nays 38.

The question was then taken, character of the bill; but they and decided as follows:

were negatived, ayes 7, nays 32. Yeas, 5; nays, 41,

The bill

was then ordered to a A motion was then made by third reading, ayes 32, nay's 8. Mr. Bibb, to limit the expendi- The debate was further conture under the bill to $3,000,000, tinued in opposition to the bill which was negatived; ayes 4; the next day, by Mr. Poindex

ter, and on the 20th Mr. Grundy Mr. Bibb then moved an and Mr. Ewing replied to him. amendment, to authorize a de. The question was then taken on fendant in any action under the its passage, and its opponents second section, to take issue having generally withdrawn, it upon the question, whether the passed by the following vote : tariff of 1832 was enacted as a ayes 32, nay, Mr. Tyler, and revenue act, or as a protecting was sent to the house for con. act-and certain other amend currence, ments, altering materially the

CHAPTER V.

TARIFF CONTINUED.

Proceedings in Senate.- Proceedings in House on Enforcing

Bill.-Passage of do.—Passage of Tariff in Senate.-Convention re-assembled in South Carolina. -Ordinance repealed.Ordinance passed, declaring Enforcing Bill void.

The next day after the pas- Mr. Clay then moved an sage of the enforcing act, amendment, the effect of which (February 21,) Mr. Clay moved is to make the home valuation of to take up the bill proposed by goods the standard for assesshim for modifying the tariff

, and ment of duties under this bill, the amendments reported by the after the 30th September, 1842, select commitee to whom it had instead of the foreign valuation. been referred.

A considerable discussion The amendments reported took place on this proposition to by the select committee were to amend, but it was adopted, ayes the following effect: to add to 20, nays 16. the present free articles, table The 23d of February, Mr. linen, linen napkins and linen Smith moved an amendment cambrics, and to except sewing which went to permit plains, silk from the silks proposed to kerseys, and kendal cottons to be made free; to add to articles be imported at five per cent., as to be admitted free after 1842, under the act of 1832. sulphur, crude salt petre, steel, Mr. Foot and Mr. Bell oppogrind-stones, refined borax, eme- sed the amendment, and said ry, alum, and copperas, and to this increase of duty on those take out of the same list unmanu- articles was intended as a comfactured cotton, and all oiher pensation to the manufacturers, dyeing drugs, &c., not particu- for the general reduction, and larized in the bill. The other that they should not vote for the amendments did not change the bill, if the amendment prevailed, principle of the bill.

Mr. Chambers, Mr. Forsyth, and

Mr. Benton, urged that the in- Buckner, that these words, crease of duty which the amend- though not so intended, might ment obviated, rendered the ori. be construed by the southern ginating the bill in the senate representatives in 1842, as an unconstitutional.

abandonment of the protective Mr. Webster said that he system, and a design on the part was opposed altogether to the of those who introduced the bill, bill, but the objection was one to make revenue alone the standwhich it belonged to the house ard of future duties on imports. to make. It was a question of Mr. Clayton, and Mr. Clay, privilege, and the decision be- regarded the language as autholonged solely to the house. After rizing no such constitution, and some further discussion, the denied that any one would be amendment was rejected, ayes justified in inferring that there 14, nays 29. Mr. Kane then was to be an abandonment of moved to exempt the duties on the system of protection. Mr. lead, and substances manufactu- Clayton insisted that the gored from lead, from the opera- vernment could not be maintion of the act, and Mr. Smith tained, if the principle should be moved to add a clause exempt- abandoned, and declared that ing military munitions ; but Mr. he would pause before he surSmith's motion was negatived, rendered it, even to save the ayes 14, nays 25, and Mr. Kane's Union. shared the same fate, ayes 12, Mr. Forsyth regarded the

clause as an absurdity, on which Mr. Forsyth then moved to an argument might be erected, amend the bill, so as expressly to either for or against protection; permit the further discussion of but as it was the only absurdity the tariff before 1842, but it was which was agreeable to him, rejected, ayes 13, nays 28. among the many absurdities con

Mr. Benton moved an amend- tained in the bill, he would vote ment, reducing the drawbacks for it. in proportion to the reduction of

The question being taken, on the duties, but it was negatived, striking out the words, it was ayes 18, nays 24.

negatived, ayes 14, nays 22, and Mr. Wright then moved an the amendment was agreed to. amendment, increasing the duty The bill was then ordered to a on raw wool, which was reject- third reading, without a division ed, ayes 7, nays 32.

being called. The bill was then reported, The 25th of February, when and the amendments concurred the question was on its passage, in, excepting that which provides Mr. Webster gave his sentithat after 1842, such duties shall ments in opposition to the bill. be levied “as an economical ex- He paid, in the commencement, penditure may require." It was a tribute to the purity, zeal, and contended by Mr. Webster, Mr. ability of the senator from KenDallas, Mr. Dickerson, and Mr. tucky, for whom he had so long

nays 27.

entertained a high respect, and of compromise, is brought forto elevate whom to a situation ward by the distinguished senawhere his talents might be still tor from Kentucky, who promore beneficial to his country, fesses to have renounced none he had zealously laboured. He of his former opinions, as to the also complimented the talents constitutionality and expediency and services of the senator from of protection. The bill is also S. Carolina, with whom he had so supported by a gentleman whose often acted, and for whom he had opinions are directly the reverse always felt a sincere regard. He of those entertained by the senabriefly reviewed his own course, tor from Kentucky. When it when the former bills on the was supported by such opposite subject of the tariff were under feelings, it was important to look consideration, and adverted to into the provisions of the bill. the conviction which was forced He stated the various consideraon the east, and other portions of tions which ought to weigh with the country, that the protective those who, as friends of the prosystem was to be the settled tective system, voted for this policy of the government. New- bill. England had resisted, in the first He did not object to the prosinstance, the establishment of a pective and biennial reductions high protective policy; but when made by the bill up to 1841, but he that was determined on the east- objected to the clauses which did, ern states turned all their natu- in effect, prohibit the repealing ral advantages, and their capital action of any subsequent conof wealth and industry, into the gress upon this bill, until 1842. new channel thus marked out He also objected to the proviso for them. The bill of 1826 was in the fifth section, which was a to carry out the promises made restriction on the power of conby the bill of 1824. He disliked gress. He put it to the senator the bill of 1828, yet he had vo- from Tennessee, (Mr. Grundy,) ted for it on account of that who had introduced the clause, feature in it which gave the to say if he did not intend that woollens the protection which it should show that congress the government had pledged was to be considered as bound itself to give by the law of 1824. by the bill, as far as this conThat bill decided the policy of gress could bind the future lethe country, unless it was to be gislation of the country. kept in a state of perpetual fluc- The protected articles may, tuation and uncertainty. by this bill, be reduced below 20

After passing the law of last per cent. ad valorem, but cansession,-a law containing some not be raised above 20 per cent. features of concession and com- He opposed the bill, because promise, when the country was it imposed a restriction on the not prepared for any change,- future legislation of congress. the present bill, professing to be a He also opposed it, because it bill of peace, of arrangement, and seemed to yield the constitutional power of protection. Various ar- pons of defence at her feet. guments were advanced by him Under a colonial system, our to show that the southern politi- manufacturers would not be cians would, if this bill were pass. more completely shackled, than ed, tell every one of their consti- they will be by this bill. tuents, that they had gained some He referred to the four powconcession to the opinions of the ers by which the senator from South. He said that he appro- Kentucky had said that our proved the sagacious silence of the tective system could be preservsouthern gentlemen. They would ed. 1st, prohibition; 2dly, the not suffer themselves to be pro- free list; 3dly, incidental provoked by friend or enemy, to tection-all of which would be speak before the time should found inadequate,—and the 4th, come when they ought to speak. discrimination, or specific duties, They were masters of the game, was the only one which would and they knew it. He commend- avail. Discriminating and speed their policy, but he wished cific duties were the last rethem to see that he understood source, and if those were to be it. In giving up specific duties, given up, there could be no and substituting ad valorem, the longer any hope for the protecbill had abandoned the policy of tive system, in war or in peace. all wise governments, and the He insisted, that not being ownpolicy of our own government, ers of the property, but merely and the policy always advocated agents or administrators, we had by the senator from Kentucky. no right to fetter a future conHe viewed the bill as a surren- gress. He regarded this bill as der of all the interests of the the last will and testament of smaller capitalists, and a con- this congress, which would be cession in favour of overgrown set aside by the people, but not monopolies. He pointed out on the ground of want of sanity the effects of this surrender on in those principally engaged in our own condition, and the making it, for he never saw genhandle which it would give to tlemen more fully in possession satirists, and foreign writers, of that sagacity ; nor on account and the poets laureate of all the of any undue influence, although monarchies of Europe, to turn he could not help thinking that our institutions and our preten- panic had something to do with sions into ridicule. If this prin- it, and that if the South Carolina ciple were carried into our ordinance and replevin law had navigation, he stated that it not appeared, this bill would would be immediately counter- never have appeared in the vailed by Great Britain. By senate. limiting our countervailing pow- In reference to the practical er, and leaving the countervail effect of the bill, he stated that ing power of Europe free, we he saw obstacles to the carrying put in her hands weapons to this bill into effect, which appeardestroy us, and cast our wea- ed to him to be insurmountable.