Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-05-08

ton, and in doing this, was zealously anx-
ious to preserve, for the great interest of
our State, permanent and ample security;
aud to this end, / labored industriously
and perseyeriDgly. On the floor of the
House, l urged the laying of specific in
stead of al Ualorem duties upon iron, and
TO an extent that should give security to
our interests against running competition. -
I entered into an argument to prove the ad-
vantage of specific over ad yalorcm duties,
| in respect to various articles, and especially
| in regard to iron; establishing to my own
satisfaction that position, as we'll in respect
of the consumer and manufacturer, that
every interest would be promoted by laying
specific duties on iron. / appealed to the
House on behalf Of the iron interests Of our
State, claiming for 1t national respect
and consideration, insisting that the iron
interest was justly entitled to stand upon
higher ground than any other branch of
manufacturing business, claiming for it
truly national character, as necessary ell
ement OF national defence, and entitled,
therefore, to the especial and most farora-
bic regard of the nation. insisted that
the same rule should not be applied to an
interest of this magnitude, that was ap-
piled 10 the manufacture Of thread, tape,
pins, buttons, &c. These are no new doc
trines, put forth to meet the occasion, but
the doctrines placed upon the records of
Congress, aud easll, found in its volume of
debates.
not only spoke in behalf of the inter
ests of our State, but / worked earnestly
in the House, and ont of it, TO give to that
interest an adequate and permanent securi-
ty. believed then, and believe now, if
part even of the democratic delegation in
Congress from this State would have agreed
to the modification of the tariff of AZ,
that our great interests could have been
abuniantly secured. Ii majority Of the
Democrats from this State would have
agreed to support the bill, they could al
most have made their own terms, so far as
Pennsylvania interests were concerned.-
We met once or twice in caucus, to see if
part, a, least, would not agree on terms on
whRh we could support the bill.
In these consultations | expressed an
earnest desire so 50 shape my action as to
protect the interest of our State. Ipledg-
ed myself, in case the caucus would agree
upon rates of specific duties for iron, to
oppose the bill! unless they were adopted
by the House. Some two Or three of them,
] believe, favored this plan, but large ma
jority would agree to nothing. They would
stand by the tariff of ~ 10 all its details,
agreeing to no modification whatever. |
well recollect that Dir. Leib, of Columbia,
and Brodbead, declared they would not
vote for any change whatever, even if in
tue new bill, the duties on iron and coal
were allowed to stand, or were raised above
the rates provided in the ac: of ~. Such
in fact was the position of many in the del
egation.
| was pledged to modification of the
act of ~: yet was anxious that our in
terests should not be put in jeopardy. ]
said and did all in my power to protect
those interests. ! made no concealment or
disguise whatever, of my anxiety in this re-
spect, and repeatedly declared to the friends
of the bill, that il held its fate in my
hands, it should not pass, until a more just
and liberal protection was offered to the in
terests of our State. I went so far as 10
see and talk with Mr.. Dallas, while the
measure vas pending in the Senate, and ur-
ged him in case be should hold the fate of
the bill on his vote, to force its friends to
a liberal regard for our great interests. |
did not wish the defeat of the bill-of this
there was no danger, but to compel its friends
so to change it, as TO make the interests Of
our State secure. Indeed so anxious was |
to bring about this result that voted a.
gainst coueurring in the Senate amendment
| vf trifing Importance. 1t is because Of this
vots, that the Washington Union aud Penn
solranfan have charged me with desire to
defeat the bill in the final and trying hour
of its fate. The charge is untrue-I gave
the vote in hope of forcing the bill into a
committee of conference, where under
stood it would be open TO general amend
ment, and thus affording one more chance
of so amending tho bill as TO secure The in-
terests of our State
am of the firm belief, that if six Dem
ocrats from Pennsylvauiv would have acted
with me, instad of adhering immoveably to
the act of ~, that our State would have
obtained all that reasonably could have been
asked, and her great interests placed on a
satisfactory and permanent basis, in the ear
ly stages of the bill, before lis friends had
fa.-t Il LII -