Mr. MORRILL. Mr. Chairman, it may be proper for me to add that I have just received a note from Sir F. Bruce saying that another of the Provinces has enacted laws in relation to licenses similar to that of Canada, &c. it is also due to myself to say that in a conversation with the British minister Iinfornicrl him that] thought our fishermen would be reliict.an t to take out licenses fo: the right to fish in British waters, but that they probably would be wnling to paya license for going on shore to cure fish. The greater cost of fitting out our ycssels and the taxation to which they are subjected, enables provincial fishermen, who have no long voyages to make to reach the most desirable sliing groniids, to bring fish to our markets at cheaper rates than our own people. In addition to this, ourfisliermen Wlll now, when they.enjoy the privileges of the shore fisheriesonly needed for catching mackerel late in the season have to pay a license of from 50 to 100 dollars for each vessel, accoring to its size. Under these circumstances justice requires the imposition of reasonable duties upon foreign caught fish. As we are now, however, met in a generous spirit, I he e Congress will suitably respond and place on moderate duties, sufficient to cover the items a ready indicated, upon mackerel and cod fish. Mackerel may, perhaps, need to be placed even lower than it will be found in the bill. In the cod fislieries it is no longer necessary to go within 3 miles of the s iore, and such duties can be placed on the product as may seem judicious; but it being an article of food consumed largely by those who can ill afford butchers’ meat at 25 to 30 cents perpound, a moderate duty appws appropriate. Our trade With the maritime Provinces is one more deserving our fostering care than that of the other Provinces. The people are very friendly and they have articles such as we require in large quantities, such as coal and plas ter, for which they take of us flour and other articles in nearl equal quantities. It is a reciprocal trade at is profitable to all parties, and ought to find some favor in our legislation. And here let me remark that for 11 years we have drawn moderate supplies of bitu mine us coal from Nova Scotia. Enter rising Americans have embarked their capital) there and opened mines to supply the wants of the gas companies in a few northern cities on the bleak, ice bound Atlantic coast. Some of our mills and little iron founderies have been started with the expectation of a continued supply ‘of coal of this character from this quarter. Even if this is granted the coal so used will cost the consumers ten or 12 dollars perton, while that used by our brethren in Pennsylvania and Maryland, for identically the same purposes, will only cost 3 or 4 dollars. gloat of the pig iron used in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and RhdIsland, comes from Pennsylvania. Is it now to be insisted upon that no could shall be used in those regions butt that which is dragged over1,000 miles of railroad? Is this necessary to the pros perity of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad a road that as I have heard is earning fatter dividends than almost any in the land? I have no feeling on this question, and I am not aware that my constituents have any interest in it, but to use the words which my excel lent friendfrom Chicago emphasizes with so much auction, I desire to see “ fair play.” The ComWays&Means have shaped the bill so that all cannel coal, bearing the highest price of any, and all other bitumi nous coal imported from any place 30 degrees east of Washington, andpall anthracite, if there be any that can be imported, shall pay $1 50 perton, and only propose that the common bitumine us coal, such as we have had free for 11 years from Pictou, shall pay 50 cents. Mr. Chairman, we leave it to the good sense of this committee to say whether this is not eminentl just and fair. Even the Gentfrom the ittsburg district concedes that is right and proper, and where he leads, on these subjects, feel sure no Pennsylvanian need fear to follow. The present. bill is not likely to suit every body, and I regard it only as a temporary measure fit to be introduced because of the imperious necessities of our present condition. Many will think it inadequate to the exigen cies of the country and that much more ought to have been conceded to our imperiled industries. The statements made b the gentlemen of the revenue commission, who have long studied the subject, as well as by those whose special interests are touched, in almost every instance, would have justified the ComWays&Means in proposing higher rates than will be found in the bill. But the committee have scrutinized every case, and consented to no higher rates, with only here and there a possible exception, than ivill, as they are forced to believe, place the American laborer, producer, or manufacturer upon a level of fair competition with foreign capital and foreign labor. During the prevalence of war prices and the excelsior premium of 280 upon gold, while we were accustomed to contemplate money in fabulous sums, something of extravagance prevailed everywhere, but now upon the return of eace we ought to begin to practice the stern tfiities of economy, be content with moderate gains, and make some approach to our former rule of estimates, when an advance of even 5%. in the scale of duties was weighed with as much scrupu lousness as gold dust in the balance. But unless we are willing to court the usual sequence of war we must now adopt measures that will shield our people from general financial ruin. We are at the mercy of those who have had no unusual war taxes, no bounties to pay to brave volunteers, and we must have a little breathing time, time to recuperate, or we may yet sink under the load, although triumphant at all points in the great struggle of Freedom against Slavery. Our great revenue from internal taxes is wholly ependent upon the fact whether we can keep our own fields, factories, and workshops fully manned and the men constantly employed. The tax they pay is a% a e on the in flated current value in our mar ets, and 5%. here is nearly equal to 10%. on any foreign invoice, especially as we know that many invoices, by the adroitness of trade, are largely undervalued. Our taxes which are not direct, also, imperceptibly, press hardly upon all who are engaged in any kind of business. Raw materials are largely increased in cost, stamp taxes insidiously entrap every business transaction, so that after we have levied extraordinary duties we shall find that importations will by no means cease. Although our present tariff, in ordinary times, would be likely to be denounced as prohibitive, yet we find it prac tically productive beyond all precedent, yielding for the ear ending June 30, 1866, nearly 100 millions more in solid gold than was ever before realized, or about 170 million dollars. While the present bill is indispensable to preserve the aggregate of our internalrevenue, it will not be likely to diminish, even if it does not increase, the revenue from imports. It will keep our people at work. I am in favor of taking proper care of American industry as against foreign competition, now and at all times, whether it be that engaged in the production of flour or wool, bro ans or ships, or whether it be the tiny artifieia flower that embellishes the lady’s bonnet or the on derous engine that moves the floating palace, in spite of wind or weather, from ocean to ocean. Let the time be far distant when an American citizen will be forced to work for the wages of those whose toil furnishes no homesteads, no school houses, and finally not even tomb stones for the graves of themselves or their children. But rather than jeopardize a sound public policy, rather than excite the odium which extravagance is always likely to excite, I should counsel temporary inconvenience and the lowest rate of duties under which it is possible for our various branches of manufactures, not to prosper, but. to live, hoping that a better time is coming, when labor will be more abundant, taxation less onerous, and when our paper money shall be good for its entire face value. God speed the ayl Mr. Chairman, Iwill not at this time consume further time of the House, but will, when in the progress of the bill, have something more to say in relation to its details.