Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-03-03
DUTY ON RAILROAD IRON.

| ~ YIN IA lLROAD IRON.
In the Senate on Tuesday, Mr.. HUNTER, by
direction OF the Committee ON Finance. renortef
an amendment to the Civil and Diplomatic APP
preparation Bill providing that on the duties on
all railroad iron imported during five years from
July next, credit five years shall be given M
on the bonds of the importer that i. shall be laid
during said five years.
| MIR. MASON moved to amend the amendments
by providing for the repeal of all duties on railroad
iron.
Mr.. BRoDHEAD said that both the amendments
were out OF time and out of place on this bill,
and deserved the fate which Justly awaits them.
he had stood firmly by the Senator from Vir-
GINA IN his efforts to keep the appropriation bills
| Clear OF all amendments involving questions of
controverted policy a..d not properly belonging to
such bills. The Senate was now at this late
hour called upon to legisate on the subject of
the tariff. This proceeding was giving to the
| Finance Committee all power on this and every
subject Was the Senate, now in it's last hours,
to 60 into an examination of this subject in all
Its details! Here was legislation proposed utter
~ foreign to the bill, it was legislation too for
the exclusive benefit of corporations.
| MIR. BROOKE asked it the corporations engaged
| In iron manufacture in Pennsylvania had nothing
to do with this opposition?
| Mi. BRopHEAD said he did not believe there
were more than three corporations engaged in
| the manufacture OF iron in Pennsylvania. The
| last amendment was preferable to the one pro-
posed by the committee. 1t presented the guess
| ton boldly--tree trade and direct taxation.-
What reason was there for this partial gslation9
Why not repeal the duties on all kinds of iron?
| Why not repeal the duty on sugar, on cotton and
woollen fabrics? They were in more common use
and demand by the whole people than railroad
| iron. Abolish all duties and come to direct tax
| ation ut once That would be better than to
| single outu particular interest to crushit.
Mr. HUNTER said he had received instruction
| from his Legislature on yesterday directing him
to vote for repeal of all duties on railroad iron.
| Nothing but this instruction would have decided
him to move this amendment.
Mr.. BRoDHEAD asked ifthe Senator was in
structed to move the amendment to the Appro-
priation bill
| Mr.. HUNTER said his instructions were OF
course to have the duties repealed If time
| allowed he thought he could show that this sus-
pension of duties would not be injurious to
! the iron interest," but all he asked now was a
| vote.
| Mr.. MILLER said that by comparison of the
amounts OF railroad iron imported during the last
five years, he calculated there would, during the
next five years, be an annual importation of two
! hundred and fifty thousand tons. The average
value Of this he put at forty dollars a ton. At
| thirty per cent, the duty would be twelve dol
| lars aton-making annual revenue of thrse
| millions and on this sum credit of five years
was to be glven-a credit to railroad companies
| of twelve millions of dollars for five years
1t would not stop there. When the same thing
was done before, Congress at the end of the five
years surrendered the bonds to the railroad COM
| panies, and released them from the duties. The
same, doubtless would be done now.
MIR. HUNTER said he did not desire to prolong
| this debate BY the consent of every member
| of the Committee Finance, except the one
speaking, he was authorized to withdraw the
| amendment
Mr.. MILLER. | certainly give my consent.
| Mr.. HALE objected to withdrawing the amend
| mont
Mr.. BUTLER said the amendment ought to be
withdrawn. He was in favor IF the principle of
it; but it not fair Legislation to make the ap-
! preparation bills vehicle to carry all kinds of
questions pleasing to the majority.
The CHAIR decided the amendment might be-
withdrawn, and it was
Mr.. Mason moved an amendmsnt-that there
| shall hereafter be allowed and paid to the Minis
| tors to Great Brtun, France Russia, and Spain,
the sum of six thousand dollars EACH for house
and office rent, salary to private secretary, &c,
and four thousand dollars to the minister resident
in Turkey; this to be in addition their uotit and
| salary. Adopted
! sAlso, providing for an Assistant Secretary of
State, at three thousand dollars per annum.-
| Adopted.
Mr.. MASON moved to amend the bill by adding
thereto section repeating all duties on railroad
| iron. He said he offered it in obedience TO in-
| sttuctions from his Legislature.
| Mr.. DOUGLAS moved to amend by providing
for suspense of those duties for three years.
| He said if that was voted down he would vote on
their repeal
| Mr.. CLARKE gave notice he would move to
amend by including the duties on iron in bloom
| bars, &c.
Mr.. COOPER followed, in earnest op position to
| the amendments. 1t would have the effect of
| building up a few furnaces which had been able
| to survive the ruin which had fallen most of
| those establishments. The condition of the coun-
| try was such, and prices now were so favorable,
| that unless Congress interered to crush them, a
| large portion of those engaged in iron manufac-
| tories wouu in short time be able to resume
and successfully and prosperousy carry on their
| business. There were but few furnaces now I'M
| der way. This amendment would forever stop
others from resuming operations.
Mr.. SEWARD opposed the amsndme Mt. He
regarded that spurious free trade which
abolished the revenues, and made no provision
for their supply. Why not connect this nboli-
| ton of three millions of annual revenue with a
! provision tor raising equal amount by direct
| taxation! The State he represented had COM
parativey bat little capital Invested in from
Her capital was engaged in commerce, and tho
port of New York would receive all this iron,
and her shipping would bring it to our shores;