cheap. our markets become overloaded; our
mills shops and furnaces, are shut up either because
the popeors ruined, 10 escape ruin the balance
OF trade accumulass against us; and as last resort
when have nothing else to supply with, we send
away our coin to enrich the foreign iaborer and TO sustain
foreign shops and mills This stale OF things proves that
labor is inactive and incapable OF exerting its energies
successfully 10 supply the wants oil the country, which
grows poor under the operation.
Nor does il require any wide difference in value between
foreign and domestic production 10 cause runous con-
dion Of things by driving abroad to seek supplies in
stead of obtaining them here II the foreigner place
can Be afforded BY our producers this is uss As fatal to
their success as fy cent? for no man viii engage IN
the production with the certainty Of loss before him.
Lei u.s. then look into supposed state OF facts, not i'm
probable, and see what results may happen IN prose-
cutting such views as are now advocated suppose we
have the capacity to produce three million dollars worth
Of woens annually and we take them all Of foreigners
our laborers afford 10 make them, we should save
nominally that amount hundred and fifty thousand
dollars but 10 gain that the country would lose the pryi
lege o earning by its abors three millions OF dollars
and should be compelled 10 add TO that heavy sacr
nee upon the material, which would cease 10 Ind
market here. might add 10 this that the moment our
chops and mills 10 be the competitors OF ioreign
Productions. the value OF such productions will rise IL
quite time sir, that Congress should devote lis atten
lion to the claims which the public have upon Its consd
eration.
Mr. DAWSON. Is il in order now 10 discuss this
TheVIcE PRESIDENT. No, in order on this mo.
ton.
MIR. DAWSON. Then will take occasion 10 discuss
4. and make some reply TO observations made BY
the senator from Massachusetts. when these petitions
are taken up
The petitions were then laid on the table
MI MASON presented the memorial of naval surgeons
and other physicians and citizens OF Norfolk, Virginia
and memorial OF the professors Of the University OF yir-
gina, asking that the rank Of medical officers OF the
navy may be assnacd BY law TO that OF officers Of ike
grades in the medical staff OF the amy; which were re-
erred 10 the Committee on Naval Affairs.
MIR. PEARCE presented the memorial OF d. l. Dix,
asking grant of public land for the establishment OF
asylum for the INDECENT curabe and ncurabe insane in
the United States
lnpresentng The memofial,
MT p sad. This memorial comes from lady OF
well known practical benevoience. who unesi IN her
character all The graces and virtues which adorn her
and who has devoted her lime and talents Tor number
OF years 70 the ameoraon OF the condition OF that class
OF our citizens ior whom she asks relief She has
gathered IRON public documenis-and very largely IRON
her own experience and observationsa variety OF facts
OF which she has made simple statement, which. OF it.
se constitutes the most touching appeal 70 our sympathy
that have ever read The memorial shows that the num-
ber Of insane in The United States al the taking OF the last
about 1900 and that is number a the pres
ent time has been swollen 10 more han 22pvo singu-