Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-02-24

ue auopuon OF Congress would be detrimental
to his constituents, he should, on all occasions,
make 1t known, and stand, at least, as their
watchful and faithful adyocate. :Iehoped 10 be
ment, now before them, would be essentially in
FURIOUS, not merely to his constituents, butte all
the eastern, and some of the middle and SOUTH
ern states, and thus to secure its rejection.
"A gentleman from New York, mr. Tracy)
had SAID that the objection to his amendment
comes with an i'll grace from the Eastern States.
and especially from Connecticut. Sir, said Mr..
L. profess to have some knowledge of the in
terests OF the Eastern States, and am not a.
ware that those interests have been particular
iy consulted, in the formation of the bill under
consideration. The duty on hemp, surely. is
not intended to protect the agriculture of thai
section of our country. Hemp is not raised
there; the lands of New England are not suited
to the culture oft. Are the interests of COM
merce to be promoted by the additional duty on
hemp! VIII not commerce feel the injurious
effects of that tax, in two-fold respect5 The
expense of rigging ships is augmented by the We.
ry measure which will deprive them of employ-
ment. Little hemp is raised in the United
States, except in Kentucky and the Western
states. This fact shows whose interest will be
suoserved by the proposed protecting duty ON
hemp. Is the duty imposed on lead for the be-
p
tended that there is aLead Mine east of the Al
leghany Mountains. This tax, then, must re-
gard exclusively the interest of the Western
states. MIR. L. said, he might advert to the du-
ty On glass and iron, further to sustain his posi-
lion. The additional duty of 80 per cent. upon
wool, would be more general in its operation,
but it certainly could not be concealed, thatwool
could be most cheaply raised in the Western
States, where the price of land was far below its
value IN New England. Indeed he had been
told, by member ofthis House, that, from the
SINGLE town of Steubenville, in OHIO, during the
last year, SIXTY thousand pounds of wool had
oeen transported over the Allegheny. Where.
then, will the additional duty on wool be most
benefcially felt? He was not adverse to such
encouragement ofthe interests of the West, but
ne INSISTED that, while those interests are thus
protected, an important source of wealth to the
East should not be destroyed. He deemed il
proper thus to Iepel the assertion, repeated
more than once, that the bill before the Com
mittee, contains provisions peculiarly beneficial
to Connecticut and New England, and he did it
in no invldious spirit towards the West. He
certainly rejoiced in the prosperity of that coun-
try, and was ready to promote it by all legiti-
mate and proper measures. His constituents.
Nir. l. said, asked for national measures, and
| required nothing inconsistent with the interest
| of the Union, and, as their representative, he
was disposed to insist upon the Just and equal
distribution, as well of the public patronage as
| the public burdens.
The objection, MIR. T. said, which, in his
| Judgment, was conclusive against the additional
duty proposed, was, that it would greatly dimin-
ish, if not annihilate, the West India trade.
| 1t certainly would prevent the legal importa-
ton OF foreign distilled spirits from the West In
dla Islands, Indeed, he apprehended that the
ladH AL Al
| fall little short of immediately producing the
same result, but that such would be its ultimate
effect, he felt persuaded.
He would, he said, examine the nature and
extent of this trade; and, in doing So he propo-
sed to enter into details which, perhaps, mirht
bbe undressing, but, he thong 1T could not fail
to be useful In the investigation of a measure
like that now before the committee. The bill
under consideration purports to be, and bears
| the title OF, bill to amend the several acts i'm
posing duties on imports. Certainly, in adjust
ing the numerous provisions of such bill, the
commerce of the nation ought to be brought dis
hnctly INTO view, with all its ramifcations and
effects upon the other interests of the country.
! The trade with the West Indies had ALWAYS
been deemed of immense Importance to the II.
States. 1t was profitable trade, affordinr,
large balance IN our favor. The exports % the
! west India islands consist mainly of the pro-
ductlons OF this country, for which we can find
| no other market 1t may be useful to state
few facts in relation to this trade, which is, by
some gentlemen, SO lightly considered The
most important articles of export to those ISL
ands, ofdomestic produce and manufacture, are
lumber, fish, the various kinds of animal food.
corn, corn-meal, and flour. The flour exported
to those islands in 1922 was valued, at the CHS
tom house, at S2,758, 427; more than one half
/ nfs III thx,H n,rr. -f<.1 Al
total amount of domestic exports to those ISL
ands, in 1922, exceeded $1,000, 900, and the
exports offoreign growtl. and manufacture ex
ceeded S2,390,000 making an aggregate of ex
ports exceeding S12,470O0O. The bullion i'm
| ported from the same islands, in 1922, amount
ed to S297,l91, and the gold and silver coin to
| Sl,75O,232, 1T being almost one-half of all the
specie imported during that year. Ought such
a trade to be disregarded, Ought it not TO be
encouraged, especially when it is remembered
that it is carried on in the pork, the beef the
lumber, and breadstufs of the country, forwhch
no demand exists in Europe, This trade, too.
furnishes us with large quantities of colonial
| produce, which may be carried to an European
market, and thus ultimately enriching the coun-
try by double profit and freight But this
rade, Mr.. T. said, had, in fact, lancu ished un-
der the operation of the duty imposed in 1916 :;
and, SO far from being able TO sustain further
pressure, seemed to require the fostering care of
the national government.
The Importance of preserving almost the
principal market which remained to the country
for the productions that he had named would be
apparent by adverting to the great difference in
the quantity of those articles exported i'm the
year 1904, and in the year 1929. He had taken
| the year 1872, because the report of the exports
in the year 1928 was not conveniently Access
sible, it not having yet been printed. The va