Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-06-27

ent needs, and called for expendi.
ture in the extensive surveys which
were a prerequisite to sale and
settlement. In addition therefore
to every other form Of poverty, the
new government was burdened in
the manner so expressivcly desert
bed as land poor, which implies the
ownership of a large extent of real
estate constantly calling for heavy
outlay and yielding no revenue.
The Federal Government had one
crying need, one imperative demand
money
"An immediate system of taxa
tion was therefore required, and
the newly organized Congress lost
no time in proceeding to the con-
sideratiOn of ways and means. AS
soon as a quorum Of each branch
of Congress was found to be pres
ent, the House gave its attention
to the pressing demand for money.
They did not even wait for the in
auguration of President Washing
ton, but began nearly a month be-
fore that important event to pre-
pare revenue bill which might at
the earliest moment be ready for the
executive approval. Duties on
imports obviously afforded the
readiest resource, and Congress
devoted itself with assiduous in.
dustry to the consideration Of that
form of revenue. With the excep.
ton Of an essential law directing
the form of oath to be taken by the
Federal officers, the tariff act was
the first passed by the new govern
ment. 1t was enacted indeed two
months in advance of the law
creating a Treasury Department,
and providing for a Secretary
thereof. The need of mouey was
indeed so urgent that provision
was made for raising it by duties
on imports before the appointment
of n single officer of the Cabinet
was authorized. Even a Secretary
of State, whose first duty it was to
announce the organization of the
Government to foreign nations,
was not nominated for full month
after the act imposing duties had
been passed.
GAL! the issues involved in the
new act were elaborately and intel.
|ligently debated. The first Con-
gress contained a large proportion
of the men who had just before
been engaged in framing the Fed
eral Constitution, and who were
therefore fresh from the councils
which had carefully considered and
accurately measured the force of
every provision Of that great char
ter of government. 1t is therefore
a fact Of lasting Importance that
the first tariff law enacted under
the Federal Government set forth
its object in the most succient and
explicit language. ItOpened, after
the excellent fashion Of that day,
with stately preamble beginning
with the emphatic Whereas and
declaring that lit is necessary for
the support of Government, for the
discharge of the debts OF the Uni
ted States, and for the encourage
ment and protection Of manufactures,
that duties be laid on imported
goods, wares and merchandise
Among the men who agreed to that
declaration were some of tho most
eminent in our history. James
Madison, then young enough to
add Junior to his name, was the
most conspicuous; and associated
with him were Richard Henry Lee,
Theodorick Bland, Charles Carroll
of Carrollton, Rufus King, George
Clymer, Oliver Ellsworth, Elias
Boudinot, Fisher Ames, Elbridge
Gerry, Roger Sherman, Jonathan
TrumbulI, Lambert Cadwaladcr,
Thomas Fitzsimmons, the two
Muhlenbergs, Thomas Tudor Tuck
er, Hugh Williamson, Abraham
Baldwin, jeremiah Van Rensselaer,,
and many other leading men, both
from the North and the South.
"It is a circumstance Of curious
interest that nearly, if not quito,
all the argument used by the sup
porters and opponents of protec-
tive system were presented at that
time and with a directneSs and
ability which have not been sur
passed in any subsequent discus
sion. Tie 'ad valorem' system of
Ilevying duties was maintained
against Specific rates in almost
the same language employed in the
discussions of recent years. The
infant manufactures the need of
the fostering care of the Govern
ment for the promotion Of 'homc
industry the advantages derived
from diversified pursuits the
competition of 'cheap labor in
Europe were all rehearsed with n
familiarity and ease which implied
their previous and constant use in
the legislative halls Of the different
States before the power to levy inn
posts was RENTED to the jnrisdie-
ton of Congress. A picture Of the
industrial condition of country at
that day can be inferred from the
tariff bill first passed; and the
manufactures that were deemed
worthy of encouragement are clear
ly outlined in thc debt. N.Y. ely
mer, of Pennsylvania, asked for a
protective duty on steel, stating
that a furnace in Philadelphia 'had
produced three hundred tons IN
two years, and with little encour-
agement would supply enough for
the consumption of the whole
Union The Pennsylvania men,