Constitutional Whig. [volume], February 24, 1824, Image 1

About Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832

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-—r—— —r—————DEMOCRACY, THE COJVSTITUTIOJV, AJVD STATE RIGHTS.
B\ PLEASANTS & BUILEILj RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, TLIKSBAV FEBRUARY 24, 1824. , v . ■ -LJ
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HeightfcfcntVi Congress.
IN SK.NATL
Friday, February 13.
Mr. Hayne presented the memorial of a number
of the citizen* of C harleston and its vicinity,setting
forth Ihe injurious consequences that would result
from the increase of duties on imported articles, and
remonstrating against an increase of the Tariff-—
Referred to the committee on Commerce and Manu
factures.
Mr. Johnson, of Lou. presented the memorial of
sundry aliens, praying certain alterations in the
la ws respecting naturalization—Referred.
Mr. Johnson gave notice that to-morrow he should
usu leave to introduce a hill supplementary to the
several acts for adjusting the claims to lands, and
establishing Land Offices in the district east of the
island of New Orleans, in the state of Louisiana.
Mr. Noble presented a resolution of the General
Assembly ol the state of Indiana, requesting her re
presentatives, aud instructing her Senators in Con
gress, to take all necessary measures to procure the
extinguishment ol the Indian titles to laud within
that state.
On motion of Mr. Barton, the petitions of John
Forbes and John McAllister were rc-coinmitted to
the committee on Public Lands, with instructions to
report a bill authorising the petitioners to institute
a suit in the Circuit Court of the United States at
Mobile, to try the validity of their claim.
Mr. Talbot substituted the following resolution for
consideration, which, on motion-of Mr. IFilliams of
Miss, was ordered to be printed :
lifsolreU, 1 hat the committee on the Judiciary be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of so mo
difying and changing the 25th section of the Judici
ary Act of 17tfy, as to authorize the removal of the
causes therein provided for by either of the parties,
before trial from the state court, in which any such
case may be pending, to the court of the United
States, of original jurisdiction in like cases, for final
trial and adjudication, instead of the appeal or writ
of error which is allowed by the provisions of said
act, to be taken for the reversal of the judgment or
dered by the highest court of law of the state in
which suit may have been pending by the Supreme
Court of the United States.
The following bills were read the third time and
passed.
The bill authorizing the President of the United
States to cause to be made a military road from
Tort St. Philip to the Tnglish Turn, as an auxiliary
to the defence of New Orleans.
Tin* bill confirming the claim of Lewis Judson and
Peter 11 Hobart to a tract of land.
The resolution authorizing the purchase of one'
copy of Locus’ Universal Atlas.
The bill extending the term of pensions granted
to persons disabled, and to the widows and orphans
of those who have been slain, or who have died in
comcquence of wounds or casualties received while
in the line of their duty, on board the private armed
vessels of the United States, during the late war.
JAMKS JOHrVSON.
The Senate took up, in committee of the whole,
the bill reported by the military committee, for the
relief of James Johnson.
L i ne uni autnorizcs tne Accounting umccrs ot the
Treasury Department, in settling the accounts of
James Johnson, as Paymaster to the mounted regi
ment commanded by Richard M. Johnson, in the
late war with Great Britain, to allow him a credit
of $4,30*2, being a balance against the said James
Johnson, constituted by the payinrnt of 32 1-2 cents,
to the unn-coinmissioned officers and privates, for
rations und forage, per day, for the time during said
service, in which the said non-coniinissioncd officers j
and privates furnished themselves, instead of the
sum of 25 cents for such rations and forage per day, I
authorized by the act of the 2d of January, 1795,
making an excess of 7 1-2 cents per day to each man,
more than the last recited act warranted.]
Mr. Harbour rose in support of the Dill, and stat
ed the facts which justified the report of the cominit
t e.—He stated,
That Col. Richard M. Johnson commanded, dur
ing the lat*1 war with Great Biitain, a regiment of
mounted infantry; that he appointed James John
son paymaster t.» said regiment; that the service of
t!ih regiment was performed during the summer and
/.ill of Hi 1.5. on the frontier of the state of Ohio, in
cludin', Fort Wayne, Fort Meigs, Lower Sandusky,
Ilntwn town, and Detroit. That during this service,
which ! i .ted six months, the regiment had to furnish
them selves with rations a portion of the time, at
their own expense, on account of the impracticabi
lity of furnishing the rations on the part of the gov
ern moot; that in making out an estimate of the a
■tnount due the non-cmnini-sioncd officers, musicians,
nn I privates, tiic commandant of the said regiment
•gave the order, that the rations furnished by the
men should he estimated at twenty cents per ration,
under a belief that the law authorized that »um ;
that the estimate was made out accordingly, and
the rations estimated at twenty cents, when, in fact,
the only act which had a direct bearing on this part
of the payment to the non-commissioned officers,
musicians and privates, was passed in Jan. 1795,
and which allowed only twenty-five cents for for
age and rations per day, for each individual, making
an excess to each of seven and a half cents per rati
on, for rations which were, by the said non-commis
sioned officers, musicians and privates of said regi
ment, furnished by them during said service, making
a total of four thousand three hundred and two dol
lars and seventy-rive cents, the sum provided for by
the bill. It appeared, from record evidence,furnish
ed by the Third Auditor, that within the same peri
od, and within the same district of country, in which
said regiment operated and furnished themselves
with rations, the government gave to Orr and Grce
ly from twenty to twenty-five cents, making an a
v« rage of twenty-two and a half cents per ration,
which the government would have given, provided
the ration had been furnished by the contractors, or
the agents of the government. In examining the
report of balances, made to Congress at the last ses
sion, the Third Auditor, after stating the nature of
tliis balance, concludes by saying, that under the
peculiar circumstances of the rase, in his opinion,
legislative provision would not he unreasonable.
Considerable discussion took place on the bill,
lmt before any question was taken, a motion to lay
tjie bill on the table was made and carried.
The bill to repeal in part a law fixing the com
pensation of District Attornies, Marshals Clerks,&c.
was taken up, and alter some explanatory remarks
from Mr. Edwards, of Con., and some remarks from
Messrs. Chandler, Van Burcn, Lowric, and Findlay,
it was ordered to lie on the table,
fi.e Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Frioat, February If?.
I,BOAT. F.VIDESTCK.
Mr. Phar.er of N. H., from the committee on the
Ji.di iary, reported a bill the better to provide fur
Tak og evidence in the Court* of the United Sate3
ia certain cases, which was read a first and second
time, and committed.
TIIOMAS WILLIAMS.
Mr. Campbell, from the committee on private land
claims, reported a bill for the relief of Thomas Wil
liams, wirh was read a first and second time, and
committed.
GEORGE HARLAN.
M r. Campbell, from the same committee, reported
a bill for the relief of George Harlan, which was
read a fust aud second time, aud committed.
SLOOPS OF WAR.
Mr. Croioninshicld, from the committee on naval
affairs reported the bill from the Senate, authoriz
ing the building of additional sloops of war, without
ameudmeu:, and it was ordered to be committed to
a committee ot the whole on the Union.
JOHN HOLL’.DAy.
Mr. Rich, from the committee on claims reported
a lull lor the relief of John Holliday, which was read
a first and second time, and committed.
NATHANIEL JONES.
M t . .ton y from the coimnittcp on claims, report
Oft a bill for the relief of Nathaniel Joucs which was
read a first and second time, and committed.
DELAWARE AND CHESAPEAKE CANAL.
Mr. Hemphill, from the committee on roads and
canals, reported a bill to authorize a subscription
for stock in the Delaware and Chesapeake Canal
Company, which was read a first and second time,
and committed.
On motion of Mr. Cushman, it was
Resolved, That the committee on Post Office and
Post Roads, be instructed to inquire into the expedi
ency of establishing a mail route from Winstown,
through Clinton, to Ligonia, in the county of Kcne
hcc, and state of Maine, and also of so altering the
present route from Augusta to Bangor that the mail
may be carried through China to Ligonia Corner,
where the two routes will coincide.
On motion of air. Brent, it was
Resolved, I hat the committee upon the public
lands be instructed to inquire into the expediency of
amending the act providing for the examination of
land titles, in that part ol Louisiana situated be
tween Rio Hondo and the river Sabine, so as to in
clude all the neutral territory, or disputed ground,
between the United States and the late Governor of
Spain in Mexico, situated in the western part of
Louisiana, and to the cast of the boundary line, as
established by the treaty of 1819, over which the
Land Commissioners of the United States have here
tofore exercised no jurisdiction, and to make such
other alterations therein as may be deemed expedi
ent.
And also*
Result ed, That the same committee be directed to
inquire into the expediency of authorizing, by law,
tile present Land Register at Opelousas, in Louisi
ana, to finish the business of the Land Office, at O
pelousas, left in an unfinished state by his predeces
sor, and that the Secretary of the Treasury do make
reasonable allowances therefor.
Mr. Wow offered the following resolution :
Resolved, That the Committee on the District of
Columbia be instructed to inquire into the expedien
cy of providing by law for the election of a delegate
from the said district, to represent the same in the
Congress of the United States.
Mr. Ross explained that he had been repeatedly
requested to present this resolution to the House._
The District is increasing in it3 commercial charac
ter, its population and its wants are increasing ; and
so many conflicting interests were growing up that
it appears necessary that it should have some re
presentative in Congress.
Mr. Foot, of Con. spoke on the same side.
Mr. .1. Stevenson wished to know if there was
any petition before the House, expressive of the
wishes of the people on the subject.
Mr. Taylor “referred to the ^Constitution, which
provided that the exclusive jurisdiction of the dis
trict should be in Congress ; and he did not think a
sufficient reason had been given for the application.
He felt himself as much a representative of the dis
trict, as he was of his own section of the country;
and he believed this sentiment was not confined to
mmseir. i lie interests ot the district had occupied
much of the a :ter»tionof Congress, and if any change
were required, let it come from an expression on the
part of the people.
The resolution was then laid on the table.
On motion of Mr. Garnett, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Pensions and
Revolutionary Claims, be instructed to inquire into
expediency of placing Ralph Horne, a revolutionary
soldier, on the pension list.
On motion of Mr. Marvie, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Revolutionary
Pensions, be instructed to inqurc into the propriety
of placing William Bowen on the roll ofrevolutiona
ry pensions.
On motion of Mr. Henry Wilson, it was
Resolved, 1 hat the Committee of Post Offices and
Post Roads be instructed to inquire into the expedi
ency of establishing a post route from Fogclsville, in
the county of Lehigh, and in the state of Pennsylva
nia, by the new state road through Kleinvillc, to
Hamburg, in the county of Berks, in the same state.
I On motion of Mr. Moore, Ala. it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Claims he in
structed to inqure into the propriety of allowing
j compensation to Zachariah C. At vis, a private in
Captain George Smith's company of mounted gun
men, in the campaign against the Greek Indians, for
a horse which was lost for the want of forage.
Mr. Van Rannselaermoved that,when the House
adjourn, it adjourn to meet on Monday. Ayes, 103
—Noes, 57.
REVISION OF THE TARIFF.
On motion of Mr. Tod, the House having a
gnin resolved itself into a committee of the
whole, on the hill to amend the several actsfor
imputing duties on Imports, the immediate ques
tion, depending from yesterday, being upon the
motion of Air. Tracy, to strike out fifteen per
centum, (the addition proposed upon the rate of
duties now existing on the importation of dis
tilled Spirits,) and inserting in lieu thereofJifty
per centum—
Mr. Tomlinson, of Connecticut, rose, and
said, that having, on a preceding day, submitted
to the Committee a few remarks on a motion,
involving, as he thought, the principle now as
serted by the mover and supporters of the mo
tion inuler consideration, and those remarks ha
ving been particularly replied to bv gentlemen
who had followed him, a sense of duty impelled
him again to ask the attention of the Committee,
and fully and freely to express his views regard
ing the proposition immediately before them_
Notwithstanding the views entertained by some
gentlemen, he regarded it as a proposition
which would vitally affect the commerce and
agriculture of a considerable jiortion of the Uni
on, and be regretted that, in the discussion of
the amendment, the magnitude of the interests
involved in it had not been properly apprecia
ted. Yes,sir, said he, the interest of agriculture,
the friend of which he professed to be, is inti
mately connected with this proposition, as he
would hereafter show.
Mr. T. said, he was disposed to bring into the
discussion, on the bill now before the committee,
a spirit of conciliation, and eve?i of reasonable
concession, but he could not so far indulge that
spirit as to consent to an infringement of the in
terests of his constituents, who wore engaged as
well in agricultural as commercial pursuits. He
had, in Iced, been asked to sacrifice what he
deemed the interests of the state which he had
the honor, in part, to represent, to a spirit of
concord and good feeling, and to yield to the im
(Hisition of the additional duty proposed; but,
when he considered that a measure proposed for
the adoption of Congress would be detrimental
to his constituents, he should, on all occasions,
make it known, and syaud, at least, as their
watchful and laithful advocate. : Ic hoped to be
able to convince the C'oinmitffec, that the amend
ment, now before them, would be essentially in
jurious, not merely to kin constituents, button//
the eastern, and some of the middle and south
ern stales, and thus to secure its rejection.
A gentleman from New York, (Mr. Tracy)
had said that the objection to his • amendment
comes with an ill grace from the Eastern States,
and especially from Connecticut. Sir, said Mr.
T. I profess to have some knowledge of the in
terests of the Eastern States, and I am not a
ware that those interests hare been particular
ly consulted, in the formation of the bill under
consideration. The duty on hemp, surely, is
not intended to protect lire agriculture of that
section of our country. Hemp is not raised
there; the lands of New England are not suited
to the culture of it. Are the interests of com
merce to be promoted by the additional duty on
hemp? Will not commerce feel the injurious
effects of that tax, in a two-fold respect ? The
expense of rigging ships is augmented by the ve
ry measure which will deprive them of employ
ment. Little hemp is raised in the United
States, except in Kentucky and the Western
States. This faet shows whose interest will be
subserved by the proposed protecting duty on
hemp. Is the duty imposed on lead for the be
nefit of the Eastern States ? It will not be pre
tended that there is a Lead Mine east of the Al
leghany Mountains. This tax, then, must re
gard exclusively the interest of the Western
States. Mr. T. said, he might advert to the du
ty on glass and iron, further to sustain his posi
tion. The additional duty of 35 per cent, upon
wool, would be more general in its operation,
but it certainly coukl not be concealed, that wool
could be most cheaply raised in the Western
States, where the price of land was far below its
value in New England. Indeed he had been
told, by a member of this House, that, from the
single town of Steubenville, in Ohio, during the
last year, sixty thousand pounds of wool had
ocen transported over the Alleghany. Where,
then, will the additional duty on wool he most
beneficially felt? He was liot rulvei-sn fn ciw-li I
encouragement of the interests of the West, but
lie insisted that, while those interests are thus
protected, an important source of wealth to the
East should not be destroyed. He deemed it
proper thus to lepel the assertion, repeated
more than once, that the bill before the Com
mittee, contains provisions peculiarly beneficial
to Connecticut and New England, and he did it
m no invidious spirit towards the West. He
certainly rejoiced in the prosperity of that coun
try, and was ready to promote it by all legiti
mate and proper measures. His constituents,
Mr- T. said, asked for national measures, and
required nothing inconsistent with the interest
of the Union, and, as their representative, he
was disposed to insist upon the just and equal
distribution, as weil of the public patronage as
the public burdens.
The objection, Mr. T. said, which, in his
judgment, was conclusive against the additional
duty proposed, was, that it would greatly dimin
ish, if not annihilate, the West India trade.
It certainly would prevent the legal importa
tion of tbreign distilled spirits from the West In
dia Islands. Indeed, lie apprehended that the
addition recommended by the committee, would
fall little short of immediately producing the
same result, but that such would be its ultimate
effect, he felt persuaded.
?f He would, he said, examine the nature and
xtent of this trade ; and, in doinc so, he DroDo
sea to enter into details which, perhaps, might I
►be uninteresting, but, he thought, could not fail
to be useful in the investigation of a measure
like that now before the committee. The hill
under consideration purports to be, and hears
the title of, a bill to amend the several acts im
posing duties on imports. Certainly, in adjust
ing the numerous provisions of such a bill, the
commerce of the nation ought to be brought dis
tinctly into view, with all its ramifications and
effects upon the other interests of the country.
I he trade with the West Indies had always
been deemed of immense importance to the U.
States. It was a profitable trade, affording, a
large balance in our favor. The exports ;j the
West India islands consist mainly of the pro
ductions of this country, for which we can find
no other market. It may be useful to state a
few facts in relation to this trade, which is, bv
some gentlemen, so lightly considered. The
most important articles of export to those isl
ands, of domestic, produce and manufacture, are.
lumber, fish, the various kinds of animal food,
corn, corn-meal, and flour. The Hour exported
to those islands in 1822 was valued, at the cus
tom house, at £‘2,758,427; more than one half
of all the flour exported from the country. The
total amount of domestic exports to those isl
ands, in 1822, exceeded £10,070,000, and the
exports of foreign growth and manufacture ex
ceeded £2,390,000 making an aggregate of ex
ports exceeding £12,470,000. The bullion im
ported from the same islands, in 1822, amount
ed to £297.191, and the gold and silver coin to
£1,750,232, it being almost one-half of all the
specie imported during that year. Ought such
a trade to he disregarded ? Ought it not to be
encouraged, especially when it is remembered
that it is carried ou in the pork, the beef, the
lumber, and breadstuffs of the country, for which
no demand exists in Europe ? This Iradc, too,
furnishes us with large quantities of colonial
produce, which may he carried to an European
market, and thus ultimately enriching the coun
try by a double profit and freight. But this
rade, Mr. F. said, had, in fact, langu ished un
der the operation of the duty imposed in 1816 ;
and, so far from being able to sustain further
pressure, seemed to require the fostering care of
the national government.
I he importance of preserving almost the
principal inarket which remained to the country
for the productions that he had named would he
apparent by adverting to the great difference in
the quantity ot those articles exported in the
year 1801, and in the year 1822. 1 le had taken
the year 1822, because the report of the exports
in the year 1823 was not conveniently acces
sible, it not having yet been printed. The va
lue of lumber exported in 1804 was £2.518,000.
The value of the same article expo ted jn 1822
sunk to £1,307,670. The animal food and ani
rnalscxported in 1801 were valued at £ 1.284,568.
The exports of the same articles in 1322 were
diminished to the comparifevrly small amount of
£1,463,923. fie had taken these articlcsas fair
ly exhibiting the depression which this branch of
our commerce haa experienced within the pe
riod of 13 years.
But, fha diminution of exports towhich he had
called the attention of the committee fell not a
lonc upon the commerce of the Eastern states ; it
was, perhaps, equally destructive otbe agricul
tural prosperity of that section of the Union.—
Indeed, the lumber of the states of North Caroli
na and Ceorgia must find the same market,or be
lost to i>s owners. And the state of N ew York.
from which the gentleman comes who made the
motion now under consideration, must look to
the West India market to dispose of the lumber
which shall float down their northern and Wes
tern Canals. Deprive them of this market, and
their limber must be burned on the 6pot where
it grew, or their forests remain uncleared.
It has been insisted, Mr. T. said, that the ar
gument which he had urged against the proposed
increase of duty on distilled spirits applied equal
ly to every part of the present bill, and would
prove that no aguincntation of the present du
ties on imports ought to take place. This argu
ment, hesuid, he inustbe permitted to pronounce
unsound, notwithstanding the high source from
which it proceeded. The trade to the West In
dies is of a peculiar description. It consists of
bulky articles, and employs a greater quantity
of tonnage, and a larger number of men, in pro
portion to the capital employed, than any other
portion of the trade in which the merchants of
the United States are engaged. Our true poli
cy is to give protection to the domestic manufac
ture of those foreign fabrics, the importation of
which affords employment to the smallest portion
of our navigation, and which cannot be paid for
in the domestic produce of the country. If it
be necessary to abandon any part of your com
merce for protection of domestic industry, first
abandon that which drains the country of spe
cie, but last of all that which returns specie for
the surplus of your bulky domestic produce.
The honourable chairman of the committee
who reported this bill has urged that the objec
tion raised against the proposed increase of duty
applies with equal force to the increased duty on
grass bonnets. Perhaps no instance will better
elucidate the propriety of the policy for which he
couteuded than the one mentioned by that gen
tleman. The boivtets referred to, on the impor
tation of which an additional duty is imposed, are
brought chiefly from Italy, and fabricated of a
light material. The domestic produce export
ed to Italy and Malta amounts to only $560,714,
and that consists of articles which cannot be ob
tained as well elsewhere, and for which specie
will be paid if wc consent to diminish the a
mount of our imports from that country, now
exceeding$1,560,000,by the domestic manufac
ture of an article of dress, the cost of which, in
the year 1322, in that country, was $610,328.
ISow, sir, said Mr. T. is it now apparent that
the trade which I advocate and wish to sustain,
bears no analogy to that mentioned by the gen
tlemanfrom Pennsylvania ? While the former is
beneficial to both the agricultural and commer
cial interests of the country, those important in
terests are not materially advanced by the lat
ter.
But it has been saul, by the honorable Speak
er, that, if the merchant refuses to receive, for
his cargo, distilled spirits, he will be paid in
something better. This is an entire mistake.
Will the sagacious American merchant, of
choice, take an article in payment on which he
must sustain a certain loss? But the merchants
tell you that the amount of duty, cost and regu
lar charges, on spirits imported, considerably
exceeds the price of this article, in our market.
The fact is not as the honorable Speaker sup
poses. The article in question is not taken, ex
cept when nothing better can be obtained. It
the avails of the outward cargo could be received
in any other article, the American merchants
certainly are not so short-sighted as to prefer
taking that which subjects them to a certain loss.
But, sir, so far from giving something better
than distilled spirits, for our domestic produce,
the inhabitants of those islands will seek the
supplies elsewhere which they have been accus
tomed to receive from the United States. Black
cattle abound in South America, and from that
country may be drawn supplies for the West
Indies. The timber of Canada will find its way
to that market for which the proposed measure
goes to exclude us, and the. distilled spirits, which
will bo received in return, may be transported
to Canada, where its introduction into the Uni
ted States, without the payment of duty, is easy,
and attended with little hazard. The transacti
ons of the late war are not forgotten. It is well
understood that, towards the close of the late
war, foreign distilled spirits were abundant on
that frontier. This may again occur, if, by
augmenting the duty, you present an induce
ment sufficiently strong toprostrate the integrity
of those engaged in this trade. It cannot be
concealed that excessive duties lead to smug
gling, and this will not only diminish the revenue,
but impair, seriously impair, the morality of ihe
country. Information received from an honora
ble member of tins Committee, supports the opi
nion that the payment of the present duty is eva
ded by the introduction of foreign distilled spi
rits, through the channel which has been menti
oned. If brandy is constantly smuggled into
England, and in large quantities, from France,
is it not extremely probable that the same
course will be adopted, in a country affording al
together greater facilities for the violation of the
revenue laws.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr.
Stewart.) has defended, said Mr. T. this additi
onal duty, not so much on the ground that it is
intended as an cncouragcnnent to the manufac
ture of domestic spirits, as for the promotion of
agriculture. The grain-growing portion of our
country, the gentleman told us, needed this pro
tection. Sir what is the protection your laws
now afford to the manufacturer of whiskey ?
The averago amount ofdutv on foreign distilled
spirits, may he stated at 42 cents per gallon.
The average cost, in the West Indies, will pro
bably not exceed 20 cents per gallon. You
have, then, a duty on foreign spirits of more
than 200 per cent. Ought not the gentleman
to be satisfied with this protection of his whis
key? Will he, indeed, insist on adding 70 per
cent, to the present duty on imported spirits,
while on whiskey no duty is imposed ? But this
additional duty is not necessary to protect the
grain of the West. The existing laws have gra
dually diminished the importations of foreign spi
rits. Notwithstanding the population of this
country has nearly doubled, within the last twen
ty years, the quantity of spirits imported has di
minished more than 2,300,000 gallons. The
diminution of the importations being in an in
verse proportion to the augmentation of our po
pulation, it is easv to see that the manufacturer
of whiskey, and he who raises the grain to be
converted info this deleterious liquor, have ex
perienced a constantly increasing encourage
ment. The consumers have increased, in the
period of twenty years, about four-fifths, and the
foreign supply has diminished about one-third.
The average quantity of spirits imported and
consumed in the country, from 1801 to 1810, in
clusive, was 6,034,878 gallons. An accurate
author has estimated the quantity of spirits dis
tilled from grain and fruit, in 1301, at 10,000
milliorlaof gallons. By the returns of the mar
shals, in 1810, it appears that the amount dis
tilled, from foreign and dome tic materials, in
that year, was 2.7,409,332 gallons. If it be ad
mitted, then, that the increase of the quantity
of spirits consumed in the country has been in
proportion to the augmentation of »..nr pop-rlati
ou, and thatnur population has increased, since
1810. only one-third, it follows that 42,300,550
gallons of distilled spirits arc annually consumed
in the U. States. Deducting from this enor
mous quantity, 4,567,744 gallons imported, and
there will remain, distdled in the United States,
37,132,812 gallon*. Is not this adequate en
couragement ? Will not the gentleman from
Pennsylvania stop sliu.-t of a total exclusion of
foreign spirits ? The experience of the past
justifies the conclusion, that the existing duty is
rapidly producing this result.
The chairman of the committee on Manufac
tures told this committee that one object'of the
bill, under consideration, was to provide a i*evo
nue. This, sir, is a proj>er object; the bill
ought to be so framed, as, by a judicious addition
of duties on some article to provide for any di
minution winch may result from the encourage
ment properly afforded, to the manufacturer of
other articles. In the year 1822, the duty paid
on foreign distilled spirits imported, into the U.
States exceeded two millions and fortv thousand
dollars. If you impose a duty, which shall a
mounttoa prohibition, how, Mr. T. asked, is
this deficiency to be supplied? The govern
ment must be supported. The national debt
must be paid ; the pledged faith of the country
redeemed. Although we have a largo balance
in the Treasury, yet wc are told that, in order to
meet the payment of that portion of the public
debt which will become payable in 1825, it will
be necessary to borrow about one million of
dollars. \Y ill you render it necessary to borrow
two millions more ?
Mr. Chairman, adopt the amendment now
before the committee ; exclude foreign distilled
spirits, and we present an anomaly in our reve
nue system. Wc exclude foreign, aud impose
no duty on domestic spirits. An article of lux
ury, considered in all countries as a fit subject,
and a fruitful source of revenue, Is exempted
from taxation, while wc raiso about 4700,000
from salt, a necessary of life. Can the gentle
man from New York be serious in advocating a
measure fraught witli such unjust and ruinous
results ?
if it is determined that the duty on foreign
I spirits shall amount to a prohibition, I ask gen
tlemen to give to the country a duty ou tie
domestic article. Let not the revenue which
may be legitimately drawn from this source be
lost. // this destroyer of the physical energies,
and the morality and happiness of its votaries.
must he permitted to continue its ravages upon
society, do not the principles of sound policv
dictate, that it be made to contribute largely
to the national revenue ? If, said Mr. T. gen
tlemen will propose a tax of 20 cents per gal
lon on whiskey—call it an exciso if vou please,
he cared not for the name—it should have his
cordial approbation and support: and to effect
an object of such moral and national interest,
he would give his assent to the imposition of a
duty on foreign spirits, which should afibrd ade
quate protection to the domestic manufacture.
The imposition ofsuch a tax, if the distilled spi
rits consumed in the country be estimated at
40,000.000 gallons, would produce an aium.il
revenue of about eight millions of dollars._
With such a revenue wc might afford complete
protection to all the valuable manufacturing es
tablishments in the country, and secure an am
ple supply of all those manufactured articles
which essentially contribute to our security and
independence.
Mr. T. said he had deemed it his duty to ex
plain to the committee the views which iic en
tertained regarding the proposition before it,
and he could say that it was his wish to consult,
not merely the interest of manufactures, but of
agriculture and commerce. Those intereds
were closely and intimately interwoven. They
are the joint sources of the national wealth, and
great care is requisite that they do not come in
collision.
H“ concluded by expressing a hope that the
details ot the bill would be so arranged as to do
justice and afford satisfaction to all classes of
the community, and to every section of the Uni
on.
The question was then taken on Mr. Tracy’s
motion, and decidod in the negative, by a large
majority.
The question then recurred on the motion of
Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, tnstrike out the whole
of the clause proposing an increase of duty on
the importation of distilled spirits ; and, being
taken, was decided in the negative, 102 votes to
67.
IWr. Garnett, of Virginia, moved to sfriko
out of the bill the clause in the following words,
viz: “Onorangers, fifty cents per hundred;
“ °n lemons, twenty-five cents per hundred ;
“ on limes, ten cents per hundred.” In sup
port of tins motion—
Mr. Garnett said, that, while this bill was a
larmingly comprehensive in some respects, it
^*as singularly, not to say ludicrously, minute
in others. Of the latter description were the
duties proposed to be stricken out; and there
was even a duty proposed on filberts and figs!
lie presumed the duty on limes and lemons was
introduced on the same principle with that on
foreign spirits, and proposed to operate by the
same means—by discouraging the manufacture
of punch, and promoting that of whiskey. The
duty on oranges, he supposed, was for the bene
fit of the agriculture of Florida. lie wished
Florida bad a voice in this Houso. He would
undertake to say, that, ifshchnd, though an in
fant in flic Union, she would not be tempted by
this bait of an orange to gulp down the nauseous
compound of ingredients offered by this bill. It
would scarcely take out the had taste. There
was another duty intended for the benefit of Flo
rida ; the duty on figs. He would venture to
say, she would not give a fig for the duty. O
rangesand lemons were refreshing and useful in
sickno-.*. A tax on them, was a tax on the
sick. If we did lay taxes in reference to the
sick, let it be for their benefit—let us fax some
of those deadly wcajwms, and direful drugs,
which, for the last thirty years, have been so fa
tal to the sick i:i this country, lie would sup
port the ( hairman of the Committee on Manu
factures, in a tax on lancets, and he would vote
fot a tax on calomel, though it produced a ge
neral cwistipa lion, frnm the Passarnaquaddv to
the 1’edec. Me thought this bill was sour e
nough, in all conscience, without squeezing these
lemons into it.
Mr. Toil, of Pennsylvania, said, that the du
ties proposed to he stricken out were not higher !
than the pre ant atl calorem duties on the same
articles. The object of the Committee w as noi
that which the gentleman from Virginia sup
posed, to encourage the homo manufacture of
these articles, but to make the collection of the
revenue certain, easy, and free from evasions,
ft was wholly unessential for the objects of this
bill, whether the amendment now proposed was
agreed to or not, but. lie thought the gentleman
bad not given any sufficient reason for the a
mendment. The importation of figs, Mr. T.
said, was very great, indeed ; the article was
already cha/ged with a specific duty, and, if it
wqre net. it cerfaiol*' ought ir* ho. Articles *f
__ t- —
this description are imported almost w hiuiv mr
the use oftlic rich and luxurious, and were cer
tainly fair objects of taxation.
Mr. Gan elt said, liis icason for i:iaking
this mot.on was to take away from the t>ti|.pci t«m
of the bill any claim which might he ibtmdid ou
this item, in favour of the duties on other articles,
lie was perfectly satisfied, from his observation^
that the very delusive idea that agrieujluie h-*s
hecn benefitted bv protecting duties, has bocij a
strong motive with many for pushing that ,\yr..
tern of protection to the extent now proposed* iu
favor of manufactures; and, iutieod, it he was
not mistaken, 'die gentleman from Pennsylvania
had stated it, the other day, as one of the objects
ot this bill, to equalize the protection a I lorded
bj‘ law to the two interests. Per bis part, JVIr,
G. said, lie would, if he could, repeal all tic du
ties on agricultural products; an.!, in rr/utioq
to such a proposition, ho believed, the greater
part of the agriculturalists in this House would
go along with him. For, he said, in regard to
the great staples of the country, it was not in tl.Q
power of this House, by any act of legislation, io
increase the price of them, inasmuch as the
price must be regulated by the portion of them
which goes abroad, and not by any other cir
cumstance. We have attracted a great deal of
public notice, said Mr. G. by attempting to le
gislate on many curious subjects, such as the
dying machine, &c. but the spectacle of a legis
lature gravely legislating to raise the price of
corn, or any other great product of the soil, is
calculated to excite, in the minds of intelligent
men, more astonishment than any of the pro
jects to which J refer. Such an undertakingu
as wise as that of the philosopher who under
took to extract sun-beams Irom cucumbers, or
as any otlicr absurdity that can be conceived
of.
Mr. Hamilton, of .South Carolina, was very
glad to hear from the gentleman from FeimsU.
vania, that he had an affectionate regard for the
revenue of the country, which, however, ho
might have manifested more effectually than by
attaching it to such insignificant articles as pino
apples, oranges, and filberts ! Hut this item
was consistent with tlie whole scope and object
of the hill. If the bill ever becomes a law, said
Mr. H. and goes into operation—if we ever
submit to its operation, it will he of very hide
consequence whether oranges, figs, or filberts,
be interdicted or not : fori believe there will'
under the operation of this system, be very fi Vv
individuals left who can afford to purchase them
As it is, fifty cents per hundred on oranges
would operate as a duty of a hundred per ceTit.
on the articles but even at this rate would be of
no importance to the I reasur^, &c, Tor what
purpose are wo legislating .J’»aid Mr. 11. Js
this item thrown out as a bait to catch a part of
the southern country ? In a portion of the dis
trict which l represent, a great quantity of oran
ges are grown; hut 1 repudiate the idea formv
constituents,of such an inducement having any
influence on their minds, I specially protest y
gainst the duty, if intended fur our use. Mr.
II. made some observations on tin* merits of these
particular articles coin|K»ing this item, and con
cluded by saying that he was glad that such
items had been stuffed into the hill, to make ft
still more odious,, and more oppressiv e than it
would be without them.
Mr. Tod remarked, that, as he supposed the
gentleman would vote against the amendment
because he was glad the proposed duty was odi
ous, no further argument was necessary from
him (Mr. Tod) to convince that gentleman that
the amendment was inexpedient.
The. question was then taken on Mr, Gar
nett’s motion, and decided in the negative.
Mr. Conner, ot North Carolina, then moved
to strikeout, in the ninth line, the word thirty
and insert twenty-five, which would make the
clause read, “ On all manufactures of wool, or
ot which wool shall ho a component part, a duty
of tieenty-Jire [>er centum ad valorem.” 3
Mr. Conner obsorved, on making this motion,
that, from the proposed thirty per centum on
woollen goods, it was evidently their intention
to prohibit coarse fabrics of woollen altogether.
He could not approve of such a policy,°w! .,cli
would operate oppressively on the southern
country generally. These goods were necessa
ry a large class of the people, and a very con
siderable, revenue was derived from their impor
tation, which, ifthednty passed a? now proposed
must he almost entirely lost tolhc 'vovemmont
l tic question Ixing put on Mr. Conner’s a
memlmont, it was lost, ay»'71 hops 106’.
Mr. Brent, of Louisiana, then move! fa amend
the bill, by striking out the clause which pro
poses to lay a duty of 6 cents per square yard
on all cotton bagging importtd.
.Mr. Brent stated to the Committee his rea
sons for proposing this amendment. This duty
lie said, would bear with particular hardship on
(he part of the country which he represented
and the more so, because it was allowed that it
would have the effect of a prohibitory duty. IIu
wished, when proposing such a duty'as this" the
honorable Chairman of the Committee of Manu
factures would have shewn that the artie'e o<
not ton bagging was manufactured in the I nitod
States toa sufficient amount for the consumption
ot the country. This could not be shewn • and
connentcd with thnt fact, this one feature shewed
the extent to which gentlemen wore disposed u,
push their system.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania was mis
taken in his assumed fact, that, during (he lat<»
war, the cotton-planters were supplied with bng
ging from Kentucky—for that state was not at
that time making one sixth part of the quantity
necessary tor the supply of the country. Mi,r|»
we had no commerce, whatever, nnd Kentucky
was almost without competition in the manufac
ture of the article, the greatest quantity of ha*-•
ging which she made tn anvonr year, was t> ;o_
000 yards, whilst the crffisJniptio'n oftlie T nited
Slates amounts to npwarrls of four million* of
yards annually, kc. At this very moment
Mr. B. said, t lie re is not made in the state of
Kentucky, 00,000 yards annually of cotton
gmg. This fact appeared bv (he Ccnsnsof tho
state of Kentucky, inthevear I H2-2. and the rc
poH, in regard to that manufacture, was in i
languishing condition—not. Mr. ft. fr-nn
the want of protection to the manufacture but
from the inferiority of the article manufactured
I, said he, represent a cotton country : and all
the gentlemen representing the same dr serin
tion of country will unite in testifying that rim
bagging of Kentucky is of so mferior'n quality
that we prefer pnjmg 10 cents per yard for tho
foreign article, to making use of the h»-vrTl„
Kentucky, at 27 cent* p r yard. And would
the advocates of 11,is bill force upon the cotton
growers an article of i fin iuferierqu »!it\ >
The gentleman fr m IV„r- ■.-•vji.iia '.a 1 refer
red to 1b® re,,oi; of \lexunder Hamilton \f,Vy
Mr. B. said, though bo was not disposed to adont
tho principles of Alcxanderllimiltononanv sub
jeet. he was willing t„ shew. from bis report
Alexander Hamilton had laid down the i rinemle
that a prohibition of the importation ol anv ar
1 tide should never he attempted by a Govern
1 mrnt. wivWut first aseertawing that the <.-«»try
’