The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-03-29
SESSION OF THE SENATE.
MoaDAv, March %, 1858.

MONDAY, March %, 1858.
THE TARIFFs-RAILRoAD IRON "A COMPROMISE. 3
Mr.. HUNTER submitted the following resolu-
ton, and asked for its consideration
Resolued, That the Secretary of the Treasury be
directed to report to the Senate, at its next annual
session, the average prices annualiysof bar iron,
merchantable, manufactured by rolling; bar iron
understandable, manufactured otherwise than BY
rolling; railroad iron, manufactured by rolling:
and pig iron, for the last ten years preceding 1853
in the foreign markets Of production or shipment
Also, the average prices annually of the same de-
scriptions Of iron at New York and Pittsburgh for
the same period, together with the charges for
freights, insurance, and commissions
Mr.. HUNTER said he would explain the object
OF his resolution in very few words. It had been
suggested to him by practical men that q good
basis for compromise between the producers and
consumers of iron in this country, would be to es.
tabsh point in the price of that article beyond
which no duty should be charged 1t had been
said that 1t was proper there should be some point
ascertained and settled upon at which the duty
should be taken off, and that this could be done
without injury either to the producers or to the
consumers of this article; so that protection wonld
be afforded by the imposition of duties upon iron.
only whenever it should range below price to be
named by law. For the purpose of ascertaining if
such project be possible, inasmuch as il Is yerv
desirable that some sort of compromise between
the producing and the consuming interests should
be agreed upon, he had introduced this resolution
He thought that in this way they should be able
to come to some understanding By that time
the Secretary will be enabled to give the Senate
the information upon which they could act with re
gard to thi, subject 1t seemed to him to ne ex
ceedingly desirable that, in order to produce har
mony between the great industrial interests Of this
country, whenever subject is capable Of con .n
mise, an attempt should be made in time to collect
information, 90 as to enable the Government to
MAKE some arrangement which may enable all
those lnterests to 60 on tremendously. He trusted
mr. q H. L..
to him plausible idea; and without committino
himself 70 it, he would add that he thought there
was much in it which would make it desirable that
the Senate should obtain the information which he
upon the subject hereafter. '.
mr.. BKoDHEAD said that ever since 1916 or
io47 the manufacturers of railroad ron as we'll as
the manufacturers of iron generally, have. been
into relative to this subject. They have appealed
more than once, heretofore, he believed, to the
honorable Senator from Virginia, and he was yerv
happy to learn that the Senator was now willing
to listen to those appeals, and chow a disposition
to grant that compromise. He should have been
much more pleased, however, to have heard this
from him some two or three years ago, when those
engaged in the manufacture of iron, and railroad
iron in particular, were suffering most terribly
mr.. HUNTER thought it proper to say that the
Senator from Pennsylvania was not exactly aware
OF his purpose, or of his agency with regard to this
matter. He submitted the resolution for the mr.
pose OF seeing whether something could not be
done which would afford much more satisfaction
to the consumers of iron without inflicting anv
injury on the producers of that article. This. he
repeated, was his object The idea had been sue
gested to him that some compromise of this kind
might perhaps be effected He did not know whe-
tner 1t could be done or not, but was certain that
at the next session the question would have to be
met He submitted to the Senator, therefore.
whether it was not better and more beneficial in
every way that they should obtain the information,
90 as to enable them to act understandingly at that
time. This was the whole end and object of the
resolution.
Since the honorable gentleman had referred to
his (Mr. H.'O own opinions, he would say, in re-
ation to that subject, that he was free trade man.
1t wac known to everybody who knew him that he
that all duties should be laid upon revenue prin.
ciples and that the lowest duties which will Weld
sufdciency of revenue for the purposes of the
Government, are all that should be imposed; but
at the same time he held those principles, he be.
ieved that never, under any circumstances, either
by improper legislation or by the proper action of
the Government, should these interests be sudden
ly and wantonly destroyed. Whenever the Gov
eminent chose to take step in the direction OF re-
form, it should do it gradually and so slowly US
not to prejudice the existence of interests which it
has called into being. His object was kind one
Mr.. BRODHEAD remarked his honorable friend
had said that he was free-trade man. 1t was
difficult to understand in what sense he is a free
trade man, because three weeks ago he advocated
upon this floor what he (Mr. b. Considered to be
the worst kind of discrimination. He advocated
the proposition to take the duties off of railroad
iron entirely. Suppose We should take them off of
cotton, and wool, and all other species of manu-
features which enter into general consumption,
where should we then obtain our revenue? He
should like to know what his friend from Virginia
meant when he said he is free trade man. Did
he mean that be is absolutely in favor of the repeal
of all duties and of resort to direct taxation? 1t
would seem 80 from the fact of his advocating the
entire abolition of duties upon railroad iron; be
cause he Mr.. b. could see no reason for taking
off all duties from railroad iron and not taking
them off of the other articles which he had named
Mr.. HUNTER said the Senator arraigned his
consistency. He wished to know in what sense be
(Mr. H. was free-trade man. He had stated in
what sense he made use of that phrase when he
introduced the resolution He said he was in favor
of evying duties on revenue principles, and rails
ing only so much as would be necessary for the
economical uses of the Government Then the
Senator attacked his position with regard to the
abolition of duties on railroad iron. He fMr. b.
said that he Mr. H. was in favor of direct taxa
ton because he voted for the proposition to take
off those duties. That by no means followed.
Here was a question, if he chose to enter into
it, as to the propriety of taking off duty from
railroad iron; but he would remind the Senator
that he voted under instructions from the Leg
isature of his own State; and during the whole
time previously had avoided medding with the
duties on railroad iron in any way. The Senator
knew that ne MADE no speech IN relation to the
subject, and only voted in accordance with nstruc
TONS The object which he had in view in intro
ducing this resolution to ascertain the point
of compromise where duties might be taken off
without injury to the producing interests resery-
ing provision in that law by which the duty shall
be laid all iron where its price ehall range be-
low this point. He knew many iron-masters who
believe that this would afford basis for compro
mise. He did not propose to enter into a discus
sion of this subject until the information was OBJ.
tanned. The idea, be thought, was sufficiently
pia usbe to justify him in making the CALL;
The resolution was agreed to.
NAVAL DEPOT AT NEWPORT
On motion of Mr.. JAMES, it was
Resolped, That the Secretary of the Navy he
to inquire whether 1t will not be advan
tageous to the Government of the United States to
establish a naval depot at Newport, Rhode Island,
and that he report to the Senate at it's next
sessiun.
Mr.: SHIELDS called up the resolution hereto.
fore offered by him to pay Robert Reale, late
Sergeant alarms, his salary for the remainder of
the year.
After debate, it was passed-yeas 81, nays IL;
and the resolution was subsequently modified 30
as to pay the money out of the contingent fund,
and to limit the period to the end of the present
fiscal year
RINaaoLDs SAILING DIRECTIONS.
On motion of MIR. GWIN, (and after debate
the following resolution was adopted-yeas %.
nays Is:
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be
authorized to purchase one thousand copies of