The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-06-03
Remarks of Hon. z. Chandler ON the
Fishing BOunties. Delivered in the u.
8. Senate. Nav 10. 1853.

bountles to vessels engaged
in the cod Observation-Disclosures pro-
viding for the repeal of the duty on
sugar and salt Mr.. Chandler said
l did not propose to take any part in
this discussion, nor do / now; but this
amendment has placed new phase
upon the whole matter. Ny constitu-
ents are in favor of repeating the duty
on sugar. The honorable Senator from
Missouri says the amount is so small,
and SO utterly insignificant
Mr.. Green. No; it was salt ! spoke
Of The Senator has mistaken salt for
sugar. Laughter.
Mr.. Chandler. A very natural mis-
take. Laughter. / was merely go
ing to correct him on that point, but /
corrected myself. We are in favor of
the repeal of the duty on both sugar
and salt. We have very little interest
in this fishing bounty; yet, believing
that it is valuable, that it results in
good, shall vote against the repeal of
the bounty. / am for tariff justly dis
eliminating in favor of American pro-
auctions; but there should be some
parity between the article produced
and the amount of duties levied rs pro-
lection.
Now, how dees it stand in sugar?
In 1855, the whole duties on sugar
amounted to So, 1885, 900; and in 1857,
they amounted to sl2,47s, 900. In 1850,
the whole product of sugar in the
United States was S12,37s,OOO. 1t
would have been cheaper for us to have
purchased the entire crop of sugar and
thrown it into the sea, than to have
levied this duty upon the people of the
United States. The gentleman from
Missouri says he is in favor of free salt,
because it is an article of universal
consumption. Sir, salt is no more
an article of universal consumption
at the North than sugar. 1t is emf
nently the poor mans luxury; it is
a necessity with him. Its consump-
ton is enormous. | trust that this
amendment will prevail; and, while l
should not vote for the bill without it,
if the amendment be adopted, / shall
vote for the bill as amended for con-
slider the benefit resulting from the
repeal of the duty on sugar greater
than any benefit that may result from
the continuance of the fishing bounty.
The honorable Senator from Louisi-
ana Mr.. Slidell gave notice that, if
this amendment prevailed, he should
move. as an amendment, provision
abolishing all custom-houses. do not
know but that l am prepared for that
proposition, if there is no other way to
stop the enormous extravaganza that
now reigns through all the branches of
this Government, and then come to di-
rect taxation. / should be glad to see
YOUR army of custom-house officers all
over the United States abolished.
They are mere partisans. They are
not placed in office to perform their
duties as officers of this Government,
but to act as politicians and | should
be glad to see them swept off the face
of the earth as officers of this Govern
ment. do not mean swept off liter
ally, but figuratively.
Mr.. Seward. In Pickwickian
sense.
Mr.. Chandler. Put it in that light.
/ do not pledge myself to vote for that
proposition when it comes up, but L
should take it into very serious consld-
GRAFTON: and / do not know that
might not vote for it. Why, sir, if
your custom-houses were done away
with, and you resorted to direct taxa
ton in order to obtain the amount OF
money now expended by the Govern
ment O,0OO,OO0, annually y you
would have to levy upon each congress
sional district tax of 100000. Now,
sir, let Representative in the other
House 90 home to his constituents,
and saw: 81 have voted to tax you
$500, 900, and the collectors will be
around in due process of time how
many of them do you suppose could
stand up before their constituents In
the face of such a tax as that? Ala
bama has seven Representatives in the
other House. Her proportion of this
direct tax would be S2,lOO,O00, III gold
and silver, to be collected from the
State of Alabama, and carted up to
Washington. Sir, do you not believe
it would lead to prudence in our ex-
penditure of money? | fear there is
no other way to bring the expenses OF
this Government down to fair basis
EXCEPT direct taxation. Let the Repre-
sentative meet his constituents with the
bills. and they will call him to a rigid
account. Under that system, believe
YOU would see the expenses OF this
Government reduced from SO, 100000
to s35 .OOO, 900 in less than two years
/ do not say that | should vote for that
but / should like to see the present Ad
ministration try the experiment.
The votes of Alabama IN the las
presidential election were seventy-hvt
thousand in all. The average assess
ment upon each voter, "poor white
folks and all, in the State OF Alabama
would be about thirty dollars to thu
man. Well, sir, imagine that some
of those Alabamians would want tt
know where the money went to before
they. paid their thirty dollars head
Louisiana has four Representatives, ant
her proportion would be 81, 2o0,0 900 il
gold and silver Her votes at the las
presidential election, in 1856, wer'
forty-two thousand; and in the STATE
of Louisiana thirty dollars to the man
including poor white folks,' woult
be the amount to be levied in gold ant
silver and carted up to Washington.