Year: 1859




dents, and is in no way calculated to ad.
vance the general prosperity and welfare
OF the country, and is beside, a principal
cause Of the heavy commercial balances
too often found against our country. II
there be those able to indulge in such COM
samptiou, let them pay accordingly.


should be careful, too, that the Gov
ernment collected whatever its demand
might be, whether counted on quantity
or on the value Of the article, so that tho
honest importer might stand at least
equal with the inscriptions adventurer.


Alter an allusion, in justification to him.
self, to his views upon this subject twelve
years ago, Mr. Bigler proceeded at length
to discuss the necessities for prompt re.
adjustment Of the tariff, pointed out the
wants OF the Treasury, present and pros
pectiye; the elements which composed
them, and arguing at length from admit.
ted data the utter impossibility that the
estimates Of revenue made by the Secren
tary, could or would be realized.


lie then remarked, it is too OBVIOUS,
therefore, Mr.. President, that the alterna-
tive of an increase of the public debt, or in-
crease oftherevenues are before us; and for
one, sir, am emphatically in favor of the
latter and against the former, am utter~
ly opposed to the creation ,of public debt
in time of peace. 1t is against the settled
policy of our Government, and should
not be INDUCED even to moderate eX.
tent. 1t has been said the present tariff
has not had fair trial that it may here
after bring the necessary revenue. But,
suppose the SeCretary's estimates TO prove
entirely correct. it will require over ten
millions annually, for three years, above
his estimates, to meet the deficit which he
himself shows. Such a case leaves no
room for doubt or dispute.


1t is proper that ! should remark at
this point, Mr.. President, that | dissent
from he estimate of the Secretary of tho
Treasury with the utmost reluctance and
in all kindness to him, for am his per.
sonal and political friend.


But, sir, it is said that there is not time
sufficient to accomplish the work at this
session--and it must be conceded that the
time is short, but we can have much moro
time than we had on the present tariff,
which was discussed in this body only
few hours. But, sir, if we can not have u
complete revision OF the tariff, applying
different rules and rates to different arti>
cles, rs may seem best, then gives US four
or five or six per cent. on the rstes ot tho
present law. Either of these propositions
could be understood and disposed OF in q
few hours


The Senator then proceeded to notice
briefly the views of the President, and
those of the Secretary of the Treasury on
this subject, and discussed at some length
the difference between specific and ad ra-
iorem duties. The aim Of both was o raise
fl om this source the amount Of customs
! they differed only in the method of doing
! it, A tariff for revenue was the Demo.
cratic doctrine, but the mode of assessing
! the duty, whether upon the value or quan.
/ tity of the article has never been made an
article OF our party faith. Our faith was
to deal justly with all in the use Of either
mode.


Mr. Bigler then continued:


But, Mr.. President, the manufacturers
of iron. would be perfectly satisfied with
very moderate specific duty on the sev.
eral kinds of the foreign article. They
are quite willing that we should ascertain
what the aggregate duty, per ton, has ay-
craged for a series Of years and fix that as
specific rate. They would be content
with six dollars per ton on pig metal,
! twelve on railroad iron, and fifteen on rol.
led or hammered bar, which would not
exceed the average that has been paid un.
| der the ad va!orem principle for the last
eight or ten years. Now, sir, ifno greater
average sum is paid, do not see that it
can make an essential difference to the
consumer or to the treasury, whether the
charge is made by "a fixed sum on the
quantity or the value; but it is of great
| Importance to the domestic manufacturer
for the specific duty tends directly and ef-
| fectually to the exclusion Of the inferior
article from the country for it is seen
that when fixed sum is charged upon
| the quantity the rates becomes highest
upon the poorest article, and whilst the
| better will stand the charge, tho inferior
| is excluded, which benefit as well TO the
consumer as to the American producer,
and must result in the general good
With a moderate rate Of duty, the A ner'
can iron-maker can compete with the for
/ eign manufacturer in the production of
the best article; but he cannot sell good
| iron as low as the English can bad and
brittle trash, and he can make the best
nearly as cheap he can the worst He
may stand fair competition, bat he needs
protection against fraud and deception
| The experience Of the Pennsylvania rail-
road shows that the wear and tear OF
American iron, under the amount of ton.
mage on that road, is from five to six per
cent, whilst on the foreign article of the
average quality, it would range from eight
to twelve per cent. 1t is the importation
OF the inferior article that has embarrassed
the American manulaturer as well as de.
ceived and delrauded the American con-,
sumer.


The effect of duties upon articles CON-
retng with our principal staple produc-
tons on the interest Of the consumer is,
and always has been, subject Of controver.
Isy. TIL Senator rom Georgia, (Mr. lve..
son, few weeks since, in discussing the
policy Of using American iron in the con.
struetion of the Pacific Railroad, submit.
ted calculation based ON the erroneous
assumption that iron of equal quality
could be had twenty-four per cent below
the usual price we're the tariff taken of