in it. ment, and which has been continued ever since, French silks lower than on these of China, and in peace and in war, now that the nation may recommended six per cent. for the former. be regarded out of debt, is again solemnly Not content with that measure of reduction, sanctioned. The ayes and noes, said Mr. C., a Senator from Virginia, (Mr. TAZEWELL,) had had disclosed a fact gratifying to every friend proposed further to reduce it to five per cent. of the protective system-that the principle of And his proposition had been adopted with the protection is conceded by every southern g n concurring votes of most of the Southern Senatleman who voted on the question. It conse-tors. Now if the object had been smoly to crated the principle of protection, and that too preserve the distinction between the silk of the after the payment of the public debt; and it two countries, that object might have been had been sanctioned, too, by the votes of those accomplished by putting China silk at 30 or 20 who had always contended that they were the per cent. and French at 15 or 10 per cent. most injured by it. The principle of protec- The Secretary of the Treasury had recomtion being thus sa ctioned, when the nation mnded the retention of a duty of one per cent. was out of debt, furnished well grounded hopes on teas and a half per cent. on coffee. Believthat it would be adhered to; and if, hereafter, ing that the expense, incident to weighing, it should be found that the protection on any marking, and cullifying, would absorb the duty, branch of domestic industry was inadequate,the and unnecessarily keep up the host of officers, great principle of protection, said he, will car- the Committee of Manufactures of the Senate ry us out to afford further aid to it. Mr. CLAY had proposed to render those articles entirely congratulated the country on the result of the free, and their amendment to that effect had vote just taken The principle for which he Iso been concurred in by most of the southern had so long been contending, had been sanc-Senators. tioned by the concurring vote of those who had Whilst he rejoiced in the passage of the bill always professed themselves opposed to it; and for the reason assigned, he could not vote for it would be the duty of Congress to carry it out receding from the amendments as recommenand fortify it. Mr. C. excepted, of course, ded by the Committee of Conference. He bethe two Senators from South Carolina, who had heved those amendments necessary to the interconsistently manifested their hostility to the ests which they were intended to protect. And system throughout; but the other southern if the bill should pass without them, as it will Senators, by voting against the indefinite post-not go into operation until after the next sesponement of the bill, must be considered as sion, he hoped, if then ascertained to be indisyielding their assent to the principle embraced pensable, they would be enacted into a law. And he also hoped that, if there should be disHenceforward Mr. C. hoped that the only covered any other ommissions or errors in the He was question would be about the proper applica-bill, they will then be corrected. tion of the power, giving it efficiency, when aware that in voting against receding, as he more efficiency is req ured, and moderating its should do, the passage of the bill was not enoperation where the pressure of it may be un-dangered. For he could not be ignorant of duly severe. what he saw around him, that there was a maThere was another consideration which re-jority, he would not say, as had been said on conciled him to the passage of the bill. It another occosion, an organized majority, to decontained a clear recognition of the principles, feat those amendments. which he had contended for at the commencement of the session, that the reduction of duties necessary to adapt the revenue of the country to the wants of the government, should be thrown principally on the unprotected class, comprehending articles not produced within the country. That discrimination had been Mr. MANGUM said, as one individual, he strenuously opposed in the early part of the ses mus: protest against any such misrepresentation sion. It had been opposed with ridicule and of the vote he had given as was contained in derision, and a long list of trifling, and some of the remarks of the Senator from Kentucky. He them laughable articles, had been held up for was unskilled in Parliamentary usage; that a the amusement of Con,ress. vote against the indeffinite postponement of a It had been argued that articles of luxury, bill was not a pledge to its support; and that used only by the rich, would be exempted such a vote might be given with a view to such fromtaxation, whilst articles essestial to the com- modifications as would deprive it of its objecfort of the poor were heavily burthened. Itionable features. Such, Mr. M. said, were the What was the progress of the session we have seen these grounds on which he had voted. objections abandoned by many of those who the measure under consideration? It was a urged them, and who finally voted for the dis- proposition to indefinitely postpone a bill in crimination. And in regard to the article of which was embodied a system that had grown silks, the House had adopted 10 per cent.up from political collisions; and it was for the ad valorem as the duties upon Chinese and purpose of correcting the evils in that bill, French silks. The Committee on Manufac-which he considered a bill of abominations," tures of the Senate, in consequence of an esta- that he had voted against it. He did not conblished usage, proposed to make the duty on sider this vote as sanctioning the bill. And now, Mr. President, said Mr. CLAY, I hope we shall all go home in a better temper, and resolve to explain to our constituents, fully and fairly, the operation of this established policy of the country, aud with a firm determination to spare no efforts to reconcile them toit. He should never so graty the Senator from Ken-House. Mr. WEBSIER said there could be no commitment of the bill, which had passed; and the only question now was on the concurrence in the disagreement of the House. Mr. D, there was no instance in which the The Senator from Kentucky (Mr. CLAY) Mr. HAYNE explained his own course in the committee. Being opposed to the whole system, he had voted to recede in every case, and he would do the other gentlemen, (Messrs. WILKINS and DICKERSON,) the justice, to say, that they had not yie.ded an inch, while there was any hope of carrying their poin. When it became certain, that by striking out seven per cent on wollens, and half a cent on cotton bagging and sugar, they might lose the whole bit, which they justly consid red as eminently beneficial to the manufacturers, they very naturally gave up an insignificant part, to Mr. MILLER said, in reference to his vote secure the rest. He would do the justice to against an indefinite postponement, if the vote the Senator from New Jersey, to say, that nei- of the Senate did not allow of a mo ification, ther on this occasion, nor any other, had he he had voted in error; for, otherwise, he would manifested the shi. htest disposition to yield one have voted for its indefinite postponement. iota of the prot. cting system, and in support-But he conceived the bill was still open till the ing such a bill as this, he ha given up nothing last. According to the 11th rule of their proto the south. Mr H stated that he had seen a ceedings, the questions, among others, were letter in the committee from one of the strong-still open to lay on the table;" "to postpone est friends of the American system in this coun indefinitely;" "to commit," and "to amend." try, asserting that this bill was better for the This in view, he had voted against the motion protected interests, than the bill of 1829, and till the amendments would come before them; urging its fiends on no account to suffer it to but he would oppose the bill in every stage. be lost. After all, nowever, Mr. H. said that Mr. WEBSTER said, it was plain the bill these amendments presented the smallest of all itself could not again come before them; it had small questions that he had ever heard gravely been read a third time, and was agreed to by discussed in a legislative body, whether wool-both Houses. But the amendments were withlens should have a protection of 50 or 57 per their power, and a motion to recommit them cent. and the duty on sugar and coton oagging, would be in order; but he conceived the best be reduced three or four, er cent., still leaving course for them to pursue, would be to take the dut es on all of the protected art cles at much the question of concurrence on each amendhigner ad valorem raves than they were in 1828. ment. He concluded by ayın, that he should cer Mr. POINDEXTER, believing that the bill tainly not vot for the bill either in its amended would go o establish the principle of protec form, or in the shape it came from the other tion, he could never give it his vote, in any 1 Mr. HAYNE said, he should allow the question of concurrence to be taken on the several amendments, up to the last, which was a mere verbal one; but it was his intention then, before they should go beyond his reach, to move a recommi ment of the whole measure. shape. The principle of the present act was to domestic manufactures, if possible, the whole not that of Hamilton; what he recommended, aid of the whole revenue; to remove all duties looked in its object to revenue. Protection for from imported articles which do not enter into any other purpose, he would have repudiated. competition with our own produce or fabrics, If, in the present stage of the question, the to make their entry free. In the bill under opponents of the bill were in any dilemma, he, consideration, this principle is fully embodied To that extent, therefore, it Mr. P, would take care,if there were no other and enforced. available mode, to renew his motion for indefi- meets my unqualified approbation, and has been sanctioned by both Houses of Congress. nite postponement. Another rule of proceeding, early enunciated by my colleague, and readily embraced by many on this floor, was so to improve the regulations of collecting revenue as to deduce from new arrangements a measure of protection to home in ustry somewhat proportionate to what might Mr. DALLAS said, having anxiously con- be lost in the mere reduction of the amount of sulted with several gentlemen around me, much duty. I need not remind the Senate of the debetter acquainted with the rules of order than t ils of the bill in which, by various provisions, myself, I am satisfied that the question now is object has also been incorporated and atpropounded for my suffrage is the final one ontained. The two principle ones are, the short this bill. It came from the House of Repre- credits to be hereafter allowed at our customsentatives, it underwent many amendments in houses for duties, and the justly augmented vathe Senate, those amendments have not all been lue of the pound sterling from four dollars and concurred in by the House, and we are now forty-four cents to four dollars and eighty-eight The operations of these two provisions called upon to say whether we will recede from cents. those of cur amendments which have been dis- has undergone sufficient comment, and cannot agreed to. Should we recede, the law is com- now be mistaken by the Senate. plete, and already passed by both Houses of Congress. We cannot now r commit-we cannot alter what both the Senate and the House have approved-we may prolong altercation and difficulty by refusing to recede, or leave the matter unfinished and indefinitely postpon. ed; but, if we are to have any law enacted at this session, we must determine to have one by our present concluding vote. The bill, Mr President, has, in all its parts, engaged my most earnest and devoted study. To my mind, unaffected by the heats of this day, or of any former days, adequate protection is secured by this bill to all the great intersts of the country, in the main. I may be mistaken; ny lights on this complicated mater may not be as extensive or accurate as are enjoyed by others; my information, my views, my At this point of an arduous and inter sting convictions, are not derived from any thing discussion, when even a Committee of Confer heard on this floor from any speaker; nor have ence have exhausted their efforts, I cannot con I regulated my votes or contracted my real sensent to give a silent vote. Always prepared timents under extraneous inflence. I believe, heretofore, and resolved to be always prapared firmly and sincerely believe, that if a few interto assume any responsibility which may seem ests undergo a diminution in the amount of proappropriate to the discharge of my public du-tection heretofore given them by law-a dimities, I am now, and hereafter shall be, teady to nut on somewhat disproportionate to that which meet my co stituents upon this question; to characterizes the general scale-the diff rence tell them frankly and fully my motives and rea-ia not of substantial importance, and cannot sesons of action; and most cheerfully to abide by riously or permanently affect them. Certainly sir, any conclusion of their judgment. I am only there is not an absolute sacrifice of any one intersolicitous that my course on this final question-est which has been before us. Louisiana cannot; in effect and obviously a question of this bill or cannot consisten ly with the unvarying tenor no bill-should be distinctly recorded and un-of every inquiry I have made-complain of the derstoood. reduction of one half cent upon sugar. KenSir, at an early period of the session, I an-tucky, as to the cent on cotton bagging, it will nounced the principles upon which I was go-be recollected, was equally divided in the Severned in the labor of accommodating a new nate; and the increase we made upon that artitariff of duties to the existing position of the cle, as compared with the bill from the House, country, to the reduced want of revenue, and after having first been rejected, was finally to the payment of the public debt. Fully con adopted by a majority of one vote only. It vinced of the wisdom of the great principle of was impossible to be wholly insensible to the protecting domestic industry, having imbibed discordant opinions of the two Kentucky Senaa settled belief that it is essential to the mainte- tors upon this subject; and although I voted benance of the best interests of the nation, and fore, and would willingly now vote, to make aspeculiarly important to the happiness and prossurance doubly sure, to give the additional cent perity of my native State, I have uniformly ta- of du‹y, I cannot pretend, in this divided statę ken my part in every exertion so to arrange the of the best opinions, to have a deep and positive duties as to afford adequate and ample security conviction one way or the other. to the manufacturers. My first rule of pro- The only really equivocal point is that which ceeding was, and invariably has been, to give relates to woollens. We added to the fifty per ,ith bill of the House, seven per ral readiness to remedy hereafter, by special cent ad valorem. This addition had not been legislation, any mischiefs which experience concurred in. It has my decided approba- may prove to result from the defects or omistion; and could I secure it, by any course of sions of our present act. The country is just action consistent with a d scharge of the gene- now anxiously, feverishly, waiting the close of ral sum of my duties here, I would do so. The this protracted and most interesting session. report of the Committee of Conference, how-The excitements of congressional debate have ever, precludes all prospect of that kind; and gradually spread through the whole people. I cannot avoid entertaining the hope that, after We are operatively called upon to end our all, this seven per cent., which some of its most deliberations, and to present to our constituardent arivocates would agree to make five per ents the great work upon which we have been cent., cannot be absolutely and vitally necessa-engaged. Let us submit this bill to their scrury to the safety of those who are engaged in uny and operation. Should it prove unsatis the manufacture. Sir, although determined to factory or defective in any part, I have only to act upon the suggestion of my own indepen-express my readiness, if Providence, the prodent mind and conscience, I must say, that if ple, and my own fee will, permit me again to there be, on this topic of the tariff, a question participate in your proceedings, to supply upon whose intelligence, sagacity, principles, what may be wanting, or to rectify what may and perseverance, I would pin y faith as to a controverted fact, about the efficacy or ineffi- Mr. CLAY said, one of his chief objections cacy of a given amount of protection, that gen to the course of the committee, as, that they tleman is the chairman of the Senate's Com- had given way before it was nec ssary. The mittee of Manufactures, (Mr. DICKERSON.) He Senate could have insisted, and then if the has devoted many years, actively and ardently, House had determines also to insist, tae Senate to the encouragement, system, and effectual could then have determined either to recede protection of all branches and departments of or adhere. He stated that much stress was domestic industry. He is here the official and laid on the c ange in the value of the pound selected guardian of the manufacturing inter-sterling, while it was certain that sugar, sail ests, and we all know the unflinching fidelity duck, and other articles, came from quarters with which his task is performed. Now, Sir, where the pound sterling was not the basis of this esteemed gentleman recommends us to calculation. He called for a division of the forego our additional duty of seven per cent., question. be wrong. and to be satisfied with the fifty per cent. ad The PRESIDENT pro tempore stated the valorem, approved by the House of Represen- question of order. It would be first to take tatives. I go with him: I cannot be far out of the way when in his company; and I yield to the chairman of the Committee of Manufacture when he requests me to recede. the question on concurring with the Committee of Conference in its report. If the bill be recommitted, nothing, he said, could be recommitted but the amendments disagreed to. The question on concurring with the report of the committee was susceptible of division, and would, as usual, be taken on each amendment separately. Allusion has been made to the sentiments up. on this great subject, unanimously expressed, within the last month, by the Legislature of Pennsylvania. The resolutions of that highly respected body are now open before me. They The question was then taken on receding manifest a complimentary reliance upon the from the amendment inserting the words "af discretion and fidelity of their Senators, which ter kendal cottons," the words "the latter is appreciated with sensibility, an has not we ghing not less than 16 ounces to the been, and shall not be forgotten or disappoint square yard," and determined in the affirmaed. Although couched in language which tive yeas 38, nays 10, as follows: does not import, they have all the force and ef ficacy of positive instructions; and we have rigidly conformed to them, being both inclined to do so, and fully recognizing the right of the General Assembly to direct our representative conduct. The present predicament of the sub. ject may, indeed, seem to be one to which the resolutions do not apply; and to exact from myself and my colleague a course of proceed ing which, in our judgments, will most strictly conform to their spirit and esign. YEAS-Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Buckner, Chambers, Clayton, Dallas, Dickerson, Dudley, Ellis, Forsyth, Frelinghuysen, Grundy, Hayne, Hendricks, Hill, Holmes, Johnston, Kane, King, Mangum, Marcy, Miller, More, Naudain, Poindexter, Robinson, Silsbee, Smith, Sprague, Tazewell, Tipton, omlinson, Froup, Tyler, Webster, White, and Wilkins-38. NAYS-Messrs. Bell, Clay, Ewing, Foot, Knight, Prentiss, Robbins, Ruggles, Seymour, and Waggaman-10. Sir, in determining to recede, I shall deeply The question then was on receding from the regret if the manufacturing interests to which amendment raising the duty on silver and platI have referred, or any others, shall experience ed wire, from five to twenty-five per cent. which any, the least injury. Infallible legislation was agreen to. cannot be hoped for: we are as liable to The Senate then receded from their next aerror and mistake as other men; but, as I sin-mendment, raising the duty on japanned sadcerely believe that all with whom I have the dlery from ten to twenty-five per cent. without honor to be associated are actuated by pure and a division. patriotic motives, I cannot but expect a gene-Į The Senate then receded from their next a CONGRESSIONAL. mendment, changing the duy on sail duck-ty to fifty-seven per cent.-yeas 29, nays 19, as follows: yeas 34, nays 14, as follows: YEAS-Me srs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Buckner, Dallas, Dickerson, Dudley, Ellis, Foot. Forsyth, Frelinghuysen, Grundy, Hayne, Hendricks, Hill, Johnston, Kane, King, Knight, Man am, Marcy, Miller, Moore, Poindexter, Robinson, Silsbee, Sprague, Tazewell, Tip on, Tomlinson, Troup, Tyler, White, and Wilki ́s -34. NAYS-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Clay, Clay ton, Ewing, Holmes, Naudain, Prentiss, Robbins Ruggles, Seymour, Smith, Waggaman, and Webster-14. YEAS-Messrs.Benton, Bibb. Brown, Buckner, Dallas, Dickerson, Dudley Ellis, Forsyth, Grundy, Hayne, Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King, Knight, Mangum, Marcy, Miller, Moore Poindexter, Robinson, Smith, Tazewell, Tipton, Troup, Tyler, White, and Wilkins--29. NAYS-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Clay, Clayton, Ewing, Foot, Frelinghuysen, Holmes, Johnston, Naudain, Prentiss, Robbins, Ruggles, Seymour, Silsbee, Sprague, Tomlinson, Waggama, and Webster-19. The amendments having been gone through, Mr. HAYNE moved to recommit the bill, The question was next taken on receding from the amendment increasing the duty on cot-with instructions so to amend it, as to provide ton bagging to four cents instead of three and for a system of ad valorem duties, so arranged half per square yard, and decided in the affir- as to reduce the revenue to the wants of the country. mative, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Buckner, Da las, Dickerson, Dudley, Ellis, Forsyth, Grundy, Hayne, Hendricks, Hill, Ka e, King, Mangum, Marcy, Miller, Moore, Poindexter, Robinson, Silsber, Smith, Tazewell, Tipton, Troup, Tyler, White, and Wilkins-29. man, and Webster-19. The PRESIDENT decided that such a mo tion could not be received, as the Senate must now be confined, to its action, on the dissagrec. ing votes of the two House. MR POINDEXTER then rose. It was not his intention, he said, to go into any details, but to renew the motion for indefinite postponeHe felt that if he were to vote for the NAYS-Messrs. Bell, Chambers, Clay, Clay-ment. ton, Ewing, Foot, Frelinghuysen, Holmes, John-bill, he would be conceding a power to Conston, Knight, Naudain, Prentiss, Robbins, Rug-gress to lay taxes on the country for other pur gles, Seymour, Sprague, Tomlinson, Wagga poses than revenue, a power which he denied they possesse, other than that for the payment The question was then taken on receding of their debts. Were he to vote for the bill, from the amendment, increasing the duty on he should consider himself committed to the brown sugar, from two and a half to three cents principle, though other gentlemen had exper pound, and decided in the affirmative--pressed a different opinion. But what was this bill? It kept up the duties on the protected yeas 33, nays 15, as follows: YEAS-Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Buck-articles; was oppressive in the extreme on the ner, Chambers, Dallas, Dickerson, Dudley, El- raw material; (the chair requested the Senator lis, Forsyth, Frelinghuysen, Grundy, Hayne, would confine himself to the question;) it was Hendricks, Hill, Kane, King, Knight, Mangum, Marcy, Miller, Moore, Poindexter, Robbins, Silsbee, Smith, Sprague, Tazewell, Tipton, Troup, Tyler, White, and Wilkins--33. NAYS-Messrs. Bell, Clay, Clayton, Ewing, Foot, Holmes, Johnston, Naudain, Prentiss, Robbins, Ruggles, Seymour, Tomlinson, Waggaman, and Webster-15. his intention, Mr. P. resumed, to record his opinion of the measure at a prior stage, but no fitting opportunity had presented itself, and he would merely now say, that he considered the present bill, from the inequality of its operation, worse than the bill of abominations of 1828. He would conform to the wish of the chair, and would now move that the bill be indefinitepostponed. The Senate then receded from the amend-ly ment increasing the duty on slates, from twentyfive to thirty-five per cent. ad valorem, by the following vote: Mr. HAYNE asked for the yeas and ays. Mr. FORSYTH said he would vote against the motion, and so far sanction the present bill, YEAS-Messrs. Bell, Benton, Bibb, Brown, but it was necessary for him to state the grounds Although the principle of proBuckner, Chambers, Clayton, Dallas, Dicker-of his vote. son, Dudley, Eilis, Ewing, Foot, Forsyth, Fre-tection was embraced in this bill, for which he linghuysen, Grundy, Hayne, Hendricks, Hill, was about to vote, yet is he to be hereafter Holmes, Johnston, Kane, King, Knight, Man- committed in favor of the principle? He hoped gum, Marcy, Miller, Moore, Naudain, Poindex not. Defeat the present bill, and what would ter, Robinson, Silsbee, Smith, Sprague, Taze-be the consequence? We would have the exwell, Tipton, Tomlinson, Troup, Tyler, White, sting tariff, without any reduction. The present measure was a modification of it, so far as and Wilkins-41. NAYS-Messrs. Clay, Prentiss, Robbins, it went; and he would vote for getting rid of Ruggles, Seymour, Waggaman, and Webster so much of the abominable bill of 1828. It was not a question of protection, but of reduc-7. The Senate then agreed to the amendment tion of the burdens of the people, and he would of the House to its amendment with respect to continue the uncompromising, incessant enemy of the system, till it was totally abrogated by carpetting, by inserting the word "common." The Senate then receded from their amend-Congress. ment, increasing the duty on woollens from fif Mr. FOOT said he had once voted for the |