Wheeling compiler. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [i.e. W. Va.]) 1829-1831, 1829-07-22
an apology for the u s of .4merica.
Printed at Liverpool in a Pamphet.l

NdIldAce Will int laws aud supposed lnler
ests OF this country, our ephemeral pOlit-
zeal writers drag il. like a criminal unpro.
vided with counsel or benefit of clergy, to
the bar of public opinion, necessarily in
terested and prepared for Its condemnation;
these exparte disclaimers accuse and pro
nounce Judgment with all the security en-
joyed by the clergy, who from their pulpus
can issue their Polemlcal and political re
scripts without fear of contradictions; this
is a state Of discussion calculated to gene
rate errors, the evil consequences ofwhich
will, in the present state of the world, at
tach TO the people who cherish.
The last number Of the Edinburgh Re
view contains an article or manifesto a.
galnst the American Tariff, written in style
which seems 10 require, as II most probably
obtains, implicit credit from the people OF
this country. Nevertheless, the article in
question may appear to the American Poo
pie, as formed of inapplicable and com
mon-Pace arguments, reset with the ap-
pearanle of new but obvious truths. re-
aecting dlscredt on those who are deem
led 20 have had neither dlscernment or com
mon scuse to discover them.
America Is advised to shape her course by
those general principles originally founded
upon the basis of all nations having free
commercial intercourse, "The world be
fore them, where TO choose America
happens tOthink that such a course on her
part, metby systems of selfish expediency
on re part Of other nations, would not re-
dound to h5r advantage; that, on the con
uary the adoption Of the artificial system
of Europe is TO restore the equilibrium,
and to assure a natural relative position
with respect to her former customers.
The reviewers gallop over the course
upon inGerences drawn from premises which
do not exist; they talk of a bridge where no
bridge is to be seen; and while they ac-
knowledge and deplore the primary exam.
pie of England, they propose to meet the
second retaliatory acts of America by fur
Their aggression upon her trade, thus sane
tionlng and acknowledging the efficacy Of
those means in us which they derIde and
condemn in others; and in the spirit of Mr.
Canning, having the last blow as we'll as
the first: a style of British reasoning very
general in this country when England is
During the late war, the usual
justification offered for impressing Ameri-
can citizens from under their own flag,
and thousands Of miles without the lurIs
dction of English law, was shut we lose
our sailors" This was considered trl
umphant relutation of all arguments tend
ing to question the rights Of England to
violate national sovereignty, personal Sc
curity, and to transfer the inconveniencies
of her voluntary belIgerant situation TO
neutral people, In the present day 1t IS
considered that the interests Of our colo
nies, or any determinate interest or want
of the British Empire, IS an unanswerable
justification ofany restrictions imposed by
England upon the commerce Of other ma
tons, it never being allowed that those
nations are to have any Just lnterestto pro
vide for in a similar way, or, what is more
that they are TO sec the necessI-
ty of maintaining the moral feeling ofther
country by resisting hostile commercial
aggressions, which it Is no stretch Of i'm
agination to suppose would, by suiterance,
90 on increasing to the extinguishment of
commerce ITSELF by the rapacity of those
who stand in the most need Of It.
The Americans are told that they mis-
apply capital and labor; that agriculture
should be their sole object; that they have
no business with manufactures, &c. In
reply, il may be asked on the part Of the
American pcople-does i,appear that there
IS any deficiency in the quantity OF labor
and capital at present employed IN their
agricultural Do they not produce suifi-
Gent food for their own consumption, and
the supply Of all other markets to which
they have access1 Would not, therefore,
the accession of the people and capital at
present otherwise occupied, together with
the annual increase Of 400, 1000 souls to
agricultural pursuits, be the destruction OF
capital 81 misapplicaton of labor, instead of
their profitable employment! Congress was
aware thatan increasing surplus Of produce
would in time lower the price Of labor. and
the peasant would prefer the factory TO the
plough, when -four fell to los. per barrel,
but did not think it prudent to wait for and
undergo all the facilitating consequences
Of tho process.--If they have outstepped
the point Of necessary protection to the
gradual, healthful increase Of manufactur
ing establishments, this Is an erorin means
and not Of principle, and will soon be cor
rected: unless, indeed the tariff intended
70 manifest retalatorv power IN the Uni-