The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-11
THE TARIFF.
SPEECH OF HON. >. A. STEWART,


Dusrsl d's House ef Representatives February z 1853
Tle House being ia the Committee of the whols on
the ssasc cf the Union
Mr. STEWART said Mr. Chairman il Is made the
a OF the President of the United States by the third
section of the SECOND article OF the constitution
ununcatc 10 Congress from time to time, information in
Egssd % the state of the Union and to recommend such
saessuies as he may deem expe,lient and proper IN
Compliance with this constitutional obligation, meroage
wus ransmitted at the commencement n ths session,
comprehensive IN rs scope, md impartial In its explana-
ou Of the state Of public aAass. 1t becomes duty,
As poaent Pert VI this government TO consider we'll
che recommendations and adopt such legislation may
sceN be necessary IN order to promote the public I'M
terest The district have the horror 10 ro4ncscnt has
no special for claiming foa ths government any
particular vors. All thet they ask u.s. that the govern
nept may be i@frtly administered their constitutional
fights secured and that the administration may dis
charge is high trust with entire mpartality and fidelity
J. therefore, as the representative of the first congress
ona district OF Masyland may announce here to this
COMMITTEES that am not expected to be the advocate OF
any particular scheme policy except In perfect keep
Ing vith those outlines have indicated. They require
tariff for protection they expect particular line
OF policy with view OF subscribing especially their inter
ests and tce desire that those who have charge Of the
government the administration and the Congress of the
United states shall discharge their duties to pro-
tect and all the diversified interests If the whole
Couauy.
Now, sr, shall not undertake., during the time aot
ted to me- to rcvew all the topics which hand
Prominent among these, and perhaps psimarly to be
sderd, Is the subject Of the finances the tariff ques
ton Another matter, highly important is the costruc
ton OF the railroad from the Atlantic States TO the fa
CHIC Another great question which consprcaousy
the attention Of the eouAtry and ncs svnmand cond
eon is the proposition ia eJreAce to tire acquisition
Of Cuba So far may IN pcrmittcd 70 consume the time
20 which am enuted propose to present to the House
such considerations in relation these topics will govern
tho discharge OF my duty when any Of these qucs
tions MY be up for action. state this committee
that utterly opposed to what may be considered the
doctrine Of protection PER in the arrangement Of tuf
ana for securing to the Government of the United States
adequate and competent to meet all the exi
gencios OF the public scrvicc and, to the mode by
which YOU will adjust your tariff look upon that
matter OF detail Whether you shall have specific duties
IN part urged by the President duties al paiorcp
maintincd by Mr. Secretary Cobb, think is not such
acanai question should warmly divide the American
people In adjusting the details for the purpose Of oh
tanning the necessary revenue 1t may be discreet
that yoH should place upon articles specific duties
aud in the very tariff advisable far other art
cles concerned, that you shcnd adopt the ad lor
principle.
Then do not recognise, far MS am member of
the democratic party and acknowledging my allegiance
TO the same, any obligation resting upon any member Of
that party To develop his principles, square his
views upon that subject either according to the doc
rnes announced by the President Of the United States
OF ny the Secretary of the Treasury for they differ upon
this subject both protesting to be democrats. should
be sorry to think that the great democratic party Of this
country WAS reduced in its dimensions and in its plat
form as now TO have settled down upon that single
soiaed point whether duties imposed by the govern
ment for to be arranged upon the principle
OF specific al cae~sw No, sir, that wo, be quite
idle aud ridiculous 1t seems to me- the contro-
versy which in the days of Lockc We have heard
that, in that metaphysical age, there great and
peryading question, which agated the whole nation
TO the identity Of silk stocking The grave inquiry
was deliberately discussed by the metaphyscians and o
clans OF that day. Suppose you take silk stocking, 1t
nnH mp1i ifv darn tyvtt arm,
until You have nothing left of the silk stocking the
question moocd whether it was the identical silk
stocking or wooen stocking and If it not silk
stocking when did it become yarn stocking some
maintaining that 1t silk stocking, and others
strenuously contendng that it yarn stocking. The
difficulty was to learn when it became mctamorphosed
and at what time II lost its Identity and especially
whether 1t occurred long there any silk left.
This question Of the tariff would seem to be quite as pro-
ic and perplexing that which confounded the meta
physicians In the days of Locke to the said identity of
the silk stocking have heard gentlemen here profess
ing to act upon enlightened principle, of statesmanship
agate and discuss the principle OF specific nd ad roeui
uuties with very much Of the sort of spirit and
The principle which controls the democratic party
understand it, Is not whether you shall have specific ad
mtorem duties but whether you shall have tariff ar
ranged in reference to protection That is the
great princplea tariff for and upon that dem
ocats Of all sections unite then completely ignore
al this controversy which is attempted to be nauguraed
upon the propriety of specific dd raorem duties The
great object should be to raise and if you will
convince me- free trader, that by imposing specific
duties You can conveniently raise than by a
oaorsm duties, then, according to the wcl-seted prnc
pies OF free trade and tariff you ought to adopt
the specific mode Of imposing duties quoadh hoe.
MI SCALES. would like to inquire of the gentleman
from yapd, whether II he could raise sufficient
enue by an I'D ratorem tariff, he would n prefer il Z
Mr.. STEWART, OF Maryland / cannot say that /
would, because there other considerations connected
with the matter Of raising For instance sup
pose can raise the amount Of revenue by specific
duties or than upon the ad poiore principle and
IL should happen that by imposing the duties in that
mode could afford incidental protection, certainly
would not discriminate against such protection
Mr. SCALES What does the gentleman then want
with more tlinn enough revenue
Mr.. STEWART. of Maryland We do not want more
Than enough, and not likely to have than is
required. The object is to raise suficcncy Under
the tariff OF 1857 we have very large free list, and
nave different schedules under it also Now would my
friend from North Carolina adopt the horizontal princi-
PIE take these articles out of the free list and out of
schedules and adopt the nd palor principle upon ali
ARTICLES apprehcnd not My friend does not respond
IN the affirmative. Then, / maintain that under the
,ait oil 1891 you have articles the free list upon
w"'c'' uuucs should be imposed And have under
"an Az" limit there items in it's free list which
won'n ruasc ave or six million dollars aud would like
70 know ot any opponent of q change of the tariff of
ana advocate OF free trade upon what ripciple he
colud 20 before the country and Justify himself when
there are articles there upon which duties ought to l
imposed, AMI undertake pertnacously 10 retain them
under ex''ng circumstances, and with the present de-
hcency In the revenues of the country.
Why. sir, have had tariffs from the co;nn;,o 90
the government There the tariffs of 1916 1874
ls2i 1898, 1892 1872, 1886 and 1851 Tncru are dif
tecnt and sayioig schedules In them All anil no 49,,