Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-06-22
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SPEECH OF MR.. wEBsrER,

Upon me Tariff, delivered an the House ot Represen
faires IF the United States, .4p,a, 1924
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: ] will avail myself of the pre.
sent occasion 40 make remarks on certain prin
eipies aud op'uons which have been recently adj.
,"nced, and an those considerations which, in nv
Judgment, ought to govern in deciding upon the
several and respective parts of this very imroran
and complex measure can truly say that this is n
painful duly deeply regret the pecessiry, whic is
likely TO he imposed me- Of giving gene raj af.
hrmai've or nrg"IiSe vote on the whole of the Bill
cannot hut think this mode of proceeding !iui,e ia
great objections. expnses both those he sppor,
aud those who oppose, the measure, 10 very nnjusi
and injurious misapprenensoBs. There may be
good reasons Tor iacpIiug of the provisions OF
The Bill, aud equally strong for opnosiuy
.rs and these provisions 'o not stand each other
I" the relation OF principal aud incident. if tina,
we'e ihe case, those who in favor Of The princi-
pa! might tOregn their opinions upon incidental and
suhordna!e provisions Boz the II proposes enact
mems entirely distinct, and different from one ano h.
er, ~ ch 'rac'er and Tendency Sumo Of its clauses
are intended merely for revenue aud, Of those which
regard the protection Of home manufacturers, one
part stands upon very different grounds from thbse of
ohsr paris. So Thar probably e,ery Gentleman who
may ultimately support The hill viii vnre for much
which his judgment does not approve aud those
would very gladly support.
Being entrusted with the interest. of a Dis,ric,
highly commercial, and deeply interested in n,anu-
inciutes also, wish to opinions on The pre
sent measure not IS on a whole, for il has no en-
IRE and homogeneous character; but on collec-
'''n o. 'hfeIcn' rnacuien's, some OF which meet my
Aud ailc" me, SIT, 10 The first place, 20 stale nv
regrei, II iodeed ought no, express a warmer
senhmeni Al The names, or designations, which Mr.
Speak'r has seen fl adopt, FOR the prpose Of de-
scriing the advocates and the opposers of The pr.
sent b''' II IS question, he says, between the
Trend. oil an AMERICAN p"hcy," and those Of a
" foreign policy" This, sir, an assuu,p,;ou whic
take The liberty most directly 10 deny. Mr.. Speak
certainly intended nothing n,dious or derova,ory
TO any part 81 The House by this III de of de1omi,
n.,'ius friends md cn-mirs. But there il mower In
o. utstis
favor a"d hose VIVA oppose particular measures
"a. ieah !" 'nierenGes TO which no member Of the
tlonse CO" snhm may imply ri,at there is "a moro
exclusive and peculiar regard to American
ia ore class OF opinions Than in another. Such an
9npiv.iipn IS To he resisted and rcpclIed Every
mrmher has righiio The presumption, thai he pur-
sues what Re believes 10 he the interest Of his conn
p's, w'ih as sincere zeal as spy other member
rlaiu this IN ply own case and, while I shall not
Ia hnv psIpose Vi description, or convenient ar
Engagement, use 'erms wich may imply any ,Iisres-
pre- - other mems opinions, much less any imput.-
I'ans oil o'ner mems motives, il is my duly to take
Gaze 'hat me use OF such terms by others he not,
gainsi the viii oi those ~hu ndout rl.n, na,l, 10
produce false impressions. fpdreJ sir i, is Iiuie
astonishing, II seemed convenient TO Mr. Speaker
Tor the purposes at distinction, to make use Of the
terms Amfrcau policy, and 90 foreirn poI,sv
that he should moi have applied rben, in a manner
precisely the reverse Of Thar ia which he has IN fact
Used them III names are ihoogn necessary, IL woul,
he we'll enough, one would think, that the name
should he, IN some mensnt, descriptive Of the thing
and since Mr.. Speaker denumnaies the policy which
fe recommends g = new policy IN This conn,ry :"
since he speaks %! The present measure as new
in legislation since lie Processes 10 invite us 10
depart from accustomed course To INSTRUCT our.
selves 10y the wisdom OF offers, aTI To ao, the pol-
icy OF the most distinguished foreign sstes, is
!itIIe curious 10 know with what pirprieiy Of speech
Ihs mutation vi other nations j. d.Dnminnted an
" AmericsH policy, while, on tho contrary, " pre-
ference fIr our Own established system, as il now
actually exists, aud always has existed is called n
- foreign policy" This ravoriIe American poIicy is
what Amer'ca has never ried and this odious TO-
rergn pO'cy rs what, ms we told, foreisH states
have never pursued SIR, that is the truest Amer.
can policy winch shall mos' usefuliy employ Amesi.
csr',d, aud An'et,c.n I.b,,, and best sustain
the win ole population. With me ~ is n fuDd,mcp,a al
Axiom ~ iuerwoses with all my opinions, thu, the
great 'aietesis oi the country unied and nse,s-
r-he that agriculture, commerce., and ppsnufac
tues, will prosper together, or laDpuisb togei her
and that nil legs is dang crous yvci,
ben, f. one Of ih.se without looking 10 gnnsruue
ees which may fall on the OTHERS
Passing tom ihi@, SIT, am bound TO say that MIR
Speaker hrs"ntis aide aud Impressive speech Al lie
proper po'u' o HfInny NEAR the present state and
condition Of he country; although I an ~ unfor,u
nate, oi ra'her "'ougn am so bmppy, az 10 differ
FROM HIM very "idrly IN regard to ihai condiiioB
dissent entirely iron the justice of that picture oI
dstrrss which lie has drawn. ! have moi seen the
realn,, aud know not where II exists Wuh,u my
observation there IS no cause for gloomy aud ,er
ryyiTg representation. In respect 10 the New
England states, with tie condition of which ao, ,J
oou, se most acquainted, the pre- seni apes,s ,o m.
period of very genr'd' prosperity. Not, indeed =
mt. I.
Day Of extraordinary dctiety dnd successful slrcul.
ton There - doubt, considerable drpress at
prices, aud, III degree sragnaou Of busipe.,
But the case presented ht MIR Speaker, was not one
al GepTeSSOn, buf of distress OF universal
intense distcss, limited no class, aud place
We Represented ~ on Tive Veiy verge AID btlnk
Uf ntiCual tuln ST. fsr FROM acflniescing ~ these
opinions, bella Sc there has been 40 period ~ wiicf
the general prosperity Gas better secured or rested
"A solid iOund i'iOn. As mprrable 10 the
Eastern s'ates, rut ths remark 10 their Representa-
isves, and ask them u Il - not true When has there
been time in which the n,clns uf living have been
more accessible aud more abundant when lii,Or
WAS rewarded, do nni say with = i,fger bat with -
pursuits ~ lie, winch II - not poposed 10 he
ne6, bm 10 bHrdst, 10y fhis Bill, very low. But sull
am ueacqnas I'd with any proofs Of extraordinary
distress. What, indeed, uc ih" general iudratiun.
oil the state OF the county There no famine nor
prsiilrnce IN the land nor war, hur desois,i. ,u.
There - 40 wfiling UUder The bui flen Of taxai,nn
The means Ui subsistence abunJant nuG ~ II, o
veiy moment When iir M. srai,ic coDdnon tt tic
county Is asserted, ~ is admitted that Tire wages of
tabor are bigh, IN cnDpdtison with those nf ~, ofh
er country. coulTi, 'ien, enjpyiuy - lrOfsund
peace, perleci tivt liberty wHh the means Of SCH.
sisence cieap aud nrBp'ia,, Wifi, the rewr,J of s
Dor sure, aud us wages hIg' thin any where else
cannot . Represented IN gloon, mrI,ncl,oly and
distress, hut Wy lie extraordinary powe,s of ,.se,ty
EseH ", in judging Of fbis question, We wore n re-
gard only those i oofs 10 which we h",r hecn refer
red, we shall probably come 10 conclusion some.
what different from HAT Which has been drawn O.
exports, lO' exaopic, although certainly less rhan IN
some years were no last year, 80 much below an
average, formed urqo H,e exports Of series az