Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1829-01-03

bSsvp " uiotut2Iu oiotihSttou ~ YtoSsS0D ~
the ingredient Of revenue was occasionally svsrs
looked ar disrcgafded in The British regulatiopss
as in The duty on sugar and molssses imported
into. the Colonies. And il was fortunate that
The attempt at an internal and direct tax. in the
case Of tho Stamp Act, produced q radical sx-
animation OF the subject before q regulation Of
trade with a view TO revenue had grown into an
established authority. One thing at least V cers'
tain, that tho main and admitted object OF The
Parliamentary regulations Of trade with the
Colonies, was the encouragement Of mopufas-
lures in Great Britain.
Blu, tho present question is unconnected with.
the former relations between Great Britain and
her colonies, which were ola peculiar, q com.
plicaied, and, in several respects, Of an unde-
fined character. II isl simple question under
the Constitution ofthe United States, whether
" the power to regulate trade with foreign ma
tons as a distinct and substantive item in the
enumerated powers embraces the object Of en-
cournging by duties, restrictions and prohibits
ions. tho manufa ctures and products Of the
country! And the affirmative must be inferred
from the following consideration.
!. The meaning OF rhe phrase "to regulate
trade. " must be sought in the general use oft if
other words. in the objects 10 which the power
was generally understood to be applicable
when the phrase was inserted in the Constito-
ton. :.
2. Tho power has been understood and used
by all commercial and manufa cturing nations. q,
embracing The object Of encouraging manufac-
lures. II is believed that not a single exception
can be named.
3. This has been particularly the case with
Great Britain, whose commercial vocabulary 10
the paren: Of ours. A primary object Of her
commercial regulat ions is we'll known to have
been the protection and encouragement Of her
manufactures.
A. Such was understood TO be q proper use Of
the power by the States most prepared for
manufacturing industry, whilst retaining tho
power over their foreign trade.
5.-Such a use Of The power, by Congress. ac.
! cords with the intention and expectation Of the
States, IN transferring the power over trade
from themselves TO the Government o! the
U. States. This was emphatically the case in
the Eastern, the more manufacturing members
Of the Confederacy. Hear the language held in
the Convention OF Massachusetts
| BY Mr.. Bawes, an advocate for the Consti-
tuition, ii " conserved, &c Our manufactures are
another great subject which has received ne
encouragement by national duties on foreisn
manufactures. and they never can by any au-
thoriiy in the old Confederation" Again, III
we wish to encourage our otOn Manufacturer.
to preserve our own commerce.. 10 raise the
value Of our own lands, W. must give Congress
the powers in question:"
BY Mr.. Widgery, an opponent: "All we hear
is, that the merchant and farmer will flourish, and
that the mechanic and tradesman are to make
their fortunes directly. fthe Constitution goes
down."
The Convention of Massachusetts was the
only one in New England whose debates have
been preserved. But it cannot be doubted that
the sentiment there expressed was common to
the other States in that quarter, more especial
y to Connecticut and Rhode Island, The most
thickly peopled Of all the States. and having, Of
course, their thoughts most turned to the sub.
ject Of manufactures. A like inference may be
confidently applied to New Jersey, whose de-
bates in Convention have not been preserved.
In the p~o2ulous and. manufacturing State Of
Pennsylvania, a partial account only Of the de-
bates having been published, nothing certain 10
known of what passed in her Convention on this
point. But ample evidence may te found else-
where, that regulations Of trade. for the encour-
I agemeDl OF manufactures, were considered a.
within the power to be granted 10 the new Com
gress. as well a. within the scope Of the nation
a. policy. or the States South Of Pennsylvania,
the only two in whose Conventions the debates
have been preserved are Virginia and North
Carolina, and from these no adverse differences
can be drawn. Nor is there the slightest
indication that either Of the two States far
thest South, whose debates in Convention, il
] R'SSS ~ law hOh OOSh buo0 OoOAtSe wv
the encouragement Of manufactures. as not
within the general power over trade 10 be trans
ferred to the Government Of the United States.
5. lfCongrcss have not the power, It IL an
initiated for the nation; a policy without exam.
pie in any other nation, and not within the
reason Of lie solitary one in our own. The ex-
ample alluded to, is the prohibition Of q tax on
exports, which resulted from the apparent i'm
possibility ofraising, in that mode, a revenue
from the States, proportioned 10 the ability ID
pay 1.-THE ability Of some being derived. in .
greet measure, not from their exports, but from
their fisheries, from their freigh,s, and from
commerce a. large, in some OF it's branches al.
together external 10 the United States; tho
profits from all which, being invisible and in
tangible, would escape q tax; on exports on tho
other hand, being a tax on consumption, which
is in proportion to the ability ofthe consumer,
whencesoever derived, was free from that in
equality.
| Z. Ii revenue be the sole object of q legifi.
mate impost, and the encouragement Of domes-
tic articles be not within the power Of rcgulat.
Ing trade, it would follow that no monopolising
or unequal regulations Of foreign nations could
be counieracted; that neither the staple articles
OF subsistence. nor the essential Implements for
the public safety, could, under eny circum-
stances, be insured or fostered at home, by regu-
latIons Of commerce, the usual and most con-
venient mode Of providing for both; and that tho
American navigation, though tho source ofnaval
defence, Of a cheapening competition in carry.
ing our valuable and bulky articles to marketr
and Of an independent carriage Of them during
foreign wars, when u foreign navigation might
be Withdrawn, must DO at once abandoned, or
speedily destroyed; il being evident that q ton.
mage duty IN foreign ports against our vessels.
and an exemption from such a duty in our portsr
in favor oC tnraiun veesels must have tina In.