preserved that system under which this country had attained unparalleled prosperity. Among the essential articles which it embraces are salt, iron, woollens, cotton, hemp, and leather. If a gentleman can on one day give notice of his intention to introduce a bill respecting either of those articles, and when his bill is presented move its reference to the Committee on Finance, another may pursue the same course in reference to another article, and thus the whole subject, by separate bills, be withdrawn from the appropriate committee, and assigned to that of finance. Mr. C. did not think this was right. And, regarding this movement as one of the signs of the times, he should call for the yeas and nays, although it had never been his custom to make such calls. The yeas and nays were ordered. [SENATE to the protection which may be afforded by the existing law to the manufacturer? But there was one view of the subject which was conclusive to show that the appropriate reference of this subject was to the Committee on Fi. nance; and here he was happy to find himself supported by the admission of the Senator from Kentucky himself, made but a few days ago. That gentleman had then said (what he has repeated here to-day) that the period had arrived for a general modification of the tariff, to be founded on the approaching extinction of the public debt, and he did, on that occasion, expressly declare that it was impossible to act wisely upon the subject, without taking one broad and connected view of the whole subject; that it was impossible to decide what reduction ought to be made upon one article, without taking into consideration Mr. DICKERSON said that he viewed this question to the reductions to be made upon other articles; that it was be of but little importance to the finances of the country; impossible to determine what rate of duties should be imbut, in another point of view, it was one which was of the posed upon the protected articles, without also taking into greatest importance to the nation. The question whether consideration the unprotected articles; in short, that the they should or should not abandon the protecting system, whole system must undergo a careful and judicious reviin regard to this article, would be determined by this bill. sion. Now, if these views of the gentleman be correct, He objected to its provisions as being partial and not of it cannot be doubted that they lead irresistibly to the congeneral application even to the article of salt itself. There clusion that this bill ought not to go to the Committee on were two kinds of salt manufactured in the country; one Manufactures. That committee, as has been admitted, was evaporated by the sun, the other by the application has nothing whatever to do with the public revenue. It of fire; and these two modes of manufacturing the article is their business (according to the known views of the were frequently both carried on in the same establishment. chairman of that committee) to look to the interests of Now this bill proposed to take off the duty on one of these the manufacturers alone, and to see that the protecting kinds of salt, and made no provision for the other-a system is preserved unimpaired. That enlarged and comcourse of proceeding which did not strike him to be just prehensive view, therefore, of the whole ground, which or expedient. He considered the question of reference is necessary to enable us to decide on the modifications one of little consequence, but the measure itself would proper to be made at this time in our revenue system, canhave an important bearing on the interest of the salt manu- not be taken by the Committee on Manufactures. The factories throughout the country. whole subject is not before them. They must, of necesMr. BENTON said that the practice had always been to sity, in the performance of their appropriate duties, take refer a bill of this character to the Finance Committee. a partial, limited, and one-sided view of the question. If The bill belonged to that class of measures which went to we admit, for the sake of the argument, that the claims of the reduction of the revenue consequent upon the extinc- the manufacturers for protection properly belong to the tion of the public debt; it belonged to that class of bills Committee on Manufactures, surely this rule cannot apply which comprehended the whole line of policy connected to a great crisis like the present in the affairs of this counwith that reduction, and therefore the Committee on Fi-try--when the approaching extinction of the public debt nance, who were charged with adjusting the revenue to be is about to relieve the treasury of a charge of ten or twelve collected to the amount of the revenue needed for the sup-millions of dollars annually, and when, by common conport of the Government. It was generally admitted that a sent, a new system of finance is to be devised, and a new large reduction of revenue ought to be made; the Committee tariff enacted, adapted to this new and improved condion Finance had that subject under consideration, and this tion of the country. The Committee on Finance, as we bill ought to be sent to them, as being a part of the subject all know, have this whole matter already before them. with which they were occupied. If you take this bill from The chairman tells us, indeed, that they have already that committee because salt is made in the United States, made great progress in maturing a bill; and every gentleyou may withdraw all the subjects of revenue from them, man must see that it is utterly impossible for them to comby an application of the same rule to other subjects; and plete the task which has been assigned them, without takthe revenues of the country might be lost sight of in indi-ing into consideration the entire subject, and determining vidual objects. what duties shall be imposed on the protected as well as Mr. HAYNE said that the proposition to refer a bill to the unprotected articles-salt, among the rest. Mr. H. any of the standing committees of the Senate usually ex-repeated, therefore, that at this crisis it would be imposcited but little interest, because, in most cases, the merits sible to refer one class of cases to one committee, and of the question could be as well examined and decided by one committee as another. But the question now before the Senate was assuming vast importance from the course which the debate had taken. The gentleman from Missouri [Mr. BENTON] had introduced a bill to take off the duty from alum salt, and, as such a measure must of course affect the revenue, had very properly moved to commit it to the Committee on Finance. To this the Senator from Kentucky [Mr. CLAY] had strenuously objected, and insisted that the bill should go to the Committee on Manufactures. He had urged that the bill should take this direction, because it touched the protecting system, and embraced one of the most important manufactures of the country. But, said Mr. H., does not the duty on salt also touch the revenue? and, what is more important, does it not operate as a heavy tax upon the whole body of the people? And are we, notwithstanding, to examine the subject with a single eye VOL. VIII.-3 another class to another, without producing the most inextricable confusion. If the views which had this day been presented to the Senate by the gentleman from Kentucky should prevail, what would be the consequence? We are about to take a review of the whole tariff system, with the design of reducing the revenue to $12,000,000. And it is proposed to confine the Committee on Finance to one class the unprotected articles-such as wines, teas, silks, &c., while all the protected articles, cottons, woollens, iron, sugar, &c. are to be exclusively confided to the care of the Committee on Manufactures. Now, how could the Committee on Finance possibly say what reduction should be made on wines and silks, unless they, at the same time, determine the reduction to be made on cottons, woollens, and iron? If things are to take this course, the consequences may be easily foreseen. The Committee on Manufactures, who will have the protected articles under their SENATE.] Duty on Alum Salt. [DEC. 30, 1831. care, and whose opinion on this subject is pretty well take this duty from that committee, which had always known, will recommend no reduction whatever on these performed it, and make a new reference, without any new articles, and the Committee on Finance, if they are to be reason or motive for doing so? When it falls into the confined to the unprotected articles, will have nothing to hands of the Committee on Manufactures, it would be redo but to recommend a reduction of the duties on these garded only in a political point of view, without a referarticles. Gentlemen might, perhaps, consider such an ence to the finance or revenue of the country. Now, arrangement as constituting a judicious revision of the the object of this class of measures was, to reduce the tariff; but, for his own part, he had no hesitation in say- revenue from its present amount down to about fifteen ing that he would consider a repeal of all duties on the millions annually. This object would be entirely lost unprotected articles, while the duties on the others should sight of if it was referred to that committee. They remain untouched, as the worst of all possible adjustments could not take up the whole subject. The Committee of that great question which now agitates and disturbs the on Finance, of which he was a member, had long had whole country; and it was because he considered the mo- this subject under consideration, and had labored hard tion now made as equivalent to a declaration that the pro- to mature a plan for the new system, and he thought tecting system was to remain untouched, and to be main- the subject should not now be taken out of their hands. tained in all its rigor; in fact that nothing was to be yielded The committee found it difficult to come to a conclusion to the just expectations of the country, that he earnestly how to act on some points; and he did not yet know the desired that the motion of the Senator from Kentucky full extent of their measures. It would take some time should not prevail. Should it do so, he should entertain to come to a decision on all the points under consideravery feeble hopes of seeing any reduction of duties on the tion. The gentleman from Kentucky had said that it protected articles, during the present session; for, sure he would be advisable to examine into the expediency of was that no such reduction would be recommended by reducing the duty on iron and other articles. He would the Committee on Manufactures. Mr. H. concluded by answer, that there had been a reduction of the duty on saying that he did not wish to be considered as an advo- that article, but not any reduction on the article of salt. cate of the bill before the Senate in the precise form in If we proceeded to repeal the duty on articles imported which it was presented. The duty on salt, as an article from one foreign nation, we must repeal it on others imof necessity, should doubtless be a very moderate one, but ported from other nations, which claimed, and had a right he doubted the propriety of removing it entirely, and he by treaty, to be placed on the footing of the most favored should certainly be disposed to extend the reduction to nation. It would be necessary to make some provision every description of salt. All these, however, are ques- of this nature, to accompany the repeal of the duty on tions for the consideration of the committee. salt, should that bill receive the sanction of Congress. Mr. CLAY (in reply to Mr. HAYNE) said, it was true Mr. BENTON replied. The Senator from South Carohe had, on a former occasion, remarked that the question lina [Mr. HAYNE] objected to the bill because it did not of an arrangement of the public revenue, in reference to go far enough; but that was an objection to a detail, and the payment of the public debt, required a deliberate subject to a motion for amendment. The Senator from survey of all the great interests of the country, and con- Maryland [Mr. SMITH] objected to it because it made a sequently a glance at all the duties, whether on protected distinction which might prejudice Great Britain, and make or unprotected articles. He still thought so; and he un-ill feelings towards the United States. Not so, Mr. B. derstood the gentleman from South Carolina as then ex-said. Turk's Island was hers, and would send the greatest pressing a similar opinion. But the bill under consideration proportion of alum salt. Besides, the distinction was not was not his. It was here brought by the gentleman from new to Great Britain. She had made it herself, before Missouri, who has thought proper to present a single iso- she abolished the salt tax. She admitted alum salt, called in lated subject. And the question is, how shall we dispose her statutes bay salt, because it came, at that time, chiefly of it? If it goes to the Committee on Finance, it will be from the Bay of Biscay, duty free, for the fisheries, and considered exclusively in respect to revenue. If to the for curing beef and pork, and saving butter. She reCommittee on Manufactures, they will examine it in con-pealed the duty on natural sun-made salt long since, in nexion with the system of which it forms part. In the favor of provision curers, while furnishing to the United course of the session perhaps some collision may arise in the action of those two committees. If the Committee on Manufactures should sometimes draw subjects to it of doubtful character, the Committee on Finance will probably do the same. But this is not one. States annually millions of bushels of the inferior firemade salt. Salt made by boiling, no matter from what water, was unfit to cure fish, beef, pork, bacon, or butter, for a southern market. Great Britain, while grinding the Irish to the earth with every species of oppression, still The proposed reduction of duty affects an important let them have foreign salt free of duty, for curing their article of the manufactures of the country. It affected provisions; and that at the moment that she was exporting every description of salt which they produced. The ope- millions of bushels annually of her own domestic fireration of the measure was not confined to the salt made made salt from Liverpool, in the very neighborhood of by solar evaporation on the coasts of North Carolina and the Irish coast; and he hoped the American Senate would New England, but it extended to the great manufactures be as compassionate to the farmers of the West as the in the western part of New York, where, by the same British Parliament was to the Irish. Sir, said Mr. B., in process, salt was produced, though not from marine wa- proposing the total repeal of this duty in April next, I am And it reached all other manufactures, by whatever not going as fast as Mr. Jefferson did in 1807. He had process they operated. If any question were to be refer- the whole salt tax suppressed in one year. When did red to the Committee on Manufactures, it was surely this. this odious tax reach its maximum of twenty cents? In It lays the axe at the root of the American manufacture; the time of the elder Adams, when standing armies and and a measure of such fatal tendency ought to be examin-eight per cent. loans were the order of the day, and the ed deliberately by the proper committee. He hoped the people had to be oppressed to support the extravagances Senate would concur in this opinion. of the Government. The origin of this heavy tax refer ter. Mr. SMITH said that the gentleman from Kentucky red itself, both in England and America, to disastrous pewell knew that this subject was referred to the Committee riods in their history. It began in England in the reign of Ways and Means in the other House. A number of of William III, who, taking advantage of the national prememorials praying protection for manufactures had been judices against France, got the salt tax imposed as a means presented, and were universally referred to that commit- of helping to carry on the war against the French. The tee. Shall we, then, said Mr. Š., now, for the first time, bill was entitled, to enable his Majesty to carry on a vigor DEC. 30, 1831.] OF DEBATES IN CONGRESS. Duty on Alum Salt. 38 [SENATE. ous war against France. land looks for the origin of her public debt, and the origin swer; crystallized salt made by solar evaporation alone To that disastrous period, Eng- and at the cheapest rate. of her salt tax. Artificial salt would not anThe latter she has lately abolished; the would do. former will remain forever, and will be the most durable for curing provisions for Southern consumption, for exmonument of the effects of war upon France. It alone was pure. It alone would answer ferson, when President, did for America what the whigs in New Orleans--no beef or pork to pass inspection, unMr. Jef-portation, or long keeping. Look to the inspection laws have lately done for England. He produced the abolition less put up in crystallized salt. Look to your army and of the salt tax. lition, was very remarkable, and particularly appropriate. what is cured in the same kind. I plead, said Mr. B., His language, in recommending the abo- navy advertisements-no beef or pork to be bought but He did not say, repeal, reduce, abolish, but suppress the the cause of Western farmers, when I demand an abolisalt tax. He used the term which is applied to vice, and tion of the alum salt duty. called for the suppression of the tax. The gentleman from New Jersey [Mr. DICKERSON] was Carolina makes a little, but not the twentieth part sufficient the West, nor any rival to it, or substitute for it. North Not a pound of it is made in opposed to the repeal of the tax on alum salt, because he for her own consumption. New England makes some, believed it would affect the manufacture of another kind but not near enough for her own fisheries, as we have to of salt made in the United States. the Senate to those members who looked to the relief of num to her fishermen as drawback, or bounty in lieu of Mr. B. appealed to pay about two hundred and fifty thousand dollars per anthe people from a part of their burdens-he called their drawback, of the duty supposed to be paid on the foreign attention to the doctrine advanced by that gentleman, and salt supposed to be used in curing fish. asked them to make its application to other articles, and some, nothing adequate to her own consumption. A litfollow it out to its legitimate consequences. It would pre- tle of it has gone to Cincinnati, and made Ohio, in that New York makes vent the repeal of any taxes. article of such general wear, and so essential to the shoe the works in New York; the manufacturer pays an exWorsted stuff goods, an particular, a tax payer to New York: for salt is excised at manufacture for women and children, might be kept tax-cise, and that is collected, with a profit besides, from the ed, although we made no such goods, but because the free consumer. importation of them might affect the woollen manufacture. has paid an excise tax to that State. The manufacturers of leather might object also, because islands between the tropics is the place to furnish the West So far as Ohio has used New York salt, she the more prunella and stuff shoes worn, the less the de- with alum salt. New Orleans the port for its importaThe West India mand for leather shoes. on tea might be resisted, because the free use of tea might tion, and steamboats the only adequate vessels to bring Even the reduction of the duty tion, the Mississippi the great channel for its introduclessen the consumption of milk and apple pies, and there- it. This salt is best; it is cheapest, for it costs but eight by diminish the value of cows, and oxen, and orchards. or nine cents, independent of the duty; (I speak of the He [Mr. B.] had fixed his eye on this monstrous doctrine, import price as shown on the custom-house books;) and and wished its first approaches to be marked by the Se- it is had for barter. Home made salt must be paid for in He wished to know if the Senator from New Jer- gold and silver, or their equivalent; foreign salt can be sey proposed to compel people to use improper and had for our productions, and thus the foreign salt maker is unsuitable things by way of substitute for a proper and the encourager of domestic industry; the domestic salt suitable one, which was to be taxed out of the country. maker gives no encouragement to the farmer. He must He [Mr. B.] had a bill to bring in for reducing the duty have the money. on Indian blankets-the best blankets in the world--and indispensable to the Indian trade; was that bill to be resisted, and a superior blanket, the best and cheapest, if the duty was off, that ever the laboring classes beheld, to be taxed out of the country to make room for a base substitute? A great sensibility was manifested for the interest of the manufacturers; but there are other interests in the country which also deserve consideration. There were the agricultural and commercial interests, besides the manufacturing; all great interests; all to be considered by the man who was entrusted to make laws for the na- Federal Government (for there is a proposition to raise the Shall we be compelled again to pay twenty cents to the tion; and no one to be sacrificed to the others. They salt tax to the old federal standard of '98) for the priviwere each of them important, but they had their degrees lege of buying eight cents worth of salt? Was there ever, of importance. Agriculture ranked first, because it fur- since taxation commenced, a more odious tax than this nished the means of subsistence for man and beast, and upon salt? One which bears more unequally upon the the elements of employment to the other two; manufac- rich and the poor? One which went so completely to pretures came next, because they fashioned and prepared the vent the use of a prime necessary of life? The gentleproducts of agriculture for the use, convenience, and orna- man from New Jersey [Mr. DICKERSON] objects to the ment of man; commerce, which exchanged the superfluities Finance Committee: he wants the bill to go to the Manuof different countries, and contributed to the civilization of facturing Committee. Well, I will compromise with him. the human race, came third. He would sacrifice no one I will agree to a select committee, with power to send for to the other. He would not sacrifice the interest of all witnesses, swear them, and report their evidence to the the provision-raising and provision-curing farmers of the Senate. This is the way they did in the British Parlia nate. it is sent, it is for silver; no produce is taken in return. The foreign importers at New Orleans go back freighted At Kenhawa, salt is silver; wherever with the productions of our farms; the agents of the domestic salt makers go back loaded with our money. They ask for the food which we have to spare; we ask for the salt which God and nature makes upon their islands. Shall the Federal Government get between, interdict the exchange, and compel us to give gold for the base salt which will not cure our provisions? West to the interest of a handful of monopolizing salt ment: this is the way they blew up the salt tax there. SENATE.] Duty on Alum Salt. [DEC. 30, 1831. come prepared for this debate. It sprung up when not curing bacon, and found it to answer every purpose. The expected. He would be ready for it when it came up gentleman from Missouri had said that he had received again. credible information that alum salt could be imported for Mr. DICKERSON said that it had been a subject of six or eight cents per bushel. He had been engaged in discussion for two or three years to determine what sub- commerce during his whole life, and never had been able jects belonged to the Committee on Manufactures, and to get it under nine cents. He did not know how the what to the Finance Committee. Sometimes one com- article could be obtained at a cheaper rate. mittee had taken charge of bills of this nature, and some- Mr. CLAY, when he first rose, had certainly not intimes another. One committee had often taken subjects tended to provoke a debate of this extensive range. And which belonged to the other. He cited the case of the he felt reluctance in being compelled to prolong it, sensibill to reduce the duty on sugar, which had been referred ble as he was that, considering the single question before to the Committee on Manufactures. It appeared to the the Senate, it was not strictly parliamentary. He would Senate, that it properly belonged to that committee. The be very brief. No one was more thoroughly convinced gentleman from South Carolina had objected that this than himself of the paramount importance of the agrimeasure was not proposed from the manufacturers, and, cultural interest. It was that great leading interest to therefore, did not belong to that committee. The gentle- which all others ought to bend. And it was because man from Maryland had objected, because it related to he believed that the success of American manufactures the financial concerns of the country. In answer to these was essential to the prosperity of agriculture, that he had gentlemen, he would say that it related to the protection been, was, and he trusted ever would be, their friend. of one of the great and widely extended interests of the The gentleman from Missouri argued the question as if it community, and embraced within its provisions conse- were indisputable that a reduction of duty would be folquences which could not fail to affect them materially.lowed by a reduction of the price of salt. He wishes to It was true they had presented no petition to Congress, to cheapen it; so do I. But we may differ about the mode save them from the ruin which this measure threatened; but of accomplishing that object. I desire to preserve the it was only because they were ignorant of the designs me- full benefit of the all-powerful principle of competition. ditated against them. If they were aware of them, they Destroy the home manufacture, and you deprive yourwould not fail to enter their solemn protest against such a selves of the advantage of the competition that they procourse. Shall we, said Mr. D., neglect their acknow- duce. Let us appeal to experience. In May, 1830, the ledged interests, and proceed to adopt measures calculated duty was lowered, to take effect as has been already to destroy them, merely because there has not been the stated; and the price, after the reduction of the duty, was formality of a petition? We are placed here to be the higher than it was before, and it is now higher, in some guardians of the great interests of the country, and it is places, than it had been for ten or fifteen years. our duty to defend them whenever attacked or threatened latter fact may in some measure be owing to the early and with any material injury. severe commencement of the winter. A reduction of the It was not necessary, Mr. D. said, for them to remain in- duty has not therefore been yet followed by a reduction active until the injured should come forward and demand of price. An augmentation of duty sometimes produces relief and protection, and present a prayer that their in- a reduction, instead of an augmentation of price. terests might not be abandoned and left to sink into ruin. The foreign salt trade, Mr. C. said, was a collateral or He considered the present measure fraught with destruc- incidental trade. Salt was imported principally in baltion to those interests. It did not ask a reasonable re- last. Vessels rarely engaged in it when they could get duction, but was not intended to abolish the whole duty any other freight. Low price of foreign salt, therefore, at once, and thus annihilate the protecting system. If any implied inactivity in our tonnage, as high price did full and measure fairly belonged to the Committee on Manufac-profitable employment. This very irregularity formed a tures, this was one of that character. The gentleman strong motive to encourage the home manufacture. Is from Missouri had thought proper to go into the merits of there any comparison between the moderate duty on salt the question. The levied in this country, and the enormous excise of fifteen It appeared to Mr. D. that this was a premature step, shillings sterling per bushel which was levied in England? as the question was only on the reference of the bill to a Between the gabelle of France and our duty? Whatever committee. He did not now feel disposed, nor was he oppressions may have existed in other countries from a prepared to enter upon the discussion of a measure so salt tax, he was perfectly persuaded that the unexampled important as the one before them. They should take prosperity of this country had its date from the adoption time to consider the subject, and prepare for the import- of the protective policy of which this salt duty forms ant decision. The gentleman had complained strongly part. To the tariff, not of '16, but of '24, we were inof the present duty. But he would ask him if it was not debted, not only for that prosperity, but for the rapid exa necessary measure in order to defend American indus- tinction of the public debt, now so near at hand. He was try from foreign competition, to discourage the importation of articles which were produced by the domestic manufacturer. It had been so decided in the sage councils of the founders of the Government, and had been faithfully adhered to by every administration. An act had long been in force, allowing a drawback on this article for this express purpose. He doubted the wisdom or propriety of the present measure. aware that this discussion belonged to another occasion, when the whole subject would undergo a full examination. But he must be allowed to say, in reference to the observations of the gentleman from Missouri as to the consumption of alum salt in the Western States, that he did not believe that one bushel in fifty thousand of that description is there consumed. Although he had himself been a farmer some twenty or twenty-five years, he had never Mr. SMITH said that there was a treaty existing with had a pound of it in his cellar. He had witnessed in the Great Britain, by which she was placed on the footing of West the gratifying fact of the reduction of salt from the most favored nation, and that she would have a right three or four dollars to fifty cents per bushel on the Ohio to complain if this reduction took place without giving river, and seventy-five in the interior. This was altoher some equivalent in return. Spain and Portugal would gether owing to the increase of the home manufacturer. have a privilege which was not allowed to England. They had heretofore complained of the duty on iron, and he believed with good reason. He considered that we were able to procure as good salt from England as from the West Indies or any other quarter. We had used it for He knew that prejudice existed against provisions put up with any other than alum salt. He believed that it was only necessary to employ a small additional quantity of salt made by artificial heat to secure the preservation of meat. One of the most experienced men that ever lived JAN. 3, 1832.] American State Papers. [SENATE. in the West, long engaged in the preparation of beef and great difficulty in ascertaining the extent of the duties repork, assured him that when the salt was properly ap-quired of us. Messrs. Gales and Seaton, of their own plied, in barrels sufficiently seasoned and properly made, accord, had submitted to Congress a subscription paper, the common salt of the country preserves as well as the proposing to republish the congressional documents for best alum salt. The salt of the Onondaga works in the first thirteen Congresses; the volume, the type, and New York already has found its way into the heart of Ohio the size of the page, were designated, as well as the spethrough their canal, and when that noble work is com-cific sum for each volume when delivered. With these pleted, in the course of the next year, it will be dis- proposals before them, Congress directed the Clerk of the tributed on the Ohio river, and transported even to St. House of Representatives to subscribe for seven hundred Louis. So far from the Western farmers being able to ex- and fifty copies, on two conditions: change their pork and beef for alum salt, the British na- 1st. The documents to be selected under the direction tion will not purchase our beef and pork, although cured of the Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House of with salt from their own possessions. With respect to Representatives: 2d. The price paid for the printing to the drawback, it will be a proper consideration with the be at the rate not exceeding that of the price paid to the Committee on Manufactures, whether that should be al- printer of Congress for the printing of the documents of lowed on the exportation of pork and beef. In every the two Houses. view of the subject, the importance of the manufacture, the essential value of the article, the recent passage of a law reducing the duty, not yet gone ito effect, Mr. C. thought we should proceed with caution, and he hoped the Senate would assign the bill to the Committee on Manufactures. At the first view it does not appear difficult to ascertain the specific duties required from us. The documents are to be selected by us. It would therefore seem that when we had given the publishers a list of the papers to be reprinted, our agency was at an end. Circumstances, however, which we will now explain, rendered it impossiMr. BENTON said it was true the price of salt was ble that our duties could stop here. The great mass of higher now in the West than for some years past. The these documents were to be found only in the archives of reason was, because the importations were diminished. the two Houses. No complete sets of them existed in any This the custom-house returns showed us. It would not other place. They were contained in one hundred and do to argue that the reduction of the duty had increased sixty octavo and folio printed volumes, eighty large folio the price of the foreign article; that argument would cut manuscript records, and in some hundred large files of doup the protecting system. The fact was, the effect of cuments. Charged, as we are, with the care and preserraising or reducing duties could not be regular at first. vation of all these important documents, we could not, for Adventitious circumstances may control it. When the a moment, permit them to go into the hands of others duty on lead was raised to three cents a pound, in 1828, over whom we had no control. To make the separation the price of lead on the Upper Mississippi fell to one and of those to be published, without producing disorder, rea half cents. Excessive production produced that effect. quired the knowledge and experience, and the most The late importations of salt were above a million of patient, persevering industry of the most able of our bushels less than two or three years ago, and salt rises; assistants, and of ourselves. Had any one, without that when the duty is off entirely, and salt comes free, importa- knowledge of these things, which can only be obtained tions will largely increase, and the price fall in propor- by long experience, undertaken to separate and arrange these documents, he would have been in great danger of reducing the whole to a heap of confusion. In addition to this, many of these documents exist only in the manuscript records of the two Houses, consisting of large folio volumes, substantially bound, and in the best state of preservation. We could not suffer these valuable records to be taken apart, and the portions selected sent to the printNAYS.--Messrs. Bell, Buckner, Clay, Dallas, Dicker-ing office. We were also unwilling either to permit them son, Dudley, Foot, Frelinghuysen, Hanna, Hendricks, o be taken from the office to be copied, or to permit Holmes, Johnston, Knight, Marcy, Prentiss, Robbins, strangers to come into the office and occupy our desks Robinson, Ruggles, Seymour, Silsbee, Tomlinson, Wil- and tables in copying them. tion. The question was then taken on the reference to the Committee on Finance, and negatived--yeas 17, nay's 22, as follows: YEAS.--Messrs. Benton, Bibb, Brown, Forsyth, Grundy, Hayne, Hill, Kane, King, Mangum, Miller, Moore, Smith, Tazewell, Troup, Tyler, White.--17.1 kins.-22. From these considerations, (and others of a similar nature, not here detailed,) it was evident to us that it was our duty, not only to select these documents, but also to prepare them for the press. Another question then arose, what arrangement should be given to these documents in the proposed publication? Two modes were suggested: 1st. An arrangement, strictly chronological; or 2d. A division into classes, and each class to preserve its chronological order. After much examination and reflection, we decided on the second mode, and finally adopted the following arrangement: 1st. FOREIGN RELATIONS; 2d. INDIAN AFFAIRS; 3d. FINANCES; 4th. COMMERCE AND NAVIGATION; 6th. NAVAL AFFAIRS; 7th. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT; 9th. CLAIMS; 10th. MISCELLANEOUS. Each of these ten series to have its own number, running from one upward, and to be printed chronologically. |