Mr. FTHOMAS, who said: Mr. Chairman, my attention was attracted to this bill by the fact that it contains some provisions very materially indeed vitally, affecting very large interests of the district which I represent, an indeed, I may as the whole State of Maryland. Hntil yesterda I was not aware that such a bill would be an or consideration today, and I have listened today with great attention to the remarks of the chairman of the ComWays&Means, in the hope that he would show why this measure was to be considered, as he new states, “solely with a view to its effect upon the revenues of the Government.” During the last congress I listened repeatedly to that gentleman when the tariff of 1864was under discussion; and I well remember that the tendency of that bill to bring money into the public Treasury was always considered as 2ndary to its main object. That main object, as openly and unreservedly avowed, was a legitimate, a prudent, a wise object; for whatever might have been at one time the true policy of a country like ours, occupying so immense an area, the dayhas gone by when you can consider the question of free trade without taking into view the embar rassments which the existing state of the country throws around it. Vast interests have grown up under the system of protection, which would Wither and die under a free trade policy. In the last session of Congress, I say, these gentlemen considered the tariff of 1864 in its bearing upon the domestic industry of the country, and more than once, I think, vindicated it even if it were to have the effect which some gentlemen then undertook to say it would have, even if it were to have a tendency to cut of the revenues of the Government in the shape of receipts from duties levied on foreign commerce. Why this wonderful distinction now? Bitumine us coal and lumber were used under the reciprocity treaty as a means of securing very great advantages in navigating on the canals and in transporting on the rai roads in the Provinces of Canada. Now, when we were once more to have released from the obligations of the reciprocity treaty the great interests thus availed of, we thought they were to be considered as a part of our own domestic industry, to be treated like our woolen manufactures, our cotton manufactures, and our iron manufactures; and I did expect today to hear from the chairman of the ComWays&Means some reason why we were to legislate with a view to protect the manufactures of NewEngland, NewYork, and NewJersey, why we were to consider how far they needed protection, when we were to levy duties under the act to regulate foreign commerce andard the profit of capital invested in them, an have no view to the whey of protection when we were legislating or the great interests which are essential to the success of these manufactures, without which they have but little vitality. I care not how much you may cherish or protect the railroad interests of the country, how much you may cherish and encourage the iron interest of the country;I care not how you may encourage ca ital employed in the manufacture of cotton an woolen goods, or the steam navigation; if you are to neglect altogether the great coal mines on the Atlantic front, if you arenot to encourage their development, how are you to place the pursuits or employments named beyond the reach of foreign confiscation I What would become of our steam marine in the event of a foreign war if you are dependent on the Pictou coal of Nova Scotia to put your machinery in motion 1 What becomes of your vast system of railroads here on the Atlantic front i you are not in some degree to have at hand the bitumine us coal of the Allegheny mountains? A region of that State. coal interest is. I expected to hear the chairman of the ComWays&Means assign some reason why our vast coal and timber interests are not to be protected. It occurred to me by possi bility that the ComWays&Means was laboring under the same error as one of the commissioners of revenue, Mr. Colwell, whose letter I have in my possession, and to which, as I do not intend to trouble the House with any remarks at length, I will hereafter refer. It seems that the ComWays&Means must not have been sensible how vast this coal interest is, I mean this bitumine us I will not speak for Pennsylvania. I know there has been an immense outlay in Pennsylvania to make accessible the coal deposits in what is called the Round Top I know how anxiously WestVirginia looks to the immense coal de posits under the soil of that State from one end of the State to the other. I am aware of all that, but the gentlenien from those sections can speak fort einselves. 1 shall confine my self, for the few moments I shall speak, to affairs under my own eye in my own mountain home in the Alleglianies. Why, sir, $30,000,000 have been invested in the Alleghany mountains in furtherance of the great coal interest of that section; $18,000,000 have been" expended by Maryland on the Chesapeake canal IlOnl tide water to the coal regions of the Alleghanics; and from 15 to 20 millions on the Bal timore and Ohio railroad for the some purpose of developing these coal deposits. Now, cos the gentleman tell me these vast domestic interests are to be considered only as a means of revenue, and are entitled to no fostering care at the hands of the Government? It is not a question whether you will invite capital in that direction; it is not a question whether you will cherish and encourage this vast exend iture upon this domestic employment; at it is a question whether this reciprocity being abrogated you will crush this interest already existing under such merciless legislation as that proposed in this bill, under the idea that it is of no moment exceptas it can furnish additions to the revenues of the country. I claim for the coal interest higher consideration. I claim at the hands of the House a higher rule of action on such an occasion and if the gentlemen on the ComWays&Means shall institute a comparison between this interest and those interests which they have fostered and protected in the tariff of 1864, I shall be prepared to go more into detail than I propose to do now. I have allude to a letter that I have received. Perhaps it will be as well for me to have it now read, because the high respectability of the source from which it comes is such that the opinions of its author may have influenced the committee, and the letter itself may influence. the opinion of the House. I will ask the Clerk to read.