The Portland daily press., 1867-02-11
Encouragement. to shipbui,dsrs.
The etwenty-second section of the Tariff bill

| as it passed the Senate, provides,
That on and after the 1st day of April 1867,
| there shall be allowed and paid drawback
equal in amount to the import duty paid on
| all lumber, hemp, Manila, copper, ana upon all
| iron not advanced in manufacture beyond rods
bars, and bolts which shall be brought up into
the construction OF rigging or equipment OF
sailing vessels of the United States, used III
repairing vessels OF foreign build, documented
in conformity with the provisions of the act of
23d December, 1852, less five per cent on the
amount Of such drawback, which shall be re-
tanned for the use OF the United States under
such regulations as the Secretary OF the Treas
ury may prescribe.
On the last of the ten days during which
the bill was before the Senate, Mr.. Henderson
of Missouri moved to strike out the section.
We copy from the Globe the leading points of
the debate which followed: f ... ID.
Mr.. Henderson-It will be observed that this
section as it stands is an absolute discrimina-
tion in favor OF certain section OF the coun-
try, and desire to know whether the Senate
in passing Tariff bill is disposed to discrim-
nate in favor of vessels built In any particular
section OF this country. l wish TO call the
attention OF the Senate and the attention
of the country to the fact, and it gentlemen
then wish to put their names on the record on
the subject, they can do so. n,.,... s. ,...t
MIR. President, shall content myself with
the opposition 1 have made to this bill
| have other amendments but L shall not offer
| more than one or two; perhaps not even that
many, for see that it is an utter impossibility
| to move this body. We are told 'the thing
| has all been examined, it has all been looked
| into;" and quietly, silently and calmly, all
| propositions that come from certain direc-
| tion are voted down. 1t avails nothing that
an interest in my section suffers; but if the
wooden interest of Massachusetts suffers,
| notifications are made, and all the opposi-
tion that was threatened from that quarter,
| l apprehend, has passed away to be revived no
! more. If the bill is to flustrate the great
| shipbuding interests oil Maine, how is thai
| to be avoided? 1t is TO be avoided by return.
ing every dollar that is paid to the foreign
manufacturer Tor the articles entering into
the construction OF the vessel. That is to be
returned as bonus to the man who makes
the vessel. Yet, ii | were to propose, with
regard to vessels built at st. Louis OF Galena
or Louisville or other points along the west
ern waters, that the same bounty should be
returned to the builders, how would the prop
osition be received in this body?
Mr.. President, let the fate of the few
amendments l have offered answer the que
ry. You know what would become of it. Am
i to be told again this thing has been con.
sdered in committee we know how it stands
and the Senator from Missouri is ignorant Of
he talks about?" Perhaps it is so; but only
crave the privilege of casting my vote in ia.
vor of striking out that section from this bill
MIR Johnson--lt by no means follows that
because drawback is not given to vessels that
are built on the Mississippi and on the Ohio
it ought not to be given TO any other vessels
III you cannot get it for the West, give it to
the East. f.7 bs Haaf
Mr.. Henderson, ask the Senator if he is
in favor OF giving it to the West. a6I
Mr. Johnson-I would be. - .5ftt....
MIR. Henderson-Will you vote fort propos-
ition to that effect?
MIR. Johnson Well, let it come before us.
Mr.. Fessenden--I will say just one word;
do not wish to make an argument ON this
question, for suppose it is tery well under
stood. s..f 4i 5.r -a.
In regard to this particular thing, put in
steamers as well as sailing vessels; L had an
amendment made to that effect. / thought
was authorized by the committee to offer il ;
but my friend from Ohio Mr.. Sherman
thought was not, at any rate so far as he
was concerned; and to settle the question i
moved to strike out the words cor steam
from the section, stating at the time that ]
should vote myself to retain those words, my
| oh, ,oct in making the motion being merely to
4 b.;no the question before the Senate. Ny
friend n ON Ohio, who is from the West, ex.
nlained The reasons why he thought it would
NOT do 70 APPLY the section to steamers, and
so atssfactoriiy to gentlemen that large ma
iority of the Senare voted to strike out those
words against my vote and my opinion.
\ think that is a sufficient answer in relation L
! that point. .e
With regard to the thing itself, can onl,
say that after great deal OF deliberation, 70
4 several days at times, thinking it all over an,
lacking upon it in every light, the committee
| were unanimous in a yreeing that it ought :,
| be done, because they thought, as the honor
/ able Senator from Maryland has expressed II
that commercial marine was of some conse
quence to the country; that it was OF som
consequence TO tho country to preserve tn
sea-gomg men; that L was OF consequence Q
tn e country to preserve tbe art OF ship-bulid
ING to some extent, which has given us Sc
much renOwn. The committee thought ti'
was Il great national interest as much SO a.
factor or anything else, it being comlnefce
or rath er navigation, a branch OF conlheice
| and this seemed TO be the only way III Whicl
navi@a,ion in its now !ds9iinins eohoi'iof
| could be protected. .-.o.os.o5 &, INV, ooo
We are pal tIcularly interested ~ my sec
| ,;nn of the county, because we 1--WE FlSh
.ion n,,o.,;de the British Provinces, where the,
I'LL nesses at halt OF tho rate We can; an,
~ tar as my State is concerned 1t is about TIL
o,iv Thing in this bill in VII ich it has any YER
considerable interest, and there are many 9th
or sections of the country tL,at have ais %
large interest in it, have stated the reasol
why it was put in, after careful deliberatior
as said before, by the unanimous consent {
the committee, and hope it will be retaine
by the Senate.
Mr.. Henderson, wish TO call the after
ton of the Senator TO one fact, that III tn
bill every stick of ship-timber that goes mt
, the vessel is free, being put on the free iist
Mr.. Fessenden-T there will be nothin
; to be returned for the timber.
Mr.. Henderson-You get the timber ire
f and then you get drawback upon all u
other materials in the ship: upon the lrol
the hemp, the cordage, the canvas, aud ever
I thing OF that character
: Mi. Fessenden-We get it upo n nothil
that has gone into state OF mapuiactu
We get it on raw materials.