The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-30
SPEECH OF SENATOR GRIMES.
Delivered in the senate Friday, Jan. ~.

Mr.. GRIMES. Mr.. President, the man who
opposes the passage of this bill must expect
to be slandered. The 'protectionists.a As
they choose to call themselves, have already
opened their walls Of their indignant wrath
upon the heads of those whose opposition
they anticipated. Threats of utter political
extinction are hurled against every man who
in the exercise of an independent judgment,
is not prepared to impose upon its constit-
uents the burdens which the various manu>
featuring combinations demand. That por-
ton Of the pubic press suborned to their in
terest is rife with charges that "the capital
is thronged with freetraders, and that British
gold is operating to secure American legisla.
fion for British interests. Every man is
condemned in advance who wouldinquire be-
fore he would vote.
We know what all this means, and 80 far as
] have the ability, am resolved that the peo-
pie shall know what it m cans.
1t means that two or three large manufsc.
turing interests in the country, not satisfied
with the enormous profits they have realized
during the last six years, are determined at
whatever hazard to put more money in their
pockets; and to this end they have persuaded
some and coerced other manufacturing in
terests to unite with them in a great comb.
u6ttUE 0Cuhuu iuE Nnbt thCy CAli HIUtcGdUu
70 American labor, but what some others call
robbery ofthe American lAborer and agricultuf.
ist- 1t seems that the men specially inter
ested in the passage of this bill are bent upon
taking the legislation of the country into their
own hands that they are unwilling that there
should be impartial, free inquiry into the sub
ject; that conscious of the interested motives
from which their own action spring they can.
not conceive it possible that those who dis
agree with them can be inspired by any other
than selfish considerations; that having
bought and paid for the support of portion
of the public press they cannot imagine that
there is any longer such being in existence
rs an independent, manly, honest editor of q
newspaper.
Mr.. President, this mad dog cry Of 'tfree
trade and British gold' passed by me like
the idle wind. The men who utter it fol ow
their vocation and earn their bread byit.
would not disturb them.
Nor am alarmed at the scheme now being
carried into execution of sending, free Of
charge TO every prominent man in Iowa and
elsewhere in the Northwest, weekly copy
of . New York journal of what is called the
"protectionists" school for the double pur
pose Of building up sentiment then in favor
of high duties and Of politically yestroyine
chSh AuOhocka Vi 0ouBtUoc - AAy uOt NOtc III
favor of them. The men who pay for the
papers can well afford the expenditure and
the results that will flow from this bill, which
doubt not is fated to pass, viii be suf'
hcient refutation Of all the arguments they
contain.
have known nothing so alarming in the
whole history Of legislation in this country
as the methods that have been adopted to
secure the passage of this bill. The people
have not asked for it; they, so far Is we
know, are satisfied with the present tariff
laws. The members of this Congress were
not elected upon any issue of this kind.
This enactment is solely demanded by the
manufacturers Of iron and few wool agri-
culturists and spectators Who call themselvee
the wool growers Of the country. They have
organized associations, contributed large
sums Of money to mold public sentiment,
through the press, and have formed comb
nations with other interests to control the leg
islation of the country. The result of their
labors is before US, and we are to determine
whether we will permit these clubs and asso.
Citations of interested parties TO govern us
in Out. action as the clubs and associations oil
revolutionary France governed the coustitu-
ent assembly Of that country,
1t is the fashion to denounce every man who
does not favor q prohibitory tariff as free
trader. The charge is made that free trade
agents are at work to influence Congress, and
that our tables we're encountered with free
trade documents. Who has seen these free
trade agents? | have yet to see the first man
who was in favor Of free trade, nor have |
seen any man who was opposed to revenue
tariff which should incidently protect such
branches Of American industry As needed
the fostering aid of the Government. II i.
on questions Of detail that We differ. we
disagree rs to how much money shall be t..
Ken from the pocket Of Peter to support and
enrich his broth n Paul.
We afe told thst for some ceatusise Ens>
land maintained protective system almos,
amounting to pro 'ition, and grew rich and
powerful under i nd that example is pre-.
eeated 70 as as wor'ay of imitation, ~ thouxh
the world had mad, no progress in arts And
sciences, in productive resources And ma.
chinery; no advAnc. in the science of politica]
economy, and the application Of it, principle,
10 practical life. God forbid that We shouli
70 back to the earl. days Of the British EN-
pires or even TO her more modern days, 70,
laws ofpolicies upon which to model our ovr
systems, national, social, or economic, Be
Gides, 1t Is undoubtedly the fact that the pros
perity, the wealth, and the renown OF Ens
land ~ dae In lar greater degree 70 he,
commerce than 70 her manufactures. Il /,
commerce that is the great civilizer and ele
yAaos. II is commerce that has poured III,
wealth Of the world into the lap Of England
Yet the tendency of this measure will 81 /,
utterly destroy the commerce Of this nation
alrssdy almost swept from the ocean BY hos
tile legisla&ina.
And now what il the msssnre before 10
0pufpofts to be bill :" 70 provide increase,
ssvqpue from imports, and for other purpos
g." II this bill when passed into . d,
woald indeed "psosids inceeassd reyenu
from inports," no man could support il NOR
eAeogfally tAan ] would. Thas b pseeissl
vhas my eosstitasnts desire, and which Tia
believe The intsrests Of The country demand
Thsy aonA - ~ - - f1n& kind Of legis
49, A1npfsds Which would sscara, ssch .
tsslsassd rsvsaus iron imports = = vi