The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-04-13

the assertion OF that fact! The people had been
taught to believe that the enemy wculd be made TO
feel the by the operation sfits mere pressure
Yet the Hooae was told it was to be abandoned
teeanse the state Of things which to reader il
eueet1si against the eremy, bad ceased to exist -
A ie great error ct and objection to this system,
va,. that it had tendency to mske the politics OF
this country dependent those OF Europe, to make
us huciuate with ths 81 It's affairs The
reason which was now urged for the taking il Oh,
would prevail to cause its reenactnae mt the allies
should be driven beyond the Rhine, Prussia and
Germany reduced to terms, aud the forces of Rus.
sia be again driven into her Z" trightfui c,.ate"-
these reasons may, perhaps, be urged for re.enscng
system which II 10 now thought Proper 10 abandon
thus II that until this hsbit III connecting
politics With the affairs of Europe, should be sban-
toned, we should not be SIN independent people,
NY the sudden tall OF this system, thousands would
necessarily be ruined, as others were in its COM
ruencement There was nothing 90 Objectionable in
acomwereai country, az the habit of frequent and
violent changes of policy. 1t was, however, fact
notorious, that there was class Of men in this coun
try, tn whom violent shsnge was acceptable men
who looked upon whatever was uncommon TO be
vice or great. There was, therefor, calculating
on the course Of the government--there was not
time for the last two years, when any person could
calculate on the permanenOe OF ts policy for mo-.
nent beyond the present. What nsds il worse,
was. that the standard by which the politics Of
the government had been managed, had never been
told to the people. On the contiI. " T. CT had be
led 20 believe, by the friends and supporters OF the
uninstrat'on, that the politics OF Europe had
thing 20 do with chr measured, and the standard by
which others sdjudged them, was declared to be IN
just and unfounded. Who ooud have i'm gined that
the restrictive systero would have been abandoned
20 suddenly II the people had been told il would
be abandoned when the power of France was crush
ed, they would have understood il, and acted
dinghy. Mr.. w. referred to the Presidents Mes
sage OF Dec last to the hl which passed this
House for more efectuay enforcing the non-im-
portaton act by Introducing q novel principle INTO
laws, and departing from all established rules of
a - m he yrh rh frar he ond
was now before this House, for prohibiting the i'm
portaton Of any article which might have from
English possessions; to the recent decision against
Paul Cuffees bill aud against the transportation by
water of lime for the of his houseless coustitu-
ents, lest they should violate the embsrgo-to show
how rgdly this system had been upheld until the
very moment that the message came into the House
recommending its repeal He sdverted also to the
Legislative addresses now the table, approving
OF the measure and to those VIII ch though in exis.
tence, had not been presented having arrived little
too late. A government subject to such sudden
changes, not competent to manage the affairs
Of great nation. There were many other very
important oonsde rstions contested with this change
IN our policy. The people had been told that this
system had great tendency to promote infant ma
nutactures that ii It did nothing else but induce the
habit OF providing for wants ny our own
means, ii would be blessing. How often had this
consideration been enforced And yet those who
understood the system, did not hesitate to tell the
people that the moment the policy of the govern
Ment required it, the manufacturers would be sac.
rIfced with little hesitation the merchants had
been that the same unsparng hand would pros
trate bOth-thst the manufacturers as veil as mer-
chants you'd be suffered to fail without remerse Il
without regret. Something had indeed been said
tn the message in regard TO double duties, which
were to guard the manufacturers from loss.
Mr. w. said he sdmonished every VI an IN the ma
tion not to be tsken in by this intima alton The
double duties would not be coatinned-he did not
gay they ought, but, If not, they ought not to be
held out as likely to be continued. The proper
measure would doubtless be a regular tariff OF du.
ties, aud not rsshy to double the dut es all arti.
ees coffee, tea and other necesssries in order 20
encourage the manufacture OF wouiie4s, &c. The
moment the purpose of sForting revenue no longsr
required them, tie double detTs would be abolished
be repeated. What the duty of governme mt
In respect to its policy That it should be regular
not variable. With respect 60 ruaaufa stures, Mr..
w. thought II necessary 70 speak with some presi.
sion. He enemy to rearing manufactures or
any other interest in hot-bed he would not egis-
late too rsshly in relation to them. AL naputac.
lures compatible with the interest Of the country
ought to be fostsred but for he wished 10
Sheheid or Birmingham in this cosBtry.--
He spoke of the evils Of extensive manufactures
&c. and too populous towns. He wishea to let the
different pursuits Of society take their own course,
and not to give excessive bounties preference. 10
another. The true spirit of the constitute
on did not confer the power on government 10
change the habits Of whole sections of the country.
bnt to grant protection to all sections of il, pur
sue their own avoestions which ought to be epcou-
points, to see the government returning to an no.
norabie and correct course. At the abandonme emit OF
the embargo he rejoiced and should rejoice still
further when the government should pursue a per-
Iaanent system, announce its policy to the people
pursue measures on its own sreng h, and subject
MS to the power and will of foreign nations. This
brng but brief sketch, embraces the substance OF
Mr. Webster's remarks.
the chairman proceeded TO read the Sc
eond section OF the bill.
Mr. M'Kim of Md. said he had, from the
presentation ofthis bill, been Of opinion tina,
it embraced two objects which ought to be
kept separate and distinct. Besides, some
gentlemen might be disposed to give free
scope to the industry and enterprise of the
country, who were averse TO a repeal of the
prohibition of imposts. He therefore moved
to strike out the I'd section of the bill IRE
pealrg the non-imporlation acts.)
Mr.. Calhoun said he had only one obser-
walton 10 make, He hoped the provisions of
this bill would all go together; that they
would all stand or al fall.
Without debate the motion was negatiyed.
ayes 81.
Mr. Oakley of N. Y. made two success
i've motions, the object OF which was to do a.
way all penalties * forfeitures which shall
have been incurred under the acts proposed
to- ~ repealed.
These motions were supported by Mr.. o,
& Messrs. Castor, King Of Mass. and Ward,
on the ground that the Continuation Of pros
ecutiens and collections OF fines and forfeit
ures would answer no emil, the laws bei,g
repeaied, but to enrich iuformers, without
producing any sanitary effect, as the object
r II.