Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-07-02
MIR. GARNETT'S SPEECH,
IN THE
UOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
DELIVERED APRIL ., 1924, on THE BILL
- TO Gncna he sereral acts for imposing Duties on
Imports

Imports
Mr.. GARRETT said, although the immediate
subject before the committee was Il motion to strike
out the minimum OF coitons, yet that following the
example of those who had preceded him in the de-
bate, he should take the opportunity to offer some
OF his views on the general merits of the bill. lie
did not intend to take so wide a range as some of
the gentlemen who had spoken; for ii he had the
inclination, he had not the physical ABILITY TO be
elaborate.
More important consequences, said Mr.. g.. than
those involved in the policy of this bill, could scarce
ly he presented to the hopes or the fears ct the ma
t;on. 1t is a policy which, departing IRON the true
and safe design of the constitution winch limits the
power ST taxation to raising revenue, assumes a
prfnciple that renders it undeilnabic and iliImitabie
III principle, which, under the preteXt OF pfoHot-
ing tho national wealth and Independence, enables
the government TO destroy the revenue; to violate
the rights OF property TO change the political reia-
tons of the states that compose the coficicfdcy
and perhaps, finally, to subvcrt the constitution 1t
self. Since | have been "a member OF this House,
said Mr.. q. / have witnessed the discussion OF ma
ny questions OF the deepest interest, affecting INC N
p. regrity and existence of tho constitution ;--1ucS'i-
ons which produced an Intensity OF excitement pro-
=. nnrtioned to thcir high Importance hut IN my OPT
Mon, none has ever been nsitated, which more de-
serves to excite our interest and anxiety than the
present; for if the policy now proposed should De
adopted, the constitution itself Is 40 longer OF any
value-It - Insufficient LOT the citlS Ior WiiCb IL N"S
establishcd-it is inadequate TO secure our iincrty
aud happiness. Ii a Legislature which = supposed
70 contain the assembled wisdom Of The tfecsi, ut
does not become NE 10 say the most eEllghtcied)
people ON earth, in this advanced age oi human rea-
son, III n time of profound tranquility, without 20
reign force or internal corrGpti0n, can, after iTa-
ture deiiberation, under an idea OF public benefIt,
voluntarily revive \ syatnm of policy winch helonSs
10 n darker age which Is utterly Incompatible WIFE
the rights of property and the principles o.. Tree go
yernment; which alike sets at nnugtt the specula-
tions of philosophy, the lessons OF experiences, and
the obligations of justice which goes TO surrender
all our acquisitions of wealth, liberty az: knnw-
ledge and to subvert the whole frame OF poiity
which we have established tor their security and
advancement such a spectacle mustb e caicuiaied,
not only to destroy all prospects OF our OWE happi-
ness, but to e~xtinsuish the best hopes fur the future
progress and Improvement of human society :-lt
will shcw the perverSlty OF MAJ 10 be sucf'- tAat no
matter what blessings 4 kind Providence may have
bestowed on him no mater what advantages ne
may have secured by his wisdom Or achieved by
his valor, they are not destined to endure that
there is n morbid principle in his nature which for
bids the perfection and limits the duration OF his
happiness; and that il evil does not assaii aim from
some external source, he will hnloE:abiicaFc II icr
himself.
When a new measure OF policy i;Proposed, while
it is important 70 uuierstant it, true character, it
is, sometimes, not uninstructiVe 10 examine the mo-
tives which led to it:--And when 1 speak OF mo-
tlsCS, l ~ 10 u u uHiSI ssOtNi, ''St ! f.N " l"I
great body of manufacturers in The nation, not TO
their representatives in this House, who are acting
i'll obedience To their instructions. The alleged mo-
.tiveS of the proposed system is the promotion OF the
~national wealth and independence: but is IL not
strange that the patriotic zeal for these objects
should be confined entirely 10 certain classes of in
diviiuals, and to geographical divisions! Is 1T not
strange that the people of the south, whose patriot
ism has never been iinpcdctei. 0I even suspected,
las far as | knowD should ali at once be entirely
iucouSiL1c IN -pp.iipray :uus of nntioual urnSneri!y-
and should not only, not participate in the zeal for
it's pfomotion,' but should DC passiOuatcly opposed
to it's ii not passing strange, that Htciy grievan-
ccs should. be made IN" prstoXt for the system. and
yet the remedy should apply exclusively 70 others:
Yes! TIER grievances, I say, because the apology
IS the refusal of foreigners to receive our a5Icuitu-
raj produce; lthc people OF the south are ali a5ri-
cultu:aiistS,) and vet the benefit accrues entirely To
the manufacturers. Do not these considerations
force every IisslsSiOnate mind TO the conclusion,
that general prosperity 81 M tional independence are
not contemplated by This system ;--tiat local ad-
vantngcs, Individual wealth, and dangerous aggrau-
dizcIcnt are its real objects.
But, Mf. G. said, nc was willing TO meet gentle
mon on the question of national wealth and indie
pcudcncc.--Jhrt, after all, was the real question.
Gentlemen might consider this subject in as many
relations as they pleased Historical, political, e.
con1mical, financial, metaphysics ;-(and he be-
lie 5c! il had been considered in all these and many
Otnef5) the true inquiry was this: Would the ma
N4'E'H' wealth. ~ ls' LtiSCl vi flihiilltSUtu Ill "
would be increased, wcrr the means lust and law
fIl;-hniifi it would be diminished, were there any
advantages - compensate us for the sacrifice? He
thought 1t woult not D. difficult 20 demonstrate that
the national wealth would be dininishcd-that
there c0blf be no compensation for tHis diminution
AMI that tie means were unjust and uneoustitu-
tional.
Why the very statement or the question implied
that there was an immediate loss To- the nation from
this systcn-What did it propose Certain ruaru-
ftcturcrs came to you, and said ,l-y could not sell
ttsr manufactures, because Foreigners brought COM
moiitics of the same kind To- this country, aud sold
them cheaper than they could do, and they asked
you tu raise the price Of then to make your citi-
gems pay more for them. Tnis Immediate loss no
body did, nobody could deny but the prctext was,
that Il vas temporary that subsequently the con-
sulncr would be inde unihtl, drtcNy, by getting the
domestic Manufacture cheaper than the foreign
and iaIirecNy, by getting IA higher price, in the
home parkct, for mis- own products. Now on the
7 atty Of this promised indie nuiica ton the whole
question depended. II there were no such indcrI-
nifty, the system must be abandoned, As utterly in
dsfensitls and ABSURD unless it could be shewu