Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-20

~, AoS caiicd 10y the Choirnian %
ing ON ths subject of tbs proposed Tariff, nov. be-
iore Congress The Committee appointed ut that
meeting TO proprose Memorial to the Congress OF
the United States i'll opposition thereto, presented
the same, which was read, and unanimously adopt
Cd by the meetng--whcrcupon
hesoired, Thata copy of the Memorial lust u
dopted, be signed by the Chairman aud Secretary
and transmitted To the Representative in Congress,
from this district, and like copies he furnished to Ia,
editors OF newspapers in this city.
One ofNte CommNee .ur. leigh har4n. 6es..
cope!icd from; Hc stat otis eug,, .ne.,fs. 10 tscias
nettag ne o.iter .Ncitteis substituted If.. Broci-
e't1ro"sh i've hiS piace.
Ahe Memorial Of suntry Merchants ant, other Citi-
lcns OF Richmond aud Manchester, to the Con-
l yrcss of the United States,
<PEsPECrFULLY REPRESENTS
That they have been much alarmed by the intro
tuction oil n BE-, in the House of Representatives,
entitled A Bill to amend the several acts ,or i'm
posing duties on imports"
Your Menorialists have entertained the nrui,,u
that the present Tariff is too high aud ;at lis cy-
orbi,ance has caused, in many instances, the conSt-
ncrs otnamuiactired articles, to pay heavy buun-
ties to manufactures, whereby Great bri,c-
fits nave accrued to that class, at the expense of tc
Agricultural and Commercial classes, which con ,ti-
tutc the great bulk of our people. Your Memorial
lists did entertain the hope, that the manufacturers
would have been satisfied with tine great aid which
these his, duties have reuderedto them; but in this
they are entirely disappointed and find that, that
SMALL but pcrsevcring class of the community, have
by their cSertions been enabled to lay before the
Assembled Representatives of the people, scheme,
by which that people shall be compelled to submit
10 the alternative ot paying still mor> cXhorbtant
prices for articles OF great necessity and convcni-
encc, or TO buy similar articles of inferior value of
domestic fabrication, almost equally high prices,
or to abandon the of them altogether And for
what purpose is it, that this people rcguir-
ed to submit to these heavy exuctions' Is it to
provide revenue for "a Parental Government which
is charged with deience' No such purpose is
pretended.
The Rcvcnle appears from the report of the Sc
crctary of the Treasury, and from the last Message
CT the President, 10 be III Il fourShng condition. and
the motive winch has been avowcd for this new
scheme is, that tie manufactures of our own coun-
try. may be tostc.ed and protected.
Your Mcmorialists do not mean to enter into NJ,
examination of the question, whether Congress have
any Constitutional Power to lay and collect In.-
ports and Duties, for the purpose of giving cacou-
ragemcnt and protection class of the commits
nifty TO the Injury and at the expcncg of all other
classes; They will merely venture to suggest that
this important power granted nv the CorStit,,-
ton for the express purpose of paying the debts
and providing tnr the "cNu'non defence, and &C.
raj welfare off, the United States >; aud they can
not perceive how the general object en- he attained
by fostering particular class to the prejudice of
, Others.
Whenever it has been found necessary to increase
the faritt for the purpose Of raising Revenue, to
be appropriated for the good OF whole yn;ir
Mcnorialists have moi complained, will they
complain when il shall be found necessary Cor
such purpose hat they cGnnot believe that Con-
gresS are acting entirely within t.,cii legitimate
sphere, when they trptt from this great object and
put their hands into the pockets OF the great mass
OF the People for the purpose of transferring the
money there found into the pockets of the lvourad
few.
When we consider the progressive incrc use ofdu-
ties which has taken plac. si:ce the establishment
of the Federal Government this time, we must b.
convinced that our manufacturers have. by opc-
ration of Laws intended principally for the purpose
.of raising Rrvcnuc, been Iostcrcd and protected
10 n prodigious extent In consequence thereof
siere maiy articles of foreign manufacture, that
;lr2 seldom, il ever imported. How rarely do
we hear of the Importation OF the manufactures Of
leather, lead pewter, and tin, paper stationary hats
&c. &C.! Paints, t.Enc, manufactures of iron, to-
gcthcr with the colrsec fabrics oi cotton these and
many others may ba almost considered prohibit
ed. Where then is this Legislative encoura cement
10 stop! As we advance, the point at which it is to
terminate, is continually reccding from US; we fear
shall never reach i, till barred by to-
ta prohibition.
To this result seem TO be advancing gradually.
but certainly. When heavy duty is first imposed
on foreign articles, the manufacturers seem for a
while to be contcntcd, because the encouragement
thus given them, enables those whose capitals are
already invested, or about to be invested in manu-
features, realize great profits These great pro-
fits however, after tnc induce much capital to
Ibc vested in those establishments that reduction
lin profits naturally takes place. Instead OF con-
tcntmcnt, dissatisfied again begins to shew it.
self. They cry out, that they want protection and
encouragement. They harrass Congress with their
importunatc Glamour They must have still high
or duties, or their establishments will fall to decay
Thus they require restriction upon restriction, until
they succeed in destroying all competition by proii-
biting the introduction of such foreign goods as
might interfere with goods of their own fabrication
This your Incmorialiss to be the course OF
things and against the disastrous and ruinous result
81 such course, trust that your body will save the
nation.
Your mcmorialists have every reason to believe
that the proposed Tariff, if adopted, will operate
opprcssively on the agriculture, commerce and ma
vigation of the country ; that it will diminish the
trcvenue, lead to direct taxes, and introduce systc-
matZed plan OF smuggling, the extent and effect OF
which cannot be foretod.
The oppressive character of this measure will bc
attempted to be shown by few examples
The frs; clause of the bill provides that all ma
nufactures ofwoo or Of which wool shall be compo-
nent part, duty of so per nd Udlorem shall be
imposed. until the 10Th June, 1925, and after that
duty OF SO l-3 per cent al vaorem and il is pro-
ted, these woollcn goods, the original cost of which
at the place whcrcc imported with the addition Of
10 per cent. shall be less than so cents per square
yard, shall with such addition be deemed and taken,
have cost 80 cents pr square yard and shall be
charged with duty accordingly.
At the Port of Richmond for the year 1922, there
were imported nearly 500 bales Of the coarse WOOL
len cloth known by the namc Of Mapped Cottons.-
This l. IN article peculiarly well adapted TO the