Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-17

81 to regulate commerce" 1t IL denied that the |
power to protect manufactures is an incidental
power, or partakes any thing of incidental cha |
racter 1t is asserted, that 1t is, in itself, ORR
einal substantive power; and incomparably more
important than the power TO regulate commerce
itself; to which 1t 10 pretended to be an incident
The tariff law IL not regulation of commerce
II is law for the protection of domestic manu-
lectures; and the means employed fer that end
consist in the imposition of duties upon foreign
goods; not of any regulation of commerce. The
regulation OF commerce, therefore, il not the end
OF the law, nor the means employed by the law
TO effect the end; which end is the protection OF
manufactures. The object of this suggestion,
therefore, seems to be, disingenuously to arrive at
the exercise OF plain, obvious and palpable pow
er, by indirect, which cannot be approached 10y
direct, means. The protection of manufactures
involves the most de-potic and dangerous power
that can be exercised by Government in any FORM
1t places the occupation and property of every
man, unJ7r the control OF the government and
thus converts the citizen into he slave, the natu
raj man into governmental machine. Ii furnish
es the widest scope for The false suggestions and
false calculations of human ambition, human ava.
rice and human cunning, which in the absence of
all moral principle, introduces Injustice and ine-
quality between the different sections of the Uni
on, and amongst individuals in all its parts
The present tariff law affords the mos, cons picuous
evidences OF these facts and Consequences and, if
persevered in, must, in the opinion of the com
mitiee, eyeniuate III the most frighful consolidated
despoilsm, or IN the severance IF the Union OF
these States.
But whether the object of the tariff law be lesi,-
innate or not, ii Is certain that, under the operation
OF the very high mposts laid upon foreign goods
regal capacity Is given to the domestic manufacture
er OF The like goods, demand a premium in the
sale OF those goods TO his customers; which premi
un consists OF their money, and is over and above
the actual worth of the artices Sold Hence
every purchaser pays first for the article its full
nal ua alma "A . han Il H.
premium Tor the protection of the owner of the
manufacturing stock, or in other words, for his
encouragement 10 cause the article TO be made
and through this process, property is taken fl ON
rs owner and given to another person, without re.
reiving in exchange, full, actual value The conn
sIttee, therefore, report, their opinion that IN.
tw, generally called the tariff law, does in il,
operation, violate the rights of private property.
y taking II from It's owner and givin, it 10 another
.efson, not rendering public service.
The las, object OF enquiry is in the FOLLOWING
words " whether, under the operations of the ia
fh law, portion of the proceeds of the labor of
the inh ,bitants of this Commonwealth il no, ,.
ierred TO other parts OF the United States in vio
iaAoh oil the TWO great principles upon which IN.
Constitution of the United States is fourdal ~,
wit: generality aud equality; anil, if So to repor,
as lar as practicable, the amount OF the v,I,o -,
such proceeds, thus tansferreJ'' The conni,,oa
conceive this saGuiry TO be extremely in,erc.,ina
10 the people oil this Commonwealth; because !,
will serve to show, that whilst thew are .axed h,
-..epas.s on foreign goods TO an enormous amonn;
ior 'he pnrp2ss OF delFayns the prodisa expendi
lures OF the GENERAL Government; they ar. =, IN.
same time, taxed for the purpose of naY;na
enormous tFb1te 20 manufacturers in other parts NJ
the United Stacs. The fact is we'll known Tho,
very large amount Of domestic goods is brousb,
from other parts OF the United States TO th, CON-
monwealth, and sold 10 the inhabitants thereof for
consumption. Under the legal capacity given IN
The vendors OF these goo Is, by the enormous du,a
on imported foreign gods, the vendors are enabled
10 add to the actual value OF the article soId the
premium thus granted for lis protection: which
would not be the case, if the duties On for;
goods were reduced to a principle OF revenue aud
all the unwarrantable expenditures OF the Govs,,
meht were happily 10 be dispensed with Tbi.
premium to the manufacturer consists of the money
Oh tue co 'sner' and IS The tribute which the con-
sumner pays the manufacturer under the tariff lac,
tribute, IN the opinion of the committee az li,tl
founded In r:gh, as the British Colonial ,rbu,e do
fnanded on tea; and many Tod greater in amount
a tribute, which, in the idsment of the commit
tee, ought never to have been imposed by the Gen.
erai Government, nor to have been borne bv IN.
people OF this 'nmOnw eai;h longer than the,
could call into action consti utio lal and peaceab
means OF relieving themselves from 80 undeserveJ
and odioas buThen. Tie committee think !,
extremely G--''-.e TO ascertain tile probable
amount o. the tribute annually thus drawn from the
Inhaoliants OF This Commonwealth as a premium,
III N'her parts OF the United
SiaseS. But the comsittee, a, this late nerioI f
the session, had themselves without The meano ~
ascertaininS The probable amour. with probalIe
certainty.
In regard to the instruction TO the commi,,ee IN
report such measures for the adoption of the Cen
eral Assembly as they shall think will most efrsc
tuaily tend 10 arrest the usurpaons of the General
Government, II, upon enquiry, any should be found
10 exist your committee would observe That
IRON the advanced period Of The present session
they md themselves pfecluded from all a,ten,ts
Recommending any system of efficient measures NJ
counteracilon; out, relying upon the Justice and
intelligence OF Tie people at large, and upon the
co-opera'Ion, IN any measures which may hereafter
ue recommended Tor adoption, OF such paris of The
Ohiieu states as nave a common interest with
'Hsmia upon the subject, the committee recon-. |
menu 10 'ms General Assembly, TO enter its most |
soie'nn PIoe'' against the foregoing usurpations
of the General Government; and. therefor ',,"'
pose ior IT'S adoption the following fesolutjons |
The General Assembly of Virginia ac,us,oI
IL always has been, by the most sincere disno.;,i
for the preservation of the Union of these State
believing that the Union can only BIO p,esor,,.,i
by keeping the General and State Goyernrosn,1 |
within their respective spheres Of action az ma,ed
out by the Constitution OF the United St.tes-
being also sincerely DESTROYS that the Gene,aI C.
vernment should be protected in the full and free
exercise oil all the specified eowers granted In +, he
the Constitution Of the United States -an. heinz |
at the same time, deeply impressed with sense Of
l's own DUTY, TO preserve unimpaired all the rights
oi the People and Government of this St,,e %, |
ferred upon u by the Constitution Of the S,a,s 80
OF the United States-fnd itself re1urtanuy con !
Strained 10 enter its most solemn n,o,a., I.i, |