The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-04-16

It's this power TO be exercised Tor tAc purposes
Of revenue alone. Yet, it is said, that such {
must be the fair meaning of the instrument. /
confess myself unable 10 see how the argument
can be sustained; but five admit the objection
TO be well founded, still, it does not follow that
that there is any want OF power to pass acts eX-
pFsssy for the purpose of favoring American
industry. The Constitution gives Congress
power % 10 regulate commerce with foreign ma
tions, and among the several States, and AMONG I
the Indian tribes What is commerce? Its
Specification is broad, embracing, and was obvi-
.ously designed hy the terms Of the grant to en- /
brace, trade and traffic by sea and l9pd. The /
power to regulate is unlimited and The means
by which it is TO be done, are left to the wisdom
Of The Government, TO regulate trade with
foreign countries, is to determine the terms and
conditions on which such trade shall be prose
cuteo and, if this be not the principal Object 1
in granting the power to regulate, 1t IS difficult
to imagine what il is. One of the most obvious
and convenient methods of regulating trade and
intercourse with foreign countries, Is by the mn
position of duties; and 1t is that which Is chlei-
y resorted to by all nations. II IS regulation
Of commerce to impose fifty cents duty on for
eign tonnage that may enter our ports and not
less regulation of commerce because only SIX
cents ton are imposed on American vessels
the effect of which may be to exclude all for
eign tonnage, and throw the whole navigating
business of the nation into the hands OF her own
citizens 1t is Il regulltlo of trade to impose
duty of three cents pound on cotton, ten
cents pound on tobacco, nine cents pound
on cheese, and twenty-five cents bushel on
wheat, and not the less a regulation of trade,
because these are all articles of export, and the
object of the duty is to protect the producer,
rather than for the purpose ofrevenue
The power sought fol before the Constitution
was adopted, was TO place trade and intercourse
on footing favorable to our own citizens
| That was the leading motive to the adoption Of
! the frame of Government. Those who assisted
/ in maturing the instruipent, took the earliest
occasion, not only to avow the right to exercise
such power, but to employ it for the public
! good and il has been claimed and used, when
( ever occasion called for it, ever since
/ Congress have employed, for the purpose Of
regulation, ether means beside the imposition
of duties. The power has been claimed in its
/ broadcast extent series Of laws were passed
I BY tins Government, by which all intercourse
with foreign countries was suspended for many
months From whence is the power derived to
do this Il is no where written in the Consti-
tuition that Congress has power to impose an
embargo. We have also many proofs
statute books, of the passage of non-lntercourse
acts, suspending trade with particular places
! We have, indeed an act now in force inhibit-
American Colonies The avowed objects of
such laws is well known Itisto place trade upon
/ a fair and reciprocal basis, so that we may have
an opportunity to participate in its benefits
/ When this is denied, this Government has uni
formly claimed and exercised the right of sus-
J pending it entirely. The power to determine
! the terms and conditions on which trade shall
be pursued, or to suspend it altogether, is deriv-
ed from the power TO regulate it. Nothing
sooner rouses the resentment of the American
/ People, than any attempt to wrest from them
their trade, by subiecting them to heavier bur
dens than are imposed upon foreigners here;
and they demand at once full measure of re-
taiiation. What, permit me to ask, would be
the effect of denying TO Congress this power of
regulation ? II wond sweep away the whole
system of policy which has built up the nation,
J ana carry US back TO tha condition we in
under tue confederation proclaim to the world
that we have no power to impose dlscrininat.
ing duties on tonnage to aid our navigators
and cur ships would be driven from FOREIGN
! ports, by such duties, and our business would
be usurped by others Every branch of indus
i try would follow in the same road to ruin for
there is as much power to protect one branch
I as another, and no more. To DENY the RIGHT TO
meet regulations of trade injurious to our in
terests, By counter regulations, is substantially
7 denying the greatest attribute of free soye-
D
protecting and defending themselves It is.
blotting out leaf of the Constitution. ard tear
ING away the foundations of our prosperity
There has been succession of legislative acts,
from the commencement of the Government.
down to this time, claiming and EXERCISING
TINS power to regulate trade in every form that
circumstances have called for, and these acts
have not only met with judicial sanction. but
have been acquiesced in by the People. and as
as far as any thing can be settled by the usare
OF the Government, this right is established.
! come now to consider another objection.
which is pressed upon US with great zeal. |
mean the allegation that protective duties are
sectional, and oppressive in their oneration. II
'Ias been repi esented, in thousand different
forms, in and out Of this House, that the duties
and charges to which imported cloths are sub
Jected, are tax upon the consumer, as he nays
50 much more than he otherwise would for his
cloth and that this is bounty 10 the nlaaufac-
turer, at the expense of the consumer. This
tax IS variously estimated by different persons.
according as they may feel greater or less de-
sire to satisfy the public that the consumer is
oppressed and overwhelmed with burdens TO
benefit the manufacturer. Those, however.
who place it highest, set it at 81 per cent This
is made up of what the law gives in duties. Of
freight, insurance interest on capital, difference
IN the value Of exchange, &c. | shall not stop /
to inquire whether the sum was fairly made up |
or not but will proceed to consider, east, that
portion which consists Of freight and other
charges, and, secondly, the duties imposed bv
intr' II 10 absurd Ia aaneider fre ght, ange
insurance, interest, on capital, or any such
charges, as tax upon the consumer, for the
benefit Of the manufacturer. If every spindle
and shuttle in the United States should cease
to move to-day, and if goods (as many desire
they should beg were all hereafter to be BROUGHT
from England, freight would not be any CHEAP.
or insurance would not be less, because the
expense Of transportation and the risk of The |
seas would not be diminished the premium on
exchange would not be lessened, because i'm.
portations would increase the interest on can
iial would not, for the same reason be reduced