The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-30 00:00:00

PENNSYLVANIAN DEBT.

The following is the conclusion of Mr. Webster's
speech, at a general meeting of the Whigs of Phila-
delphia, on October 2. We are glad to find that the
Pennsylvanians are not altogether lost to a sense of
honour:

" The Government of Pennsylvania has sought, by
various means, and some of them at great sacrifices,
to cherish these great interests of Pennsylvania. To
assist in the development of her resources, the Go-
vernment of Pennsylvania has contracted a great debt
for the purposes of railroads and canals, and other
public works, to the end that she may bring for-
ward and bring out into operation those means of
wealth which at present lie hidden, and offer so much
of useful occupation to men. Now, gentlemen, it
cannot be doubted that the Government of Pennsyl-
vania, as a government, must desire the development
of these resources to the general improvement of all
its population, and to the end that it may better con-
duct its operations in finance, and pay that debt which
rests upon it. Allow me here to say that Pennsyl-
vania needs no assumption by the United States to
pay her debts. She has contracted them herself.
She is able to pay them herself. She desires, lam
sure, no assumption of any debt of hers y the
general government out of the sphere of its consti-
tutional duty. But then, there is one thing that
eeither the Government of Pennsylvania can do
nor the people of Pennsylvania can do. The Go-
vernment can make roads ; it may construct canals ;
it may establish works of internal communica-
tion. The people may open the mines and work in
them, and bring their products to the surface. But,
then, for all these interests there is one thing to be
done that the Government and people of Pennsylvania,
separate or together, cannot do, and that is to protect
these interests by just and well-considered custom-
house • regulations. Pennsylvania does not possess
that power, and the whole world knows that they
and other similar works of domestic industry—the
great interests of human society—cannot be arranged,
and controlled, and regulated successfully but by the
operations of custom-house duties. Pennsylvania has
parted with that great regulating power. She gave
that up on the establishment of the constitution.
She gave up the power of laying duties on im-
ports into Pennsylvania, and she gave it up with a
clear understanding, which the whole history of those
times proves—she gave it up with a clear understand-
ing that the power with which she thus parted and
consented to place in the hands of the general Go-
vernment should be so exercised as by discrimination
to protect American Pennsylvania labour.—(Cheers.)
And the general Government, I undertake to say,
violates its obligation to every other State when it
has taken this power out of their hands, so that
they can no longer use it, and yet will not use
it itself. That is the very pinch—that is the
very exigence—the demand of duty which is
made on the Government of the United States.
Massachusetts and Pennsylvania cannot protect
their own labour by dusties at the custom-
house—they cannot lay those duties—they have
parted with that power to the general Government,
and they have parted with it under the plainest un-
derstanding and expectation on both :sides, that the
power would be so exercised as to favour home pro-
ductions. Now, gentlemen, we may do what we
please about domestic industry—Whigs may
do what they please—and individuals may do
what they please—but unless it be protected by
the general Government, by a wise, steady,
and stable system of legislation, there will
be no security—no permanent prosperity amongst
you. I have said that this debt was incurred by the
State of Pennsylvania, to do its part towards the deve
lopment of its own resources. I suppose everybody
expects—l am sure that I expect that this debt shall be
paid, not by the national Government, but by Penn-
sylvania herself.—(Partial cheering.) Why I should
despair of the great cause of self-government—cease to
be a defender of the practicability of high and elevated
popular communities and popular government, if Penn-
sylvania should sneak away from a payment of her
debt.—(Cheers, and cries of " No—never—never !")
There may be, I suppose, between here and the
Ohio river halfa dozen repudiators.— (A voice "None.")
There are spots, and black spots on the sun. But
the general effulgence of that golden orb hides and
covers all that darkens and blackens.—(Loud cheers.)
And there may be a man in Pennsylvania whose poli-
tics and whose morals lead him to think that a debt
honestly contracted had better not be paid. But who
could hear such a voice amid the thousand shouts in
favour of honest and just policy, that would fill the
air from one extremity of the State to the other ?"