i’eti'tl, he felt it his duty to oppose its passfrve
if the clause under discussion anti sotne others
Were to be stricken out. ‘His coiistittierits
were not prepared to meet the rexcisemetr——
whom they had often seen in 1793. They
would as soon see amongtliern a blue ltiglrt,
vororie ofthosejust men rnrztlcper/'cct, who .by
commercial restrictions and ~'eritarig’ling alli-
ances had involved the country in war, and
‘then left others to wage it. ‘He ‘was willing
‘to afford protection to ‘Ari-.erican iiranufac-
tures, but not at the expense of agricultiire,
and the other branches of industry.
Mr. .ll1(1lltI.)‘y of Verrrioiit, urged the iiiipor-
tance of mutual coricessions and of an equali-
zation ofthe "proposed adtlitioual duties. He
was in favor of striking out the clause; but if
it were retaitied, lteshotiltl iiotwitlistatidiug
‘vote for the bill. The conrinittee who repor-
ted it 'l‘iad‘been industrious, and altltouglr he
‘should like some modifications, yet he would
sooner take it as it is,‘tl‘r:-tri see the whole. de-
featetl. _
‘the public btirtlteiis, and had not beeir.bat:lt-
ward in making sacrifices to the public good.
He hoped the west would not be pertirracrotts
in insisting on retaining the clause.
However great the evils produced by the.
extensive use of spirits, they could not be ‘a-
voided.~ Theinquiry was, wlietlier the duties‘
alreadyiinposetl were not suflicieritly high :
Has not protection to the domestic article ‘al-
ready exceeded that of almost any other .-.’—
Tlie importatiori of spirits at a former period
was enormously great, amounting to about 1%
or 15,000,000 ofgallons in a single year. The
duties upnir it amounted to nearly two—filths
ofthe whole revenue. The tariffof 1816 ltas
been the cause of redttcing the iirrport to a-
bout 4,000,000 of gallons per annum. The
use ofspirits has not dirnirrished, but increas-
ed, from the clieapiiess of the domestic article
and increased population. The domestic pro-
duce ltas enjoyed the benefits. No part ofthe
country has enjoyed greater advantages than
the ‘Vest. Let us inquire what’ has been the
effect ttpori the trade and comtnerceof the
Eastern states, especially of Coirnecticttt.—
From one port, a few years ago, about fifty
vessels were engaged in the West India trade
—now they have about 8 or 9 from the satire
port. Other ports have stifl‘eretl equally great.
Ought this particular branclt of coinrnerce to
be reduced any more ?
The dirty on spirits is aliotit 42(:eiits per
gallon, on an average. The cost is about 17
cents per gallon in the West Indies. Tiredn-
ty, therefore, is nearly 2.'2() per cent. already :
add that proposed bythe hill, and it will equal
300 per ceirt.—-and the West has rcapcd its
full share, perhaps ntore, ofthe benefits of the
ltiglr duties. in conseqiictice ofthe clteaptiess
of graiii in the \‘i’est, the article of spirits
cottltl be produced there Hllltjll cheaper than
in the East. \Vhen the Eastern people de-
mand an increase of dirty equal to‘ 300 per ct.
on woollens, some equivalent should be dis-
covered, or the ‘Nest would liatc a right to
complain.
Mr. Tracy of New-York,tliouglit the addi-
tiotial duty on imported spirits could lrave but
little effect on the corirnrercial interests of the
country. But he was of the opinion, that
there was no article to which the application
of the principle of exclusion could be more
fairly tirade, than to the article of imported
spirits. What was lost to commerce by the
importation of rum would be gained by an in-
creased trade in niolasses,whiclt would be dis-
tilled in this country. If geirtleiiieii at the
otrtset were not disposed to_yield any tlitrig to
the interest and seittiiiients ofthe west, it was
in vain to expect thatthe bill should ever pass.
Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, said he was_ not
the advocate exclusively of either commerce
or agricnlttire, nor was he opposed to mariti-
facttires ; but he wished to see them put tiporr
a fair and equal footing. In his opitiion, the
interests of agriculture, commerce, and inatt-
ufactures, were so connected, that they could
tiot,‘witliotit violence, be separated. In the
proposition which he ltatl tirade to arneud the
bill, by striking otit the clause itow under con-
sideration, he had been actuated as riiuch by
a desire to favor agrieultitre, as to favor coin-
merce. VVhat would be the effect ofit? He
ottglit, he said, certainly to have bronglit into
this House some experience, ifnothing else-—
for he had been ten years of his life engaged
in commerce, and, for the ten last years,iri ag-
ricultiiral ptlt'5'.lllS--Z1l‘.(.l, practised in both, he
was not liostiie to either of them. Every bar-
9-cl o flour exported from the U. States, said
Mr. Foot, the proceeds of Wlll(‘.l‘l are invested
in the prodtit-.ts of fcrotlzn countries‘, for im-
ptirtanori ; brings into our Trcastiry at least
fifteen dollars, in the sliape of duties on the
foreign importation. You will, by conrpell-
itig the constrniption of that article here, (by
excluding inrportations by high duties,) pro-
duce a necessity for raising that fifteen dollars
upon the consunrption of the article at home.
Here, then, is-a taxation on agricttltitre, to an
enormous extent,tlienecessity for which will be
produced by leg-islating to the extent proposed.
Mi‘. 'j."r7.'mble,ofKy. saidthat it had been re-
peatedly stated that _to impose an additional
duty would be to diminish the revenue ; but
to show the fallacy of this argument he read
a statement tirade up from the reports ofl'tIr.
Dallas and Ills‘. Gallatin, formerly Secretaries
ofthe Treasury, shewing that the average a-
mount ofdutit-s on itnported spirits had been
less than two millions per annum from 1800
to 1816, the timethe present tariff was adopt-
ed ; and about two millions yearly from 1816
to. 1893. , The present tariff, he said, -was so
uiieqtial that none could be found to support
it—tlie new oue_ he wished to be fair and equal.
Mr.-Tracy, of N. Y. said he was convittced
that the proposed duty, instead of being too
high, was not high enough; he would there-
fore move to strike out the word fifteen, and
insertftfly per cent. -
Mr. Jl1cDu_flie, of S. C. rose in defence of
‘the motion to strike ottt the clatise. The du-
'ty on imported spirits al_ready amounts near-
ly to air exclusion. There had been a con-
'stant and uniform decrease of the qtiaiitity
imported, when the increased consumption
was taken into view. 'IVliiskey was not one
of those articles which ‘ could legititriately
"claim the protection ofthe government. . It
rt-qnired no l'llaCllll'l'Cl'_Y'_: it called forth little
of the ingenuity, industry or enterprize ofthe
country ', it was not necessary to place the na-
tion iir a state ofdefence ; and no iniportaiit
end could be answered by such protection.
Mr. Tod, of,Penn. was not so much opposed
‘to striking out the clause, as to the reasons tir-
ged in favor of the motion. The same prin-
ciple might be applied to every iteiri in the
bill. We niight go on, striking out clause af-
it.l' clause, till there would be nothing left.—
‘ ons tendency.
Connecticut had borne her slitire of
The gentleman from S. C. was opposed to
the protection of spirits, because no niacliine-
ry or capital was reqtrired—no-more do straw
bonnets. Sir, I iutist protest against the nrode
of opposition which ‘is prirsued-—ifevery meni-
ber is to object to the bill the ‘nroment any of
its provisions affect hirnselfcr his constitu-
once, but domestic indtistry rriust be left with-
out protection to the end of time.
Mr. Reed objected to the duty as calculated
to produce fratids upon the revenue. There
was no article on which the duties had so
much been evatled, in Europe, as this very ar-
ticle of spirits. Iftlie bill was to produce or
ertcoorage sntitggliugdie thought it ofdanger-
The statcnieiits ofthe gentle-
trrati front Keutucky,(M'r. Trirnble.) had gone
to confirm his fears. He tells us that tlto av-
erage amount, since ttllil, is nearly the satire
as before that year. lam by no means sure
that the actual itiiportatioii has not increased,
though the revenue remains stationary.
Mr. Hu.millan., of S. C. was for contesting
the details of the bill, inch by inch : he should
Opptise every provision, which would have a
preearioiis tender-icy. He could consent to no
other course, even if the rvliole bill should be
defeated. The Speaker had yesterday said
he should not sltrink froiu an excise ifitshould
hereafter becotrie necessary, and that revenue
might be raised in that way, ifthe exigencies
of the coutitry should require. It was easy to
call spirits frorti the vasty deep ; btit will they
come when we do call them. The Speaker
would remember that an excise oh whiskey
had once caused an insurrectiorr in this conti-
try ; and such cotnrir_otions might again arise,
ifthe exciseinan was setit among the manu-
facturers of whiskey. He had no wish for the
recnrrerice of such a period; and he hoped
that the proceedings of this House would tie-
ver lead to such disastrous consequences.
t‘dr. Stewart,ofPennsylvania, rose and said
he cotrsidered the duty proposed, as not so
rnuclt irtteiided for the benefit ofthe niantifac-
iurer of spirits as for the grower of grain.-
The agriculturist has lost his market ; his pro-
ducts areabsolrtely shut otit from Enrope——
wliere he sold a t_ltottsatrd barrels of florir he
does not irow sell one. And it is the duty of
a protecting and paretital goverutrieiit, to pro-
vide a market for liirii, ifit can be dorte. But
gentlenien exclairn, you will ‘destroy corri-
nierce—liow ? by preveutirrg us from import-
iug spirits. As well rnigltt they tell us we
ought to export grain, and import our bread,
lest cottinierce should be tineniployed, as to
tell us we must export grain and import spir-
its, for the sake of commerce. ,It is certain-
ly as proper that it natioir should itiiport its
bread, as import its drink. And it is qtiite as
ntrtclr the duty of g0V8l'lllll3lll. to protect the
trrati who raises the ntatcrial for our drink, as
the man who raises the material for otir bread
Gcntleroari cartnot cornpreltentl how the entiti-
try is to be a gainer, ifthe excise is tirade e-
qual toihe duty on iniports—tlie difference is
obvious. We in the one case keep otrr capi-
tal at home, and in the o_tlier we send it a-
broad : the differeiice is the whole price—~
which in the one case is sent out of the cotitr-
try, and iii the other is kept within it. [very
well renietnber, that, iii the district of court-
try I ltave the honor to represent, there was
paid during the late war a heavy excise—yet
there was never known a period ofsuch pros-
perity to the niantifacttirer ofwliiskey; there
was twice as iiiticli tirade their as there is now.
The interior labors under peculiar disadvan-
tages. 'I‘lte products it raises are bulky and
heavy, and will not bear the cost of trarispor-
tation to a distant tiiarket. Government ought
to protect and clieiisli them at lioitie, and pro-
vide a ltorrre irtarket. There wits such a mar-
ket to a considerable extent in our irrairtifa’c-
ttiring establislinretits, but these are crushed.
During the war there were, in my district,
frosn 15 to :0 ftiruaces, besides forges, rolling
and splitting mills, and other establisliureiits
for the maiinfaeture ofiron. In 18tG,tlie du-
ty was taken off from irtiported iron, and they
were crushed. One after another sank, sank,
sank: they were all ruined—-tlteir hands were
disttiissed, and the agricultiirist lost his mar-
ket, while the rrtarrut'itcttrrcr lost his all. You
took that market from the fartiier———it is your
dirty to restore it——or give him some equiva-
lent. The gentleman from C. was pleased
to designate the spirit of our owir doriiestic
tiraiiufactiire, as blue ruin. Nothing will suit
liiiri but the spirit that is intpnrtetl. He likes
red ruin. Ruin is, in his estimation, tar bet-
tcr colored and far better tasted, than wliis-
key. Possibly he likes it because it is ofa
red color. But, sir, to my taste, old whiskey,
the genuine old Columbia, is better than the
gentleiiian’s red ruin. Tltere are some geri-
tlemen who cannot hear any tlting that is do-
mestic. Call it foreign, and they approve it
at once,—-but nothing thaitis doriiestic is good
enough for their use. But, Sir, if you look
at the effects produced, I see no reason why
red ruin. is any better than blue ruin. If a
man gets drutik, I do not think it will make
rtiucli difference, whether it is on foreign or
..on domestic spirits. Iftliere is arty difl'ereirce,
it is in the expense to his family, and that is
all on the side ofthe domestic article.
The gentleman from S. C. thinks it would
be much better to raise animals and send tlrerri
to the Eastward, than to occupy otir capital in
distilling whiskey. But, Sir, I can tell the
honorable gentleman that there is nothing bet-
ter or more favorable to the raising ofthose
animals which we of the West drive down to
feed hint and his neighbors, than distilleries.
The du_ty in dispute I take to be for the pro-
tection of the farmer; and I ask, wlrile our
products are shutout of foreign markets, shall
we go to those very markets for our meat and
our drink ? I
Mr. Wt-{girl of Ohio spoke for some 'tiine in
favor of Mr. Tracy’s motion to_strik__e out 15,
and insert 50 per centutir. He should vote
for the bill as it now stood, btit would prefer
that the duty on imported spirits should be iri-
creased. He was unable to perceive for what
possible reason this article sliotild be except-
ed. VVe possess the raw material in abiitrdance,
the ability to manufacture for ourselves ; and
the cotniiiodity was substantially as good, as
that which was imported. Every principle
which operated in favor of afi'ording protec-
tion to domestic nianufaetures, was applicable
in the present case.
House qf Rcpreserrtolivcs, F Cl). 13.-Mr.
Crowninshicld of Mass. frorii the coirrtnittee
on naval afi'airs,_ reported the bill from the
Senate, authorisiiig the building of air addi-
tioual nirtiiber of Sloops of War, without a-
mentltnent _; which was referred to a coirirnit-
tee ofthe whole on the state of the Urrion,a.nd
nrade the order of the day for to-iriorrow.
ents, not only most this bill be given “up at
offered aresolution, that the corninittee on
the District ofColnmbia, be instructed to in-
quire into the expediency Offlllakiiig provi-
sion by law for the election of H Delegate to
represen_t said District in the U. S. Congress.
Mr. Ross explained the object he had in
view’ in offering this resolution. The l.)l.tSl‘-
ness relating to the District of Columbia,
which arintially comes before Congress, and
the time that is neCe.‘5Sal'll_)’. constirnerl in atten-
ding to it, and economy, as well as the inter-
csts ofthe District required, that there should
be an agent in Cong_ress,who sliottld be better
acquaimed with the local concerns of the Dis-‘
trict, than it was possible for the tnembers of
the House to be. He knew of no reas-on,wliy
any portion of ottr population sltonldlie willi-
out a represeittatiori.
On motion of Mr. Ciilpepper ofN. Caroli-
na, the resolution was laid on the table until
the wishes ofthe citizerrs oftlte District sltould
be clearly ascertained.
The ’1'ar1'f.-—Tlie House then went into
conriiiittee on the tarifi'bill, and the question
being on Mr. Tracy’s trrotion to strike oitt fif-
teen and insert fifty per cettt. in the clause
imposing an additiotial duty on imported spir-
its, Mr. Tomlinson, of Conn. splike at length
ztgztitist it. It had been said in the debate
that any opposition to the proposed atlditioiial
duty came with an ill grace front the eastern
states. Brit who, he asked, would attetid to
their ititert=sts, if they did not lookout for
themselves 2‘ His constituents would be ina-
terially affected by the provision in question,
and he was prepared to show,tliat it would be
pernicious in its effects ttpon other parts of
the cotititry. He then entered into air exain-
ination of the extent and value of the West
India trade, which was not less itiiportarit to
the agricultural than to the comirrercial inter-
ests ofthe north. Live stock and other agri-
cultural products, to the aniotrtit ofsotuetlring
like teti uiillions of dollars aiintrally were ex-
ported in exchange for articles upon which a
duty was to be laid equivalent to a prohibi-
tion. Ouglit not the ttiterest of the states,
driving this profitable traffic, to be consulted
in an equal degree with the agrictilturists of
the west? The balance oftrade with the W’.
Indies was in our favor; and the usual argu-
rrierit employed on this subject was not appli-
cable to the present case. \Ve consume ari-
tittally about. forty-two millions of gallons of
spirits, which cotild be regarded in no other
light than as rt moral and physical poison; and
yet we were about to offer a bounty on the e-
vil, and to make it no longer a source ofreve-
title, the only groitntls upon which the cori-
stirriptiotr cotild be justified.
The question on Mr. Tracy’s riiotion was
then taken,and decided in the negative: wliere-
tipoti the question recurred, on the triotion of
Mr. Foote, of Court. to strike out the clause
imposing an additional duty on importer.-l spir-
its. A division was called, and the vote stood
102 to 66. So the motion was lost.
Mr. Garn.ell,of Virginia, moved ati amend-
ment, by striking out the clause iiriposing ad-
ditioual duties on or:iiiges,leinons, linres,pine-
apples, filberts and figs. The House liadjirst
agreed to encourage the distillation of whis-
key; and we ought at leastto have a quantum
sufficit of leitiotis to make it iirto puircli.—
He believed the bill was sourenoirgh with-
out squeezingintoitletnons and limes. These
articles are saltitiferous and wholesome, corri-
pared with the noxious article alluded to. He
had not so rtitich objection to the proposed du-
ty on calomel and other drugs, which he be-
lieved conditced little to health or comfort.
Mr. Tod laid no great stress upon the arti-
cles which the gentleman from Virginia had
made a subject of ridicule. They were cori-
sidered as luxuries, which would beat air addi-
tionafduty. The committee took the duty
precisely as it was recorntnended by the Sec-
retary of tlie'l‘i'ertsnry,witli a view to revenue.
He had heard no serious argunient against
this ciatise, and could not think it necessary
to reply to the wit oftlte gctitlernan frotir Va.
Mr. Hamilton, of South Carolina was hap-
py to see these articles, which were not iriere-
ly luxuries, but neccs.~;aries conducive to the
comfort ol' the sick, foisted into the bill, be-
cause it only served to render it more odious.
It never could pass, and ifit shottld,tlie coun-
try would not submit to it.
Mr. Tod rerriarked, that, as the gentleman
from South Carolina, was anxious to render
the hill odious, and contended the clause in
debate would have that tendency, he hoped
the gentletnan would not vote in favor oftlte
motion to strike out.
The motion of Mr. Garnelt was then put
and decided in the negative.
Mr. Conner, of N. (}arolina, their moved to
strike out the ad valorem duty of 30 per ceri-
tum on woollen goods and insert 25 per cent.
After few remarks frotn Mr. Conner, in ex-
platiatiotr ofliis views, the motion was ptit and
decided in the negative.
Mr. Brent, of Louisiana, moved to strike
out the proposed dirty on cotton bagginrr. It
would have a most pernicious infltieiice on the
interests of his cotistituents, and on all the
southern country. He went itrto an exaiiiin-
ation of some length to show, that this couri-
try could iiot produce one half the quantity
of this comtnorlity, which the exigences of
the nation required ; and the cottoti—p|anters
of the south must suffer materially, if this
clause slrorild pass.
Mr. Tod replied at sotne length to the geri-
tlenian from Louisiana. He had no iiiterttion
to deprive the cotton growers ‘of the south of
their bags, in which to send their products to
market. He entered into a statement of facts,
to prove that a sttfficient qtiatitity oftliis arti-
cle cotild be furnished of as good qtiality and
at as cheap :1 rate as the inrported fabrics of
the same descriptiori. So far from operating
against the interests of the south, it would
have a contrary tendency, since it would en-
courage the growth of the raw material, of
which this bagging is made. Cotton could
now be itnported itito tltose countries, where
this fabric is now tnanufactured at a cheaper
rate than from the U. S. ; atitl it was opening
a new market at home, for the raw material
which would not find sale abroad.
Mr. C-rowninslticld, of Mass. begged leave
to set the gentleman front Penn. (Mr. Tod)
right in one particular. He said that cotton
might be grown in other countries at a cheap-
er rate titan in the U. States. This state-
ment was not supported by fact. In no couri-
try, with the exception perhaps of Bengal,
could cotton be grown to so great advantage
as in the southern states. The whole of the
argument, therefore, which was based oti this
statement, must be groundless.
Mr. Henri , of Ky. urged the importance of
Dislrict qf- Col'unrbla.+—lVIr. Ross of Ohio _
doing something f'or the mauufat:ttti'ittg inter-—
ests of the country. This subject had long
been before Congress, and the eyes of_tlte na-
tiotr are now turned to the government, irri-
ploring assistance and protection. He dwelt
for sometime on the depressed condition of
the west, and the necessity ofdoing something
toclieer the laborer in histoils, and to sweet-
en the bread of industry.
Mr. Owen of Alabama, spoke for some time,
not only in favor of striking out the elatise in
debate, btit in opposition to the whole bill. He
cotild never be the advocate ofa policy which
would sacrifice the ititerests of one partofthe
cotmtry, for the purpose of aiding those ofaii-
otlrer. He knew of no cqiritahle rule by which
Louisiana or Alabama could be compelled to
forego its conrinercial prosperity to aid the
triaiiufactut'es of Ky. and other interior states.
Mi‘. ./llar't.'i'n, of N. Y. spoke for sotne titiie
against striking out the clause under (llSCtlS-
sion, and in support of the bill. In reply to
the gentleman from S. C. (l‘v.lr. Ilamilton,) he
remarked, that if it cottld be tlerriotistraterl
that his state would be a sufferer of some five
or six thousand dollars by the dirty oircottoii
bagging, the bill ought not to be aliaiitloucd
on that accotint. Other sections ofthe cottti-
try wotild be bcnefitted to thrice the amount;
and it was only by a reciprocity of interests
that we could legislate at all. But he believed
that even the sotttli itself would be benefrtted
by the very provision which had excited so
uiucli alarm and so much feeling.
Jflonduy, ‘ab. 16.—The Senate were occu-
pied the principal part of the day in discussing
the bill to abolish iniprisonnrctit for debt.
In the House a report was tirade on the
l3eauinarchais claim, accompanied with a res-
oltitiori directing that the claim be referred to
the President, to be adjusted in the pending
negociatioiis between the U.Statcs rl\*. France,
on such terms as they may think equitable.
The Tm'1:fi".—'l‘lie l-louse went into corrrrnit-
tee 0|) the tariff bill, the. questioti being on the
rirotion to strike out the clause imposing an
additional ditty of 6 cents per sqtiare yard, on
cotton bagging imported. Mr. Harnvilton, of
S. C. rose and said it had been asserted that
the cottott bagging oftiic lVest has no protec-
tion, birt he presiinietl thattlre existing duty of
20 per cent ltad been forgotten. He then went
oti to show that the proposed ditty would a-
riiouirt to 71 per cent. or 56 oti a piece cfbag-
ging costing originally 58 40. It had also
been afiirured that the raw material (hemp)
was iiistrfficieritly protectetl ;birt he said, ifyou
add to the present duty of $30 per ton on irri-
ported hemp, the cost of transportation from
the province in which it is raised to St.Peters-
burg, with freight, irisnrance and coiiitnissiori,
it would appear that the protection now was
equivalent to a duty of 100 per cent. Besides,
the western hemp was not as strotig as the
Russian. \Vlien new it was apparetrtly as
strong, yet in durability it was not at all com-
parablegsolittle so that in the naval contracts
for cordrige there was uniformly introduced a
stipulation that it slionld be tirade of foreign
hemp. The difference was occasioned by the
manner of rotting,theRnssian being all water
rotted. The western was rotted by the dew,
because it was feared that the niultiplicatioir
ofstagnant pools, covered with the vegetable
putrefaction oftliis process, would be destruc‘-
tive of health. It had likewise been said that
the presentduty on coarse cotton operates as a
protection on the cotton growing states, (be-
cause they now furnish the cotton for the do-
mestic goods, which they did not for the im-
ported as they were riianufactured in the East
Itrdies.) But he would offer a fair compromise
—relieve us from the pressure ofthe restric-
tion under consideratiott, and we will clreerftil-
ly surreiider this and all other protection up-
on otir cotton.
Mr. Trimble, of Ky. said the gentletnair ltad
admitted that Kentucky lietiip is at first strong-
er than the Russian, but contended that it be-
came weaker by rise. It was then like sortie
arguments he had heard-—they seemed strong
at first but becauie weaker and weaker the
rriore they were used. But for his part he did
not believe that there was any thing in otir cli
riiate which, after producing the strongest
hemp, took away its streugtli. As to the gen-
tleniau’s compromise, and willingness to take
off the duty on cotton, he would venture to say
that if he did his coiistittieiits would take him
ottt ofthe house and sctrd somebody here that
would put it on again. Mr.T. contended that
the whole coiititry was interested in the pro-
dttctioii of hemp, it beitrg as necessary in war
to the iriaiiiteiiaiice of the navy as the litills of
the ships composing it. He then slrewed what
the mighty burden of this tax on the ‘cotton
planters amounted to.
cotton was higher than that of the bagging and
the bale rope, birt that it was all sold together
at the price ofthe cotton, by which means the
cotton planters made a clear gain of $5 on ev-
ery bale ofcottou! or a clear profit of 820 on
every whole piece ofbagging they use! Tliis
was indeed great cause of coiirplairit.
Mr. Clay said that. if the country could inan-
ufacture any article it was that ofcottoii bag-
ging, The buildings in which it was cotiduct-
ed were of the slightest kind; the spinners
were negro boys and girls; the weavers negroes
or cotniiroti laborers ;and such was the facili-
ty with which the iri.-rruifacttire could be ex-
tended that iftlie bill should pass he was will-
ing to pledge himself that ‘within 19. months
20 tnillions of yards eotrld be produced almost
without social effort. Our competitors in this
manufacture were the weavers of ltrverness
and Dundee, small towns in Scotland, who,
before the war, ltad the etrtire monopoly of
the article. During the war its manufacture
was coinniencetl in this country, but after its
close the factories dtvitrdled away, when the
price was immediately raised ; and the extra
sum since paid would be more than equal to
10 years protection of ottr own f£tl)l‘lC. The
real qriestioir now before Congress was wheth-
er Scotclriiieti or Americans should have the
inouopoly of this article.——~As to what had
been said about Anrerican lreriip, he reniark-
ed that much ofit was water-rotted—but alate
improveinent lt-ad done away the necessity of
either water or dew-rotting, which was letting
reriiain one year in stack. There was also an
iinprovement in dressing which stiperceded
both rotting and stacking. Some gentle-
men wislted to withhold protection to our irrati-
ufactures until they had firitily established
themselves against all the opposition and le-
gislation of the universe, bttt if they waited
till then they would never have the opportuni-
ty : or iftliey have, their protection will be as
thankless as unnecessary. TlieEnropea‘n niaii-
ufacturer, finding the irrarket failing hint in
Europe, and his goods accumulating oti his
ha ads, pours them into our attctiotr rooms, sells
He said the price of
a
hero at a sacrifice, and thus ruins our ‘mantr-
facttires. Gentlemen wished this state of
things to cotitiritie,'aiid make us tl('pE'l)t’il'.lll on
a little Scotch town. He wished to destroy
that dependetice by setting up an American
competition.
Feb. 17.—-A resolution offered yestertlay by
Mr. Tomlinson, in relation to the execution of
a resolution for erecting a tonib to Geii.Woos-
ter. was taken up aiitl agreed to.
The House again took tipilretarilfbill,wlien
Mr. Mcfltlflic rose and said his patiettee al-
most forsook him when he heard gentlerrieir
atteiuptiirg to prove that the culture of cotton
had been stistaincd by protecting duties ; it.
was insulting-1 his tiiiderstatidiiig. The dirty of
3ceuts a pound on foreign cotton was laid for
the purpose of revr-nne and nothing else.—-
Frnui the rnorrtcnt its crrlttire sprung into ex-
istence in this cotirttry it had tlefictl all (.'l)fll})(‘-
tition, and hail always been raisatl for the ptir-
pose of exportation.
had said that the riiairufacttire of cotton bag-
ging required btit simple, unexpcnsive ina-
trliirtery : but what was the principle on which
protecting duties are arlvocatml on this Hour
and every where else? It was that the mariti-
lacturer required large investrneiits ofcapital,
complicated niacliinery, and length oftinie to
bring it to perfection, and tlierefore needed
protection to prevent its being prnstrated in
its irifancy. The argument that the advan-
tage of this duty would be reciprocal, by the
cotton of the South being _excltatiaetl' for the
bagging ofthe Vllest, Mr. tll’D. proirotrncen to
be an illusion, and stated that his (listrict was
already triliutary to Ky. for her produce-, for
which his constituerits paid in specie and not
in cotton. Moreover the South could not take
tlieirbagging. The expense of its transpor-
tation would be 3 times as great as front Scot-
latid. I-lc argited that the proposition for
this ditty introdticcd a new principle into leg-
islation———it was not that of the protection of
riraritrfactirres, but of their creation. As a
question of political economy he said we could
only protect that wlticli exists. Here was an
issue between hemp and cotton, the latter of
which constituted one third of the commerce
of the U. States. To pass the bill would be
to sacrifice air interest which had coiitributed
to the wealth of-"the Union,to an article wlrich
never had any place in the. prorlttetive corn- ,
inert.-e of the country. The exatitple of
England, he said, had been referred to, in fa-
vor oftlte policy of protecting tnantifacttires.
Her agricnlltii'e could not sustain one third of
her population; she tlierefore protected her
manufactures from absolute necessity. Strike
away her manufactures and you anriiltilate the
nation—yoir destroy 7 tnilliotis of her inhabi-
tants. It is with her a question of life and
death ; and many ofthe sacrifices she lllal\'.(-‘S
are the result of this necessity. Arguments
oftliis sort could not apply to us. He conclu-
ded by saying that he hoped gentlemen would
treat this subject with becoming gravity. The
cliairrrian ofthe committee of mantrfacttrres,
and some others, seemed disposed to make a
frolic of the discussion; btit iftlie naval pow-
er and commerce of the country were to be
entotiibed hcre,in this bill,lie hoped the house
would go through the ceremony in a garb be-
coming the occasion. -
Mr. ./lfurvin ofN. Y. replied to Mr. M’Dnf-
fie. Iftlie soittlierir states possessed facilities
for the culture of cotton which enablethetii to-
compete with the whole world, without arty
aid from government, was there not, he inqui-
red, jttstice in giving assistance to those who-
were so differently situated as to require this
aid? It had been said that ifwe pass this bill
otir conrrrrerce is gone, our wealth destroyed.
C-onrnierce, however, was not the only source
of the greatness of a counti-_v. No: it was
when ma nufactures were firtnly planted by the ‘
side of agriculture and both together sought a
foreign market, that a cottiitry prospered.
Mr. .Mcrccr ofVirgitiia, rose, and went into
a calculation of the amount of the tax that
would be itnposcd upon the southern states by
the proposed duty on cotton l>:rggittg, which
he tirade out to be'ttpwards of S.'300,000 per
anntim. This was in effect a duty on the ex-
portation of cotton, against which the Consti-
tution provides, when itsays that no duty shall
be imposed on exportation. He next coir-
tenrled that the argument derived from the re-
dtiction of the price of coarse cottons did not
hold when applied to bagging, as there were
more diffictilties to be overcome by the latter, .
and one cotton tuacliine could perform the
work of 400 hands.
Mr. Brent wished to propose. to the honor-
able Speaker one question. That gentletnan
says we ought to lay this duty, to excite a com-
petition in the United States; but the coat-
mittee will immediately perceive that fottr or
five hundred hands are sufficient to make all
the bagging that can be consumed in the whole
cotton country—and I wish to ask the hon.
Speaker, whether it is fair, that the Southern
States should be taxed $400,000, to support
500 Western men.
Mr. Clay replied that the gentleman had
mistaken his argument. It was not a compe-
tition between Americans that he desired, btit
between Scotclimen and Americans. The
gentleman was also mistaken as to the nutri-
ber ofhands employed in the manufacture of
this article. In a single village in Kentucky
there were 8 mantifactories and one of them
alone employed I00 bands, who made in one
year 100,000 yards of bagging and 40,000 yds.
ofbailing rope. Mr. Clay here retorted upon
the inquirer the assertion of one of his co:idju—
tors. who had stated that the whole U. States
could not make enough to supply the soiith- _
ern states! The gentleman from SC. had
said that this is merely a question between two
sections ofthe Union, and Congress is called
to act as utiipire between them. The same
might be said with equal propriety of every
article in the bill. One irnportant article is i-
ron: bttt that effects only Pennsylvania and
N. Jersey, (and I thiirk I heard a faint sound
like. asking protection for it frotri some part of
Virgirria.) Wlicti this article comes up we
shall be told that this is a question between the
U. S. and Peiiti.: and so we shall go on till
every item is destroyed by umpirage. But my
idea is, that the protection of the several parts
ofthe nation is the protection of the tiation.
It has been asked why this ln7Ilillf:tCllll‘e
camiot protect itself. Iatiswer,because doub-
ly protected and boirntied itidustry can put
down industry that has neither bounty nor pro-
tection. Britain not only protects her manti-
facttirer, but she superadds a bounty to err-
courage ltiirr, and purposely to etiable him to
prostratcthe foreign manufacturer even in his
own rrtarket. It is agaiiist such a policy that
we ask protection. Cotton growers have had
to pay .10 and C0 centsa yard for bagging;the
The Hon. Speaker .
Norwalk Chronicler