Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-05-04

lOtncrS-aHu COmfnentCu upon ltc HupOitCy Vi
imposing higher duty upon article of such
absolute necessity to the country, and to pro-
duce which, in such quantities as to meet the
consumption of the country, the manufactures
were, as he thought, utterly incompetent.
| MIR. Dckersm replied to Mr.. Mills, and OPP
posed the motion to strike cut the duty ON Iron.
He agreed to all the remarks in relation to the
; importance of that article; and conceived its
importance To every portion OF society to be the
very reason why its production, in our own
country, should be encouraged. He proceed
cd TO explain to the Senate the means which
our country possesses to produce iron; and the
necessity of some additional encouragement in
order to ensure its production in sufficient guam
titles to render US independent of foreign ma
tons, for this important article of consumption.
He considered this contest between the ship
ping merchant and the manufacturer of our own
+ country; and the latter, he thought, ought to
have the preference to the foreign manufacturer.
Mr.. Holmes, of Maine, supported the motion
to strike out this duty. He proceeded to show
the unjust and partial operation upon certain
classes of the community, and replied TO the ar
gulncnts made use of by Mr. Dickcrson.
Mr.. Mills made some further remarks in reply
to Mr.. Dickerson.
Mr.. LLOYD of Massachusetts, also ADDRESSED
the Senate in support Of the motion OF his col
league, and i'll answer to some of the positions ia
ken by Mr. Dickcrson. lie alluded TO the adj
vantagcs which the home manufacturers already
possess over the importer of this article. He
assigned the gratifying prosperity ofour country
as the principal reason that operated against the
domestic production of iron. That reason was
to be found in the alvancedprice our labor bears
over that of the degraded population of the part
| of Europe, where this article Is produccd; and
the price of labor, he said, was test Of nation
lalprospcrity. He remarked upon the encourage
from New Jersey, to have been extended to the
shipping interest of the country, and upon the
retributive policy, that would, probably, be a.
doptedby foreign nations, fthis bill were passed.
| MIR. Lloyd conceived it to be the duty of the
goverement-it was the principle on which the
Republic was founded-to encourage, as far
it could be DONE the interests of the people-and,
where there were divisions of interest," TO look to
the claims of the largest aud most important part
| he compared the relative Importance, to the
country, of the shipping and commercial into
rests, and the great class of mechanics depcn-
dent on them, with the mines and makers of
Iron. He spoke of the cmbarrassinents which
the shipping interest already laborcd under, and
proceeded to shcw that this bill, if passed, would
GO to impose additional, and far heavier, burthens
upon them. He thought the bill ought to be
rather entitled bill to Cypress tie agricultural,
to crttsh the commercial and euentAaiiyto iju1'e
the manufacturing interests Of Tie country; for,
the reaction of the bill would probably be the
most tremendous effect of it. The agricultural
interest was the great and controlling interest,
and when they once realised its effect, they would
repeal it, and also PROSTATE every thing that had
grown Up under It.
Mr.. l.. spoke of the Russian trade, as one Of
the most advantageous which this country ever
pursued. He denied, altogether, that there was
a balance against s, in this trade, andprocceded
pursued, in relation to it. If called up again,
upon the bill now before the Senate, Mr.. L..
SAIL, Ec should endeaYor more fully to explain
his reasons for believing that all the ideas OF
balances OF trade against this country, founded
on the Custom-House returns, were the vain and
visionary hallucinations of the minds of nero
theorists.
Mr.. Dickerson replied to- the arguments that
had been adduccd against him. He REQUIRED
to the policy of England, in the protection of
articles of her domestic production. He denied
that this duty on iron was materially to affect the
commercial intcrestofthe country and proceed
ed to comment upon the nature of our trade
with Russia. He denied that it was so benef-
oial to this country as had been contended by
the gentleman from Massachusetts. He did
not deny the benefits of commerce to the coun-
try; but he thought that commerce would not
be injured, to any considerable extent, by this
to the value of her commerce; and yet she en-
couraged her own manufactures. Mr.. d. spoke
of the bounties that had been paid, in this coun-
| try, sfor the encouragement of the fisheries. He
did not complain of this---he only wished gem
tlemen to recollect that some encouragement had
been extended to the commercial interest. He
called the attention of the Senate to the great
number of petitions then on the table, both from
agriculturalists AMI manufacturers, praying thc
imposition of higher duties on imported iron.
Mr.. D'iVolfe spoke in favor of retaining this
item in the bill. He required to- the genera
features of the bill, intended for the encou
Engagement of our domestic industry and leading
the people to do for themselves what they wan
done. This article was great branch Of the
whole system included in the bill, and he thought
the arguments OF the gentlemen opposed to the
, duty only went to shew its propriety. The
home market Mr.. DIV. considered as the mos
important to every nation. The balance o
trade, he said, ought certainly to be taken If
the aggregate. FIVE sell to other nations more
/ than we buy from them, the balance, sof course
: is liz our favor. He denied that other nation,
bought of us, because we bought of them: eacl
nation bought whatit wanted, and no more. IIe
compared the business of a nation to that of an
individual: 1t was alike necessary for both &c
keep an account OF what was coming in and go
ing out. He knew that the commercial inte-
rests were laDguishing, and other interests were
in the same situation. The facilities extended
to tue importation and use of foreign articles
In this country were very great. He believed
; the interests OF every state in the Union would
eventually be promoted by the passage of this
bill, as encouraging the industry of the country.
The bill was intended to save the labor of IN
$ country, and throw it upon its own resources
- Al Al