WILLIAM STANBERY, I. C. BATES, Opinion of Mr. J. L Kerr The undersigned, as a member of the Select Committee appointed to inquire "whether an attempt was made by the late Secretary of War, How far those endeavors were exerted by John H. Eaton, fraudulently to give to Samuel Houston, or to any other person or persons seeking any undue advantages, will be for the concerned with Samuel Houston, a contract for opinion of every member, to be formed from the supplying rations to such Indians as might emi- facts and circumstances presented by the testi grate to their lands west of Arkansas and Mis-mony, though, as Samuel Houston is still a souri; and whether said Houston made a frau- private individual, not having obtained the dulent attempt to obtain said contract; and that contract, he can be no further affected by the the said committee be further instructod to in-decision. quire whether the President of the United

That the late Secretary of War, John H. States had any knowledge of such attempted Eaton, did manifest a strong and partial desire fraud; and whether he disapproved or approv- to prefer Samuel Houston in his application for ed of the same, "being unable, upon a due con- the important contract proposed, is, in the opi sideration of the whole evidence in the case, nion of the undersigned, clearly made out by to concur in the report of the majority of the the whole train of facts and circumstances, as committee, which presents an absolute and en- is the inference that he was prevented from tire exculpation of all the parties named; but, completing a contract at a price far above that having not been afforded an opportunity of which the state of things warranted, by the either preparing a full view of that evidence, remonstrance and interference of others, by or any argument upon it, begs leave thus briefly the glaring difference in the lower terms offerto offer his opinion, in order that it may accom-ed and pressed upon the Departments, and, it pany the evidence and the report of the majority. is but just and charitable to add, by a final The strong terms in which the resolution conviction of error in calculations assumed. The President certainly knew of the propopresents the subject of inquiry, are well understood by the House as those specially employ-sals of Samuel Houston, and at one time aped by the mover as expressive of his own ex- proved of his having the contract on the highisting view of the facts, and the majority of est terms proposed by him; but the undersignthe committee have given a literal negative to ed will not undertake to impute to him a conthe allegations implied by the terms as to eve-sciousness of the existence of "fraudulent" practices, and an approbation of them. The ry person concerned. It is a question of the intention of persons in evidence does not conclusively show that the high official stations, in respect to acts contem-President was from time to time acquainted plated-not done; and, therefore, the infer- with the gradation of bids and estimates, and, ence of such imputed designs, or of the de- on one occasion, he expressly said that the gree of impropriety in their official conduct, lowest bidder must have the contract, and, fican only be drawn from facts and circumstances. nally, he resolved on repudiating the plan of What should be deemed "fraudulent" con- contracts altogether, except through the Com duct in men, invested with the power to confer missary General's Department. public offices and contracts upon individuals

For the support of these views the underJON LEEDS KERR, coming in competition for them, admit, per- signed refers to the evidence reported. haps, of some difference of opinion, and, how

far it is politically just, in such cases, to prefer House of Representatives, July 5, 1832,

ual increase of the burthens of the south. have become wealthy by having the earnings of And this, Sir, is the olive branch of conciliation the poor transferred to them through the genand compromise which is to be held out to the cy of this system of legislation. Then, Sir, we southern States, to induce them to submit with have among the favored articles, cashmere patience to this scheme of injustice and op- shawls, tortoiseshell, musk, and frankincense, pression! to ornament and perfume ladies who move in

But, Sir, the inequality of this delusive plan the highest circle; and rattans and quizzing of reduction is greatly increased, and its injus- glasses for the benefit of that most useful and tice greatly aggravated by the other provisions productive class, usually known by the name of of the bill. To whom, Sir, is the relief really dandies. Finally, Sir, there is a long list of extended which this bill provides? Is it to the dye stuffs and other materials for domestic south, that devoted region which sustains the manufactures, (including the indigo of the poor whole brunt of the protecting system, and is constituents of my colleague, for which he enactually sinking under the weight of its intol- deavored in vain to obtain the incidental pro erable oppression? So far from it, Sir, we have tection of a low revenue duty,) which are exseen that the additional burthen imposed upon clusively consumed in the manufacturing States. the foreign exchanges alone of the south, will What then is the true operation of this bill, be $1,406,000, while, as I will now show, the considered in reference either to the different foreign exchanges of the north will be actually classes of the community, or to the different relieved from duties to which they are now sub-sections of the Union? How does it respond to ject, to the amount of $3,780,000. And this the just claims of the south, at this great crisis relief, Sir, will be of the most substantial and of our history, when the extinguishment of the unequivocal nature. For at least three millions public debt has put it in the power, and made of it will result from admitting, almost entirely it the duty of Congress, to do an act of grace free of duty, foreign articles which are exclu- and of justice to that deeply aggrieved porsively imported in exchange for the productions tion of the confederacy? Why, Sir, it has acof the northern States, and a large portion of tually increased the positive burthens of the which is exclusively consumed in those States. southern States to a considerable extent, and The existing duties on the articles made en- very greatly increased their comparative burtirely free by this bill, amount to $989,000; thens. In the first place, five-sixths of the those on tea, which will come in with a mere amount of the reductions are upon luxuries used nominal duty of one cent a pound, amount to only by the higher classes. But, in the second about $1,400,000; those on coffee, which will place, and what I consider of much more impay only one-half cent a pound, amount to portance to my constituents, five-sixths of these $257,000; those on silks, which will come in reductions are upon imports of the manufacturunder a duty of ten per centum, amount to ing States, operating almost exclusively for the about $800,000; and those on wines to $84,000. benefit of the productive industry of those States. In addition to these articles of the unprotect- An analysis of our foreign commerce will ed class, there is one of the protected articles show that our trade with the East and West which is almost exclusively purchased with the Indias, consists almost entirely of exchanging productions of northern industry, upon which a the productions of the tariff States for the proreduction is made. I allude to brown sugar. ductions of these two portions of the globe; Assuming the annual import for consumption and that our trade with Europe consists as exto be sixty millions of pounds, the reduction clusively of exchanging the agricultural staples will amount to $300,000. of the planting States, for the various kinds of

With the exception of the wines and a por- manufactures which we import. While this tion of the silks, all these are the peculiar ex-bill has actually increased the burthens impos changes of the northern or manufacturing ed upon this latter branch of our trade, which States, being either purchased with their pro- is vital to the prosperity of the planting States, ductions, or acquired by their navigating indus- it has almost entirely removed even the ordina ry burthens of taxation from the former branch.

It is a matter of curiosity, Sir, as well of use. One of my strongest objections to this bill, and ful illustration, to look a little more minutely one which would induce me to vote against it into the detail of those articles which are to be if I had no other, is this offensive discrimina admitted free of duty, or at a mere nominal du-tion which it makes between protected and unty, by this bill. Among the free articles, I find protected articles. The latter, which are of cocoa, almonds, raisins, figs, currants, dates, all our imports the most appropriate objects of filberts, nutmegs, cinnamon, ginger, olives, taxation, whether we regard the producers or grapes, pine apples, and all those foreign luxu- consumers, are, with some trifling exceptions, ries which supply the tables and finish the feasts admitted free of duty, while the entire burof the wealthy, intended, no doubt, for the thens of federal taxation are thrown upon those special benefit of the aristocracy which this articles which have the most indisputable claim system is calculated to create and maintain. to entire exemption. Upon what principle and We have also in the same category, marble, for what purpose, are the former class of arti-. paintings and drawings, to ornament not the cles admitted free of duty? I have frequently palaces of the poor to which reference was heard it asked, "will southern men, who are made by the gentleman from Massachusetts, so much opposed to taxation, complain that we in his report-but the palaces of those who take off the duties from thy coffee, wines