I desire to express the hope that this House. sitting in Committee of the Whole. will see to it that adequate protection is given to the capital hitherto invested in the production of sugar under the auspices of our protective legislation. I rise to ask that this Committee of the Whole will report to the House a system of duties on sugar that will protect the wages of the freedmen of Louisiana. Florida. and the sugargrowing counties of Texas and Alabama against the competition of the labor of the thirtytwo cotutries from which we import sugar. and whose laborers are slaves or illpaid and underfed coolies. I hastened to get the floor. that in the name of the protective system and in the name of Pennsylvania. living or historical. I may also protestagainst the suggestion just thrown out by one of her Representatives on this floor .