American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-05-14
Public Meeting.

l''''iS
notice. for the purpose of expressing their sentiments on
the subject Of the Tariff BILL which has lately passed the
House Of Representatives, and is pending before the
Senate Of the United States, Andrew Gray Esq was call
ed to the Chair and W. w. Young, appointed Secretary
Whereupon the subject Of the meeting being stated, a
committee OF live, on notion was appointed consisting OF
Caleb Kirk, John Tobert, Victor Dupont, James Elton,
and Henry Whitley, to draft resolutions to be submitted 10
the meeting
The committee in short time after retiring, reported
the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted
LIST. Resolved, That we canno. but regard the
distressing situation Of our common country, pos
sessng such manifold blessings, and in the midst
Of profound peace, and during an uninterrupted
succession of superabundsot haryests, as the most
unequvoca proof OF the radical unsoundness Of our
policy. AS nothing but a most perncious policy
could counteract and render unavailing the inesli
mable advantages, natural moral and political, which
we enjoy, and prevent the nation from soaring 10 as
high degree Of prosperity and happiness as ever
Tell to the lot of any people.
3D. Resolved, That the prohibition Of our breac
stufs, the main dependence of the middle States, By
The nations of Europe produces the most perniciou'
operation on the welfare OF those States. paralyze
their industry, and has destroyed the lair prospects
Of thousands Of their citizens, within the last six
seven years.
3rd. Rcsoired, That this prohibition. on the par
oil those nations, which largely supply with manu-
featured goods, would, OH the principles Of equa
justice, not only warrant but require rttaliatorJ
prohibitions OF such ol their articles as we could
selves produce, in order to NJ ke domestic market
fo our staples thus unkindy excluded. On this
subject, the authority OF the llustrious Jefferson may
be fairly quoted and is decisive. "Where a natiot
imposes higher duties on cur productions or pro
hi5itS them at9getter ii may be proper for us Il
d0 the same By theirs first burdeniRg ercludine
tigse productions t0hich they bring here in compe
titi0n rith our orn Of the same Kind selecting
next. such manufactures as we take from them il
greatest quantity, and which at the same time We
could the soonest furnish 10 rselves, obtain from
other countries, imposing on them duties light a
frs but heavier and heavier afterwards, as othei
channels Of supply open.'
4th ResOtred, therefore, tha' we regard the per.
tlnacious opposition Of the members Of Congress
from the Eastern and Southern States TO a moder
ate increase Of the duties foreign manufacture;
for he relief Of their fellow ctzens in the middle
AID Western States, embracing about half the pop
uAtlon OF the union as displaying an unfrendly
spirit, wholly inconsistent, with the duties which con
federated states each other, calculated to excite
I-elousies add hear, burnpgs, and destructive oftha
entity of interest, which, it was one Of the
acknowledgements to the adoption of the fedora
constitution, is its only sure cement.
9th. Resolved, / hat regard as an insult to the
public understanding, the attempt so industriously
made to deter the Legislature OF the United State:
from modification of the Tariff, BY the danger o
smuggling, from increasing the existing duties or
chIons, wooens and manufactures Of iron, steel
copper, brass &c. 5, 10 or p per cent while teas
spices wines, salt, &c. sc. and have for twenty
years been subject 10 duties, so, co, TO- 80, 100
i4G' go and spirits at present TO 200 per cent.
Cth. HrS0tr9d, / hat the clamor on the subject o
destroying commerce and navigation by the pro
posed measure, Is equally groundless. So for a:
regards commerce, lei II be observed that two thirds
g! he articles proposed to be subjected TO addiiona
duties, are imported BY for foreigners, who cnjol
soSh iscilues by the existing system, that they hav,
~ at asst the above proportion excluded the Amer
lcan Merchant from that trade. And, so far as re
CARDS navigation. it is idle to pretend that it coulc
produce any material effect on it. AS the whole oil
The American tonnage employed 10 the trade with
SFeat britain, from whence the chief part Of oul
81 pphes OF manufactures are derived, is but very
httle more than that employed in the trade witt
Cuoa and Hayt the FIRST having been in 1928, onl,
1929 tons, and the two last 14l,55O.
9TH Fas9tce7, Moreover, that the injury antici
patsd to commerce from the protection Of manu-
features, is in direct contradiction 10 the experience
81 the world AS the prosperity of commerce ha
at all TINES proceeded, pari pdSsU, with The pros
perity o. manufactures. A glance at the situation
at Great Britain at once the greatest manufacturing
ahd commercial country in the world, will remov,
;he doubts Of the most ncredulous
9Th. ResotUed, That the efforts made TO terYiE
the nation into hostility against the proposed mea
sure, on the ground Of the destruction Of the reye
rue, and consequent! resort 70 direct taxes and ex
Cises, are wholly understandable and that the mes
sure would rather increase than injule the revenue
10 confirmation of which opinion, we beg leave /
refer to the unexceptionabIe testimony Of the pre-
sent Secretary oil the Treasury who in his report
the state of the frances, dated December TO- 1921
recommends some Of the most important alteration
Nsed arI. 4, .opa haaa L..
the most violent opposition, as means Of lncreas
ing the revenue. "a general revision and correcto
OF the detie' imposed upon foreign merchandi7
seem to pc required. Many of the articles achic