Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-09-07

lions, both by its professions, * mea.ures!i! But
without further comment, l will follow MIR. r ,
in his I'd Vol. to his chapter protecting duties,
written evidently TO promote the passage of the
Tariff bill in the ensuing year He, himself, states
the object OF this chapter in the following orJs:
Ertrae, ID Pol page ZOO
q" IL is not my inteniion to discuss the merits I
af this particular question. Whether the present
thrift ought to be raised or lowered, depends upon
particular local circumstances. which are perpetu-
ally varying; and upon vas, variety Of facts. not
within my knowledge and respecting which, I
have no means of Informing myself. -fN that ] !
purpose do, is illustrate principles
v hica this and all other questions Ike this ought
decided. When these principles shall be
blirhed, any man 10y referring to- complete sia- |
ts icai table, will be able to determine whether
tariff is too high or too low" MIR. l.. then pro
ceeds 10 give you the following powers, assem-
tally necessary for every government to possess,
before II can be warranted in passing the tariff
bill In this opinion, strictly concur with Mr..
r., and it is the only one, in which do concur
"a his two vols 40 far "a they speak of the civil
institutions OF his country. Taking these notions
in connection with the avowed appreciation of the
practical administration, deem hem too impor-
iant to be abridged and here insert them in ex
ienso.
Extract, I'd vol pages ep2 22s iaei,,i--.
elm mt ny tactics, ii is a fundamental principle,
that the army is ore AMI the general The head; no
soldier is permitted to have right or an interest,"
opposed to The general good of the army. So, in
political economy, it should be a fundamental prn-
ciplc, that the nation ore s1td The legislature
ihc head; no citizen should be permitted to have
right, or interest, opposed to the general good
of the nation. Until this comes to be admitted
and acted upon. as fundamental principle, politi
cal economy will remain in its present crude cha
6tic state, and cannot be subjected TO the rules of
science.
"It may, with much rroprieiy, be maintained,
that the power and cspact; of an army would be
augmented. by permitting every soldier IL exercise
and employ bis military skill and prowess in what
way he pleases, - that the power and capacity OF
nation will be augmented, oy permitting every
citizen employ his skill, industry and capital in
what way he pleases. The rights and duties of a
general aud his soldiers totally distinct, and
frequently oppo-i,e. The rights and duties of a
Legislature and its citizens, distinct, and
scarcely less frequently opposite. The soldier
should haze as much liberty, IS consistent
nihh the good ofthe army. IL would be oppression
TO deprive him of this The citisen sAould hare
ds much liberty as is consistent tYitt the good Of
tie nation. To deprive him OF this would be
tyranny. More than this lie ought not 10 claim.
The general as the Judge IN the case ofthe
soldier. The legislature IS the Judge an the
case Of the citizen.-S Soldiers take all the liberty
their general will give them. Citizens AXE ell the
liberty the law allows them; they were never
known 10 refrain from engaging in any profitable
trade or business, which the law allowed, because
al was detrimental to the nation. If the slave
lrade is profitable, they will engage in 1t, unless
The law forb'ds it, and often then II they
refrain at all, when there is no law against it, II
will be from other and higher motives than regard
TO the nations welfare; and il will be the same
with every other kind of tIade employment.
'' We often hear people talk about individual.
rights, in strain, that would lead one TO suppose,
that national interests, and individual rights, were
in their opinion, often variance. They seem 10
suppose, that The right OF property 10 absolute in
the individual; and that every has right TO
sell, to whom he pleases, and To buy of whom he
pIeases; and that any inter ference by The govern
nent, in restraining the exercise OF this right, is
arbitrary and tyraanical. They ,uiU tell us
government has no right to control them tn he
disposition of their property, merely t0ith a
uieto, that other citizens may derire benefit
from It.
TINS Is manifest error. Individual right to
property is never absolute, but always relative s.
conditional. There IS no such thing as perfect
absolute rght but in those tAings ,Oheh g. of
ie such as i, liberty strength talents, personal beauty
e The right 10 property, is merely
dutondt, subject 10 such regulations as may be
made respecting it, with view TO the general in
ierest OF the whole nation. No has, or can
have, perfect exclusive right to property oil an
description. Every man in The communiiy has
qualified right TO it and under certain ero,aaness
has right hving qfrt. public rfsAt 10 every
a. ths indaidta Hsce RICH. Of he p5i,e 10
tsse any mans property fro" aim, "eeUsr At becomes
stccessaryJor Tie pubic good. If this were not
so, the social compact would not be sustained,
government could not be supported.
. Ii individual RICH, to property absolute, |
government would have no right to take an indi- |
vidual's property from him, for any purpose what |
eyer. TIE pubic has right 10 deprive man oC
BIS life his liberty hi aiefs, AS strength rs srsonai beau
~ Of other g(t Of nature merely or public good
and for e plaiesf the vorl because he does NOT
dsr'9s any th1,e from te pubic Th:y the gv Of ii,
No ntn,, or bod Of MIN has Srht 10 -, ~ f zen ZEN
uafss they heUs been forfeited by some
Upon the same principle H.GtG6dhas a righf 10 |
dePrice man Of heoW and life, government has d |
yigt TO dprire him Of has property. The former IS
ate bounty Of God and he'd subject to his aoiH The
taller is lie bounty Of The Government and hsd sub
6set 20 lis wiH Bu for The social compact no mar.
soui, "'sve ercinsiDe right 10 any spot of earth
,J-Le y,.tf of p.-"9Grty rs therefore CONVENTIONAL
rir6t, and lie p,:tic g,''ts 10 htie 10 properly an
derogafion 10 lie public qgSaL a.. Individual may
have title to property, superior 10 the IKE OF
any other Individual, or to sry number or lGus.id-
oals, less than the whole, because the whole in
cludes tie title oil the individual himself as well as
lite title of every boiy else. Hence lie r1ghiO6l
me public 10 take anIaJfS property for lie purpose
of making public roads, erecting 5ortjfcaitons or
require. Hence he right TO prohibit a nun from,
sciihg his PropertytO foreigners, or to buy from
them those things he may DGHt. Tile gouern-
nsent has a clear and perfect right to make any
respecting property or trade, Which
tte public interests mag require.
"LcDery question ,fheTcfo respecting a Tariff,
ar protecting duties, must be a question of &c
pedieney and not a question Of right"
Mr.. Speaker In the foregoing quotation YOU
have. IN one compact UieW, the doctriaal notioos
upon which the General Government asserts the
power 10 pass the tariff bill--R says, q" all /
propose 10 do, is, to ascertain and illustrate the
principles upon which this (the passage Of the Ia
riff billy and all other questions like this, ought
To be settled.p-- bet me beg YOU most earnesflv