Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-04-27
EigMtaenth Congress.
SPEECH OF MR.. CLAY, OF ISENTUCKY,
On the Bill to a,ac,d the several .4cts imposing
Duties on Imports.
Cnnr1NuEp.


oaMs Bill to onacnd the several .4cts imposing
Duties on Imports.
CONTINUED.
From this exhibit, we must remark, that the
wealth of Great Britain land, consequently, her
power) is greater than that Of any OF the other
nations with which it is compared. The amount
of the contributions which she draws from the
9cISets of her sub ects not referred to for inn
itation, but as indicative of their wealth. The
burtlcn of taxation is always relative TO the a.
biiity of the subjects of it. a poor nation can
pay but little And the heavier taxes of British
subjects for example, in consequence of their
greater wealth, may be easier borne than the
mach lighter taxes of Spanish subjects, in con-
sequence of their extreme poverty. The OBJ
iect Of wise governments should be, by sound
legislation SO to protect the industry of their own
citizens against the policy of foreign powers as
to give to il the most expansive force in the pro-
duction Of wealth. Great Britain has ever ac-
ted, and still acts, on this policy. She has
pushed her protection of British interest further
than any other nation has fostered its industry.
The result is, greater wealth among her sub
jects, and, greater ability to pay their public
burthcns. Ifthcir taxation is estimated by their
natural labor alone, noninally it is greater than
the taxation of the subjects of any other power.
But if, on a scale fther natural and artificial
labor compounded, il is less than the taxation of
any other people. Estimating it on that scale,
and assuming the aggregate OF the natural and
artificial labor of the United Kingdom to be
what | have already stated, 22l 100000, the
actual taxes paid bya British subject on
ly about three and seyen-pencc sterling. Es-
tirnatni:y our own taxes on a similar scale,-that
is surprising both descriptions of labor 10 be e.
quail 10 that of 2o, 600, 900 Of able bodied per-
sons,-thc amount of tax paid By each soul in
the United States is As. Cd sterling.
The Committee will observe, from that table,
that the measure of the wealth ola nation is in
dictated by the measure fits protection of its in
dustry; and that the measure OF the poverty ola
nation is marked by that fthe degree in which
it neg lects and abandons the care of its own in
dustry, leaving il exposed to the action of TO-
reign powers. Great Britain protects most her
industry, aud the wealth Of Great Britain is con-
sequentIy the greatest. France is next in the
degree IF protection, and France is next in the
order of wealth. Spain most negiects the duty
of protecting the industry of her subjects, and
Spain is ono OF the poorest of European nations.
Unfortunate Ireland! disinherited, or rendered,
In her industry, subservient to England, is ex-
actiy in the same state of poverty with Spain,
measured by the rule of taxation. And the U.
States are still poorer than either.
The views of British prosperity which have
enieayoured to present, show that the protect
ing policy is adapted alike to state of war and
of peace. Self-poised, resting upon her own
internal resources, possessing home market
carefully cherished and guarded, she isever pre-
pared for any emergency. We have seen her
coming out of war of incalculable cxertion, and
of great duration, with her power unbroken, her
means undnnshed. We have seen that al
most every revolving year ofpeace has brought
along with ii an increase of her manufactures,
OF her commerce, and, consequently, Of her ma
Yi9aion. We have seen that, constructing her
prosperity upon the solid foundation of her own
tai
tudcs of other states What is our own condi-
ton? Depending upon the state of foreign
powcrs--coniiIing exclusively in foreign, to
the culpable neglect of a domestic policy, our
interests are affected by all their movements.
Their wars, nisfortancs, are the only source
of oar prosperity. In their peace, and our
peace, we behold our condition the reverse of
that of Great Britain, and all our interests sta
tionary or declining. Peace brings to us none
of the blessing of peace. Our system is anona-
9ous alike untitled to general tranquility, and
to a state Of war or peace on the part of our own
country. II succeed only in the rare oc-
currcnce of general state of war throughout
Europe, l am no eulogist of England. / am
far from recommending her systems of taxati-
on. / have adverted to them only as manifest
ing her extraordinary ability. The political &.
foreign interests of that nation may have been,
as | believe them to have been, often badly man
aged. Had she ab5tained from the wars into
which she has been plunged by her ambition or
the mistaken policy OF her ministers, the pros
perity of England would, unqiestionably, have
been much greater. But il may happen that
the public liberty and the foreign relations of a
nation, have been badly provided for, and yet
that its political economy has been wisely man
aged. The alacrity of sullenness With which a
people pay taxes depends upon their wealth or
poverty. 1.-THE system OF their rulers leads to
their Impeachment. they can contribute but
little 20 the necessities of tlIe state if to their
wealth, they cheerfully and promptly pay the
burthcns imposed on them. Enormous as Bril-
fish taxation appears TO be in comparison with
that of other nations, but really lighter as it,
IN fact, is, when we consider its great wealth, e.
its powers Of production, that vast amount is col
lected with the most astonishing regularity
Here Mr.. Clay read certain passages from IoIt
showing that, in 1922, there was not solitary
prosecution arising ont of the collection Of the
assessed taxes, which are there considered a
nong the most burlhensoine, and that the pro-
seCutions for violations of the excise laws, in all
its numerous branches, were sepsibly aud pro-
gressivcly decreasing
Having called the attention Of the conmittee
20 the present adverse state of our country, and
endeavoured to point out H1e canscs which have
led to 1T; having shcwu that similar causes,
wherever they exist in other countries, lead to
the same adversely in their condition; and hay-
ing shown that, wherever we find opposite eau
ses prevailing high and animating state of ma
sienal prosperity exists, the committee will a.
R"Sc with me in thinking that it is the solemn
4uE Of government to apply remedy to the e.