The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-11

After consultation between counsel the
court adjourned till Thursday morning,
when Mr.. Davidge will make the opening
argument to the Jury for the prosecution.
Forty.ssvsnth Congress Session.
WASHINGTON, January 10, 1882.
SENATE
Mr.. Bayard, from the Finance Commit
tee. reported, with recommendation that 1t
pass. the Morrill, tarin-commission bill, and
also. with adverse report. the Garland
commission bin. He said he favored the
mode Of constituting the commission pre-
scribcd In a former bill--namely, from
among ciyilians-as tending to remove the
tariff question from the arena OF sectional
or partisan feeling, OF the existence OF
which congressman are fully conscious.
Proceeding TO argue the necessity for I'M
mediate action to correct incongruities and
the inefficiency OF the existing tariff, he
characterized It as class legislation for the
benefit Of q few, and as peryersion OF
legislation.
lie repudiated the doctrine that what is
wanted Is tariff for protection with Incl
dental revenue, and argued that taxation to
be Just must be uniform, and to be uniform
must be universal. The paramount pur-
pose in tariff taxation should be to provide
for the expenses Of the Government, and
the incidental result OF this In fostering our
industries might be wisely considered, not
as the controlling motive in laying the
taxes, but as one Of its inevitable results.
He did not propose now to discuss the
principles OF tariff taxation at any length;
they were soon to be acted upon by the
representatives OF the people. The war
taxes of the present tariff were out OF date
i'm time OF peace. In illustration OF this he
referred TO duties on various articles.
Upon the conclusion OF Mr.. Bayard's re-
marks (the morning hour having In the
mean time been extended informally on
motion Of Mr. Sherman the funding bill
came up, but was temporarily laid aside
without vote, and Mr.. Beck took the floor
and delivered a long speech in opposition
TO Mr.. Morrilrs bill. Mr.. Beck opposed
the bill as q cunning scheme OF monopo-
lists for delay, to which they had resorted
not only as a means OF preventing legsla-
ton by the present Congress, but OF white
washing all the enormities OF the high
protective system. He wanted to have
immediate action upon the tariff, and as
serted that all that the commission would
find out as basis OF iudicious reduction
OF taxation could be presented by the COM
mittee OF the Senate and furnished to the
Ways and Means Committee OF the House
within six weeks. The nine men whom it
was proposed to have the President Sc
lect might refuse to hear whatever
did not suit them, and would not be
accountable for any misrepresentation
in their report. The evident pur-
pose Of the so-called protectionists, as
shown by the declarations OF their organs
and conventions, was to have a commission
which would be committed to their inter-
est. The declaration Of the Senator from
Vermont (Alr. MorrilD that the changes
"should be made by friendly hands and
not by ill-iniormed and reckless revolu-
tionists" was easily understood. This,
however, was an impeachment OF the in
tegrity and capacity OF Congress, one house
OF which was charged by the Constitution
with the duty OF originating bills for rails
ing the revenue or changing taxation
upon the theory that the accountability OF
its members every two years would make
them careful The success OF the infant
southern cotton industries demonstrated
that the only protection such industries re-
Quire to compete with the old and esta-
blished ones was their proximity to the raw
material and a market for their product.
Georgia i'm this direction was more success
fully competing with New England than
would the latter in a free contest in cotton
product with Great Britain, and he would
cheerfully vote TO exempt all cotton ma
chnery from tax, by way OF encouraging
home competing industry; and he would
also make iron and cotton-tie free. lie
would do this in compensation to
cotton-planters for SG0,000,00O OF which
they were rnhhed by the unjust cotton tax
OF lS65J66, and to make them even with
New England manufacturers, who had for
fifteen years had the benefit OF war tariff.
After detailing at much length the incOn-
gruities and inequalities OF the pres
ent system, and advocating tariff
for revenue framed so rs to be read
ily understood and adjusted upon al
uGlOrem principles as far as practicable,
Mr.. Beck closed by criticising with some
severity the recommendations of the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury for the Withdrawal OF
the silver certificates and the placing OF the
currency in the hands OF the national
banks. He incidentally referred to what
he called the absurdity Of any effort TO
abolish internal taxation in view OF the
present wants OF the Treasury.
Mr.. Beck occupied the floor for nearly
three hours, closing at 4:10. He was atten-
lively listened to throughout by an almost
full Senate and some members OF the House.
Mr.. Morrill,, rising to reply to few OF
the points made by Mr.. Beck, said he had
not been ignorant OF that Senator's inten-
ton to deal sharply with his argument, and
he (MorrilD now wished to say he was
about as well as could be expected; that
he needed neither to haul off for
repairs nor wait to find ammunition. The
Senator seemed to have jumped into the
controversy for the purpose OF heading off
the growing prosperity OF the South, which
had now, to some extent at least, embarked
in manufactures. and had so highly COM
mended all chief advocates OF free trade
that he would doubtless induce his party
to follow in that direction. AS to
the cotton-tax OF which the Senator
complained, that was about the only
tax paid by the South, while the
North, East, and West paid thousands
OF millions to support the Government.
II he (MorrilD was southern man he
would levy an internal-reyenue tax upon
every pound of cotton produced in this
country except that for family use, and
make drawback OF an equal amount
upon the manufactured articles OF thread,
yarn, &C., sent abroad. He believed
this would in a short time double the
total OF southern exports.
Here the debate, which had confined by
unanimous consent, terminated, and the
Chair laid before the Senate the unfinished
Sherman funding bill.
At AGO p. NJ. the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Benjamin Wood, Of New York, appeared
at the bar OF the House and qualified as
member.
The House then resumed the regular or