The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-03-20

10
partment is not in possession of any names
OF persons in the United States, who have,
IN any way or manner whatever, entered
into or countenanced thu project or the
views, for the execution or attainment of
which, John Henry was in the year 1909,
employed by Sir James Craig the said
John Henry having named no persons or
person az being concerned in the said pro-
lect OF views referred to in the documents
laid before Congress on the 9th inst
Which is respectfully submitted.
JAMES MONROE.
DEBT. Of State, 1871 March 1912.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
Thursday, March IL.
NJ. Rhea presented petition of sundry
Sahabitants OF Louisiana, praying an extern
al government. Referred,
The Shedker also laid before the House a
report OF the Secretary of the Treasury, en-
closing the annual statement of the emou-
ments OF the officers of the customs for 1911.
Referred. "a :> -.
On motion of Mr.. Harher,--Resoiped
That committee be appointed to enquire
into the state of the Public Printing for the
House OF. Representatives, and to report
such regulations for the same in future as
shey may deem. expedient..
/, Messrs. Harper. Peasants and Rack
ledge were accordingly appointed COM
mittce. ..~.+-
The engrossed bill for,repealing the 10th
section of the act to incorporate the sub
scribers to the bank of the U. S. was read
che third time and passed:
DUTY ON EXPORTS. .,
Mr.. MnehiI observed that he wished to
submit to the House proposition which he
had long revolved in his. mind. It. was an
amendment of the Constitution in the sect
on foroidding duty to be laid upon articles
exported from the several states. The
convention. who framed that Invaluable in
strument, had guarded with Jealous eau
ton the products OF our land and industry
They had toreseen an Inconvenience that
might have arisen from imposing export du-
ties upon certain articles, as beef, pork, pot
ash, tobacco, cotton or bread stuffs, for
example, in their bearing upon particular
members OF the confederacy, or upon Sc
lected classes of proprietors and their bust
ness Considering the inhabitants as chief
~ engaged in the pursuits of agriculture, it
was declared that no money should be levi
ed, even by Congress, upon the surplus ar
ticles OF their plantations and farms on
transportation to foreign parts. There
were, he owned, strong reasons in favor of
this provision originally. But time, and the
varied condition of society, had remarkably
diminished their force.
Since the formation of the Constitution in
l7S7, and its ratification by the states in
17S8, great alterations had taken place in
our domestic condition. And changes vet
more Considerable had been experienced.
with those parts of the world with which
we held the closest connection. In the lapse
OF twenty-four years, our people hadbecome
protclents in manufactures. The native
materials OF the country had been, by the
labor and skill of the inhabitants, worked
up into 8. thousand forms. Raw materials
from abroad had been subjected to similar
processes OF art and the distilled spirits
the cotton and hempen yarn, the preparati-
ens OF leather, wool, wood and iron and ma =
ny other things, were studiously sought af-
ter ~ persons beyond the seas. He belize
we'd 1t would be just and proper to raise
money. on foreign consumption. This
might be effected bv moderate and discreet
export duty upon the products of our own
agriculture and manufacture, as they depar-
ted from our ports on their destination to
distant markets.
he efficacy OF such measure made
him regret that the Legislature did not DOS
sess the authority to adopt it. In our COM
mercial competitions with other nations, we
were always crippled through the want of
snch power. 1t was an engine which they
employed most severely against us. In our
however adverse, and to meet their system
~ corresponding and retaliatory system.
we were constantly fettered and hampered
by constitutional restriction. The wes-
tern sovereignties of Europe, and, indeed,
Commerce itself, had suffered sxch turnng,,
and overturnngs, that he believed we ought
TO disenSage ourselves as quickly as we
conveniently could from the prohibitarv
clause Of ohr Constitution. While the bel
hgerent Enpires threw so many imped;
ments in the way of liberal and ADVANTAGE
Gus intercourse, it was our duty to remove
from the path an obstruction placed there
by ourselves.
Mr. ". said he was particularly DESTROYS
OF inviting attention 10 the subject at shis
Juncture, BY the diminution which our i'm
ports had undergone, there was a serious
dctAleaiion f the revenue heretofore dtri-
red from the impost. The expenses of the
government had, at the same season. becr
exceedingly increased. The wisest heads
had been engaged in de,ising Elan for raj
sing the requisite supplies. The amend
fneHt, which he meditated, might be cons;-
dered az containing substitute for some
Of the less agreeable Of war taxes. Or. e
further ways and means were NECESSARY
llis might be al auxiliary TO the DroiecteI