Mr. COBB. I move to amend the amendment by strikin out “two and a half” and inserting “4, so as to make the duty 4 cents a pound. I confess that I am very considerably surprised, as well as the Gentfrom Iowa, [lidn WILsou] at the proposition of the Gentfrom Massachuseetts [Mr. RICE] to reduce the proposed duty on lead. I have the honor to re JX'CSODtperha s the largest lead producing district in the U.S.; at least we think so there. And hence my attention has been called somewhat par liciilarly to this subject. And I was somewhat disappointed and surprised at the report of the committee in doublinu the duty upon cop peras fixed by the taritfbill of 1864, and in anilsing the duty on lead only to the extent they If. Sir, the production of lead in this country has fallen off immensely within the last. 15 or 20 years. The lead which was supplied to the market it to within 15 or 20 years ago, was proneed from surface diggings, produced easily, mined without the appliances of machinery, and at a very trifling cost. But 7 now, throughout the northwestern lead mining district, represented by the Gentfrom Iowa, RMr. Ai.i.ISON] the Gentfrom Illinois, [.Mr. WAsnaunsa] and myself, the surface mines have been exhausted. And the production has fallen off until I think I speak within bounds when I say that'we do not now produce more than 20%. of the amount that we produced 20 years ago, and the cost to those who produce it is 3 times as much as it was before. There is no metal in commerce, with perhaps a single exception, that costs so much to produce it in proportion to the price at which it sells as lead. To the people engaged in its production it does not pay 5% upon the capital and labor employed); and its production becomes more diilicult day by day and year by year. Now, while the people of my district will sustain I hope they, will at least a high tariff, so that it be reasonable and equal on the results of the industry of the different parts of the country, I shall he loth to say to them that while I have voted for an increased tariff on manufactured articles, while I have gone with NewEngland in this measure which is called the peculiar measure of NewEngland, while I have turned my back upon the suggestion so often made in my country to leave that favored spot out in the cold, the men from NewEngland have been the 1st to get up on this floor and oppose the small measure of protection that is o ered us. [Here the hammer fell.]