The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-21

carried 10 market what prices they shall be sold All
those things should be le-as thank God, they have
been lef-to the practical intelligence the ample know
edge, the mature Judgment OF the men whose interest Y
is 10 regulate them wisely The result has been good
management and thrift, under the salulay laws oil de.
mand and supply; and the inevitable consequence Is
prosperity glorious as il is unexamped
Then look the various manufactures OF the country
What do know OF them which is not far better known
what can we do for them which cannot be lar better
done, by the practical minds and hands which are en-
gagged IN their management and Identified win their sue
cess The same principles oil human action. and Tue
general laws OF business and OF trade apply here
and determine results in agriculture, as have men
toned Unfortunately for manufactures themselves,
unfortunately for the country and. at one time, almost to
the ruin OF this government the same wisdom has mol,
in every instance presided national councils
any rate. if she did preside she sadly verified what
was said OF her predecessor IN remote antiquity mat
wisdom "sometmes mods" For if We did no, directly
interfere with manufactures TO the extent OF prescribing
the several processes OF spinning and weaving, or OF d.
rtcing in many words, the precise quany ana quar-
y and price OF production, did what perhaps was IN
equal disregard and violation oil principle. and what
in the end proved even mschievous in practice,
when, by special legislation, at the expense OF every
other interest OF The country administered STIMULUS
TO manufactures OF certain classes, which, while II ex-
cited them TO temporary excesses, alike OF investment
and producon was yet insufficient to project tnen aae-
quaely against foreign domestic competition or place
them upon and permanent foundation; and with
what consequences TO those manufactures themselves
Need remind senators OF what almost every page oil our
What student OF that history has not dwet with interest,
and felt his heart hrob with alternate fear and hope as
he traced the rise and progress oil the protection aude
to during that stormy period OF thirty years, from 1916
when began, until 1885, when it last the wager oil
battle which shook these walls II the time were at
my disposal would be Of interest," and might be nsrnc-
ve TO pass review all the leading incidents which
make up that history ltmay under present clrcumsan-
ces, however only be admissible and will be enough for
my purpose, to reler to a few OF them only.
Except that has been cited precedent, and has
furnished color for subsequent abuses, do not say
that find objections TO the tariff act OF 1916. The cir
cumsances under which it enacted, and the reasons
which governed its authors have ever thought justified
il the time. We then in infancy nation
(as was in mine Individually Our resources were
limited We had just emerged from harassing and ex-
pensve war with the most powerful nation In the world
with patriotism punhed by blood and fire, and aroused
TO It's full strength and ardo, with our haired OF Eng
land and everything English intense and concentrated
and with hearts open and warm 10 all who had gwen
sympathy and assistance in days OF trial. and were
here TO rejoice with US in our hour OF triumph we
wanted 10 relieve from the burden OF debt
which the price OF second Independence, as well
as TO defray the expenses of government whose power
and value had now begun TO be felt Our people were
CALLED and exhausted by the direct taxaion which had
been oneIous during the war. Relief was desired and
needed in all quarters If there or could be-
occasion in the OF any people when resort
to duties upon imports for the means OF relief and
support was presented, indeed forced upon them, II
was our occasion in 1916. But in addition to this gen.
era consideration, which was scarcely less than
necessity, the few manufactures then in our country had
cumsances They had arisen during the war. fostered
and encouraged by the nonintercouse and comparative
isolation which with maritime power had imposed
upon US. And not only had these manufactures been
thus ostered and encouraged but they had rendered inn
portant, Indispensable by supplying wants
during those dark days OF isolation. and suffering, and
DANGER In view OF their condition, them and especially
in consideration OF the indispensable services they had
rendered in time of need there not only sense
OF good policy in the minds of public men OF that day
which suggested this mode OF raising revenue, but there
also sentiment-and worthy sentiment II was
OF gratitude in the hearts OF all, which conceded proec
ton to infant manufactures And to appreciate fully
he need they had OF some protection, must be borne IN
mind that not only they immature and feeble IN
themselves but that during the there had accumua
ted 10 various European countries especially IN England
large stores OF manufactures which awaited but the hand
OF peace removable barriers which had erected tc
pour their floods upon Shores at prices reduced by
OF quantity and thus TO sweep our friends from
the face OF soil Such my reading OF the his
tory of the tariff OF 1916 and such the considerations fo
which apprehend should have sustained II, had been
here 10 vote.
But sir as said, the circumstances OF that occasion
were peculiar The recital OF them proves that they
have not occurred and never again, in ou
history. With the occasion, then, which originated ant
justified the policy OF protection, the policy itself
cease and determine Aad here, sir, that may avoid
all chance OF being misapprehended OF being suspect
ed OF Inconsistency upon this point OF protection, mus
remind all who hear OF what that protection in Isle
consisted The rate Of the duties then imposed canno
now from memory state with precision am quite sure
that it did exceed thirty per cent ad uaiorem But
al Tale dld not eXcceu tne Oh revenue
tariffs since that time, and in itself was entirely within
the revenue limit OF its day. My impression Is that /
averaged about twenty. eight per cent
But Mr. President, that was the beginning: and though
like that apple which brought death into the world, ant
all our woes" il harmless in itself and even pleasing
to the taste, from that time dates and from that ha:
sprung, innumerable woes in our world OF politics i
may be in accordance with human natures for certainly
followed that what first received as bounty and pro
lection demanded as rightj and that, too, by
parties who had not even earned the FIST bounty tn,
poet has said that
"Fools rush in
Where angels fear TO tread"
need hardly express the analogy which the demands
OF this second class of claimants for protection suggest
my mind. II did, II wosd be, that
| "Kusves are clamorous for gain
Where honest men would hold their peace"
But the demand made, and pressed with zeal anC
In spirit OF such sturdy beggary that seemed TO defy
alike refusal and resistance and had attained its height o
exorbancy and success in 1928 The tariff act OF thai
year not inapty characterized at the time as the
| bill of abominatons." You here, MIR. President
even then altogether uniformed, and certainly not in
different, as to what was passing OF nature SO I'm
poran to the welfare OF my coHntry, and so generally
agitating the minds OF the people. Pardon me, SIR, o
these "reminiscences They OF deep interest TO me
being of that period of my life when my political
least to have taken their indeible impression from
" the form and pressure OF the times" And in this
connexlon trust that the honorable senator from
North Carolina MIR. MANcuM who sits furthest from
me will not object tba, refer 10 him for the state o
popular sentiment in the good old State which he still sc
ably reprssents for those were strriag tines sir anc
that honorable senator among the foremost OF hos,
strong spirits who stirred them-and that too, agains
I" dbomrnations" l. then boy-perhaps not older thar
the youthful Norval when martial ardor drew him from