Richmond Enquirer

solemnly declare, that he "considered it as one involving the prosperity, and, he could say pregnant with the future destinies of this country; for, however this system may have operated elsewhere, it was the deep and settled conviction of those whom he represented, that it had acted upon them as a blight and a pestilence, blasting the fairest fields on which the eye of man had ever rested.—Was it possible for gentlemen to suppose that we should meet on ground which involved no concession whatever to our views, but which proposed to maintain the protecting system in all its unmitigated rigor, thus aggravating instead of diminishing the inequality and injustice of which we so strongly and so justly complained? The gentleman had, indeed, said that the propriety of some reduction might, perhaps, hereafter be considered; not now, however, when the debt was about to be paid, and the tariff re-adjusted and fixed on a permanent basis, but at some future and 'more convenient season.' But what hope is to be built on this declaration, when the gentleman in the very same breath, tells us that no considerable or sudden reduction could ever take place. No, that would be destruction; and as to the gradual and moderate reduction recommended by the Secretary of the Treasury, that would be even worse than the other—it would, said the gentleman, be a slow and sure poison, leading to inevitable destruction. It follows, then, clearly, that we are to have no reduction of the protecting duties whatever, either now, or at any future period. In this view of the question, he must repeat, he considered it the most awfully momentous subject that had ever been presented in the course of the history of this government, and believing that it required the greatest deliberation, he wished the attention of the Senate to be seriously called to it, that it might be maturely considered, and wisely decided. In the presence of this august body, and before his God, he would repeat his deep conviction, that the consequences to grow out of the adjustment of this great question involved the future destinies of this country; and in order that we should approach it with wary steps, and becoming caution, he would now move that the further consideration of the resolution should be postponed to, and made the order of the day for, Monday next."

—(Agreed to.)