Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1820-08-29
MIR. BALDWIN'S SPEECH
on TIE TARIFF,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,


ration Of the house, it is proper that the
views Of the committee of manufactures
should be fully explained. The task
assigned to them has been one Of no
ordinary interest: the subjects on which
it has been their duty to act, may have
an important bearing on the whole in
ternal policy of this government; and
the measures recommended are such as,
in their opinic.,, will essentially benefit
the nation. In maturing them, the COM
mittee have not Gas the gentleman from
Massachusetts, Mr.. Fuller seemed to
Think considered themselves private
committee, acting on the private petit
tions of individuals, who sought support
and encouragement from government at
the expense of the rest of the nation.
They have not examined the petitions or
statements Of manufacturers, with view
of ascertaining whether their establish
ments are productive or losing. Their
interest has not been a leading motive
in our minds it was of little impor-
.tance; and if this bill; either in its gene
raj principles, or its details, cannot be
supported on national principles, we are
willing that it should fall, and that its
fate shall be ours We have thought
that this nation can never be flourishing
or Independent, unless it can supply
from its own resources, its food, its
clothing, and the means OF defence that
TO be dependent on foreign nations for
the articles essential for these purposes,
is inconsistent with true policy--and that
the system which has entaied on us this
dependence, must be radically changed.
In matter which involved SO many in
ferests, we found many embarrassments !;
among not the least Of them, those which
arose from the duties assigned to the
different committees of this house. The
committee of manufactures was a new
one; its powers and duties were unde-
fined by any rule; the various subjects
referred to them related as well to the
revenue and commerce of the country,
as its manufactures. 1t was our wish
that each committee should act on its
appropriate subjects, not to encroach on
the jurisdiction of either. 1t was our
first intention to have reported bill
which should have related only to the
manufactures OF the country. But the
house will recollect that, at very early
period of the session, resolution was
passed calling on the secretary OF the
treasury to report the effect on the re-
venue of prohibition of woolens, cot
tons, and iron; that his reply was, that
an increase of duty on those articles
would impair the revenue and tend to in
troduce smuggling This was subject
on which we knew the house was sensi-
tive-a deficit in the receipts this year
of five millions, had been officially an
nounced by the treasury. The commit
tee of ways and means had reported no
bill, had recommended no means OF
filing the treasury, and to our repeated
calls had answered that none would be
adopted by them. You now find that
the result of all their deliberations has
ended in the bill now on your table, au-
thorising a loan of four millions; two
directly, and two from the sinking fund,
to meet the ordinary expenses of the
year. did not approve of the resolu-
ton which had thus called on the secre-
tary ofthe treasury to take part in this
great national controversy, and thought
it not right in gentlemen to call III the
influence of that department against
large portion of the nation, struggling
against what they conceived to be the
Indifference of our own and the efforts
Of foreign governments. To have franz
od b;iI confined to the sole object of
promoting the manufactures of this ma
ton, by imposing high duty on those
Of others. the effect of which would have
been still further to diminish revenue
already incompetent to our ordinary ex'
penses, would have thrown us in the
way of the very difficulty which gentle
men had so early foreseen, SO carefully
provided. The cry of revenue, the
treasury, and smuggling, would have
cffectually defeated all our projects
There was no other committee disposed
70 act in concert with us. Lett thu;
alone, the treasury report against an in
crease of duties; the treasury itself emp
tv. the committee of ways and means
Unwilling to assist in filling it; and ys
called upon by the petitions ofthousand'
of individuals to do something to protec
the industry of the nation, the commltte'