Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-02-15
THIRTY FIFTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION
THURSDAY. February 10, 1861.
SENATE.


Mr. Hale said he should not vote against thi
resolution because there were too many prece
dents against it; but he was opposed 10 tn,
medals and snufboxcs from foreign govern
ments. The practice Of taking snuff was bac
cnoucll-that Of taking snuiF.boxcs still worse
Mr. Iulcc from the Committee on the Pos
Office and Post Roads, reported a bill for th'
transportation Of the mails between Havana
Key West and Charleston, s. C.
The special crdcr-the bill for the acquisi
ton Of CIba-waS postponed, and the revenue
resolutions were taken up, and Mr.. Clingmar
spoke upon the resolutions
He said that the Senator from Pcnnsylvani;
had stated that he had been instructed by the
Legislature Of his State to advocate an increase
Of the traih. while he had been instructed by
the North Carolina Legislature to oppose an,
increase of duties. and 10 insist on making raj
ronl iron free of duty. The President, in hi,
annual message. he'd recommended the cstab
ii>hmcnt Of specific duties and the friends o
taxation had seized this opportunity to ash
for protection. The Senator from Pcnnsylva
MIA had asked for duty Of Sl5 on iron, Will,
the other Senator from that State had asked fol
SIS 1t was therefore. doubling the present
rates Mr. c. then illustrated how the con
sumcr was affected by the tariff
An English statesman. Mr. Fox, had saiC
tina, the facts were too complcatcdin in questions
of political economy for him To understand
them; bu. since his day. much had been done
in the way of the collection Of statistics, and il
would he found from them that the tariff had
always acted unfavorably on the domestic cx
ports oi the country. There was always iiuc
tilation in cotton There was n tarifFlrom lS2
to l>2ii, and cotton WAS worth - cents pei
pound, and from 1924 to 1928, there was
another tariff lie wished to see how it affect
cd cotton. In 1925, the price Of cotton wen,
M to 30 cents per pound; but this was result
Of speculation for the next year ii fell TO Is and
10 cents per pound. and, if wc exclude the
spcculating year OF 1925, it fell to 9 cents per
pound: or it was reduction equal to 60 pei
rent. From ISIS 40 1892. another period o
four wears. there was high protective tariff
and the average price Of cotton was but nine
cents per pounl-anothcr loss caused by
tariff This was The manner in which a higt
tarin' affected cotton. When the tariff Of ls41
was made, it was stated that the prosperity o.
the country Immediately returned from its late
disastrous condition, tthc revulsion OF 1897.
bu; h. did not believe one word Of that--it was
not owing to the tariff However. under the
tari!i. uSi2. cotton was as low rs cents PEI
POUND. while from lSi'; 10 tlfc present time.
lower tariff than that Of lS42, cotton was at
to IL cents per pound-iust 40 per cent. higher
than under the high protective tariff
Every one would find rs the tariff was high
cotton was low. and when the tariff was low OIL!
exports were largely increased. II the products
o; the last five wears had been sold, as when the
tariff of 1872 was under operation, there would
bc ninety millions Of dollars less in the coun-
try. lie believed it was longer step from the
tariff If lSl'i to frec-radc than It was from the
tariff of 1912 to 1916 The South and the North
west were seriously injured by high tariff,
The tonnage Of the country was also greatly
increased by a low tariff. In twelve years OF
since 1916. i; had doubled what it was during
the period betwcen 1871 AID ls+G-most 81
wears. 1t had been said that the system OF i'm
ports under a low tariff was running the coun
tr,: il was bargaining for more than We could
pay for: and yet our exports had exceeded our
imports.
lie thought that Pennsylvania was asking for
relief at the expense Of the rest of the country;
and one of their Senators MIR Cameron had
stated that if the President would do rs much
for PENNSYLVANIA a. he had done for Lccompton,
the State would hc relieved. This reminded
him Mr. Clin-:nanl Of what FallStaif had said
to Prince Henry:
"II.I when ii,cu ar. King roh me The Ezchequer"
This is what Pennsylvania said to the Pre-
si,lent
Mr.. C. did not attribute the late revu,Sion t.
-a,J tbot tho
was fast recovering from it, and that the pre-
sent revenue would be fully equal to the eX
pcndlturcs OF the Government, if some foolish
cyncndjturcs were cut of The opposition
struggled to keep mp the expenditures for thc
purpose of increasing taxation. lie concluded
bv expressing the belief that the tariff would
not be raised.
Mr.. Simmons then addressed the Senate al
some length in favor OF an increase OF duties to
equal the expenditures of the country. re
entered into a large amount Of statistics IN
support Of his argument .,
MIR. Summons replied to the argument OF Mr.
Toombs and spoke in favor OF system OF du
tics so - 10 protect our own induSty. lie
would go with him !cr reducing expenditures
70 reasonable limits II could not be possible
that the expenses had increased lesitlmateiiy y
daring the last IL years from forty to nearly
c;rh,y millions Of dollars. lie differed from
the President on the mode Of levyins duties
he urcfcrrcd an nj vaorcm system of ir"m 2'
TO j, per cent. lie advocated the abolition o
the iranking privilege as or9 means OF reduc
ton OF expenses.
MIR. Hunter ob;aincd the floor when the sub
ject was postponed until tomorrow.
4 ~.
Mr.. Foot offered an amendment. that th'
treaty ,horld be ratified by the United States
as we'll as by Spain. before any part oil the mo
ncv was paid. He wished the subject after
the negotiations mad been concluded. to o'
aclcd upon nv the Congress Of the Unite,
States before any money should be expended
Mr. pnch gave notice Of an amendment re
,;r;ctrc The amount TO be paid for Cuba to one
lun,lrcii and fifty millions. lie advocated the ac
oui.i,ion o(Cula as the ler To- the gulf OF MeXir"
and alluded TO tie Importance oi her commerce
He answered objections and declared that th'
Eurorcan system Of dic!ation by one SoTcr
cicn io another Should never be- suffered to cN
Tend 10 this continent. lie also denounced IN
Cavton-Bulwcr treaty.
Mr. BENJAMIN obtained the iioor. and II"
Senate adjourned:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Tho consideration of the Nebraska c0ntc>tc'
election case was resumed.
Mr. Gli,ncr of North Carolina. reviewed IN
evidence laid before the Committee on Elections
and advocated the claims Of Bril- Chapman a
delegate from Nebraska
Nj Davis, Of Mississippi. demanded t!'e pre-
yious question on the resolutions reported VI
the minority of the committee.
Nj. j. Coc!rranc, Of New York, m"ved i'
lay the whole subject on the table. ~
The question was taken by yeas and nays
and rcsnItcd--ycas %. nays ~:
Mr. Stcphc:ns of Ga. from the Committee o'
rcrri,ori.i reported back the Senate bill! fol
In. admission O! Oregon without amendment
Mr. $. said that Oregon now has s"fticiyn
population to cntitle her 10 admission: lie be
iicyed that the population Of the Territory VA
At leaS, 100,0 600.
Mr. Grow. of Pa. did not agree with the gen
=, - ~ ,,ont CONGRESS had refused 4