New-York tribune., 1885-01-08
RECIPROCITY TREATIES.
Mr. MoRRlLps SPEECH AGAINST THEM.
A DEPARTURE NOT. IN HARMONY WITH THE CON-

fey TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l

IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
WASHINGTON, Jan. 7-Tho announcement .na'
Senator Morrill, would make speech To-Day
against reciprocity treaties, had the effect Oh nil-
ing the galeres and crowding the floor OF the Sen
ate Chamber 1t had been whispered about tha'
an attempt would be made to compel the oeua'or
from Vermont to deliver his remarks behlnd cioseu
doors by such of his colleagues as cling TO the op
ion that the discussion of commercial conventions
should take place in secret legislative scS'ion
Mr.. Morrill,. however kept within the rules, anu
thorob taking as AN illustration of the disadyan
taoes of reciprocity treaties the case OF Mexlco'
he managed in q general way TO state his ooJec-
fions to the Spanish treaty, the treaty win can
Domingo and other treaties still pending. lie Spoke
for nearly an hour and half, and was paiu 'ho
compliment of close attention by his colleagues
rare instance in tho case of set speeches.
The first point in Senator Morrilps speech asserted
the unconstitution Atty of reciprocity treatieS anu
by way of introduction he quoted as hlgh au'no'i
ties in support of that view Two reports Oh SENATE
Committees on Foreign Relations, by Rufus Choate
and Senator Archer of Virginia; the unanimous
vote of the Senate in 1S4S and the declaration OF
Mr.. Webster: 81 hope know the Constitution OF
INV country better than to think reciprocity
treaty. is constitutional" Senator Morrill, then
continued the discussion of this branch of the Sub
ject as follows:
The House OF has been open-eyed
as to the "a eass % and be senate in all
controversies on this point mas promptly n of the House
- ate in ali of our earliest traditions and VIII
ultimately be found impregDable whether ~,
the Senate alone with the aid OF the auxiliary forces
know that the constitutional barrier is assumed to be
avoided if q profane illustration may De phrdoneu' py
whipping His sooty Majesty round the stump OF oy 90
tanning the SUBSEQUENT consent OF
OF the treaty but this consent subjects Congress anu te
iimsS s16terfuge by Which the fun power of Congress
the House Of Representatives, Tor term on yeas,
Is to curtaied and abridged In the hlsl p!dc % ho
Constitut. on does contemplate the action OF the
House at all upon treaties All iestnate uenCio % nus, Ms
thirs OF the Senate and, when SO made no aco o .e
House amend or change them or aee d tItn ~
legislative But in the examl les or hyDid reaes
now officially made known to the public the VIA pit
OF each treaty is to he carrca lhlo eneo' hO R % Tro
currence of two-thrds OF the Senate. but by pare
majority OF House TIE rule oil naJoritlcs Is 10 pre-
Va in fundamental law In the second
place. action OF the House. or even OF Congress- III
1855 cannot impair abridge or take away the lessaNe
regulate cOmnerce" OF the House OF Represent
tives to originate revenue bills Nor can tns yss@ y
tive tue horapparent No act OF the executive branch
OF the Government or OF ia ea r.
or bot ont plain provisions d the o9nsIIu,od , ~
such provisions could be snSpenoel ana relouce9 % o
six years by a temporary majority OF Congress OF OF he
pended renowned for twenty years OF an hunreua
It appears to me. Therefore, that any treaty whcn
encroaches upon the power TO regulate commerce. OF
upon that TO originate revenue olls lnVoNeS pan"
III n! may Dg se ne a @ hills will remain In fui force in
spite Treaties and be still exercised at any me
and exercised would abTosate. and as the Iatesl
law supersede all conflicting treaties. This may be
true but It's exercise defiance of treaties would be
fragrant breach of good fatn for which he fullest rel ar
alton might be demanded, and very suiiceht po'3 T
ton for declaration OF war by the pa W Detrayc 1ne
violence to the Constitution dono through the making OF
RECIPROCITY treaty would be very laley uuono " amp
violence to the treaty ltseli
THE sUBTERFUGE OF SUBSEQUENT LEGIsLATloN'
The of these treaties appear to provide that they
must be carried into effect by virtue OF laws yet to ne
passed by Congress- and thus dramatic foregone con-
clusion is to and enacted on the Congre
siona stage as pageant OF stae-crat II the treaties
were TO operative when ratified as 1t appe is very
innoeently and rather balngy TO have been originally
provided in the Mexican treaty before 1t was amended
by the Senate, then any action OF Congress or oil the
House OF Representatives would be contemptuonsB
disregarded, will be TO happen whenever the
epidemic reciprocity treaties shall 40 Tar prevail as 10
fecome the and chronic po icy o. country;
but IL treaties TO become operative Dy subsequent
laws he passed by Congress II VIII De an introduction
of third and unknown party 10 the treaty -inthins
power for which we have no warrant III lhe
anu Ihe o. M n % Make IN TO- Ind it, strength has
departed Not only will its share OF power 20 regulate
commerce and its exclusive power To originate revenue
bills be gone, but its consent once given to seven
years reciorocy may be indefinitely elongated ana per-
petuafcd by subsequent treaty TO which It's consent
may longer BIZ held essential by the executive depart
To my blunt sense. if have any sense, it appears
Arrange how learned In tile law can regard the
confession and avoidance aimed ia the eighth article
OF the Mexican treaty anything less than lnping
subteruce, designed TO escape plain provision o. our
Consutop and as here presented, shall hereafter
attempt to show without the excuse OF healthy
National advantages. 1t would seem 10 contain an an,5
sion that e.Executve and the Senate have unlawiuy
originated an egmae bill and this graoeless
bantling left in State basket at the door OF te onse
of the Executive proposes TO legtlnze
by procuring trustees aud unyeracions eertnee ilon
the House OF its legislative fatherboOd although IN
truth ab previously concocted and brought orth
fn the precise OF the treaty with Mexico ana Win
soemnIy serhaps sedncyey, urged to cheat itself
not the world by the farce of appearing TO originate
bill which il dare not amend and which Is already
showing some signs OF the decrepituie OF age
1t is insidous method by which the vastly I'M m,
revenue bills may with ambitious Executive become
obsolete and utterly valueess The %hcle ned oi reg
thus opened TO secret invasion patch by patch ana
sSs1y uHy ecd re- ta to be dealt
with by Congress. reciprocity treaty necessarily
epumerated and equally sbandons all revenue and
power obtain therefro during the existence
with hI the idea Of revenue only as With that pro
lection" 1t is hodse,podge free trade with snecal
favorites only and invidous restriction against all
II this departure from the revered example OF our
fathers is in harmony with our Constitution, fail and
think future patriots and statesmen, as wei as tne
to ali DatioSs they would proer equal generosity all
For the solid and enduring reputation OF the senate
the CONSTITUTIONAL powers clearly lnted and the avoid
ance OF all suspicious endorsements and doubtful amp
cations We cannot afford demolish the accepted
theory of republican government by sanctionng tue
Initiation Of revenue bills by the ExeGnye tx We cnheot
IS."''C'' law. "'-' "'''''' ~
EVERYWHERE INCURABLY WRONG.
I'll could easily pass by. as Cannot. the nsuperablc
constitutional objections reciprocity treaties there
are other grave and scarcely less substantial objections
to the policy OF such treaties The most intelligent
statesmen OF the word "let them alone severely Not
a frst-class Government OF Europe, so far as / am
advised now tolerates such treaties. Throughout the
whole horizon none visible TO reciprocity star
gazers-saving twinking and pitiful show.
England would be glad TO make a treaty compact with
the United States for the benefit or the Dominion Of
Canada II thdt sweetened by the tonbbns and ribbons
.Is keen the I'm