Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-01-09


political opinions ofthe great Alexander Hamilton;
out our respect Tor his many virtues and services and
admiration of his surprising intellect, dispose us
checriuI5 To contribute small favor as niche in
our columns. TO attempt to do Justice to his me-
mory.
Fon T'E RfcuuoND VINO.
II must be source ofrosret to every sincere admi
rer vi the gonGs ana political integrity OF Alexander
asilton' to see attempts made to convict him of in
consistency on tho question of the policy OF protecting
uo'n,s'ic manufactures Ii there has ever been in
the u. Statns politician, whose opinions and prnci
pies were the result of firm and enlightened udr-
ment and exempted from the undue influence of times,
OF parties and of other circumstances which usual
~ throw deeper shade upon, draw into holder re-
lief as the occasion requires the tenets of the vaca-
ting slaves OF popularity that man and that politician
was Ae~dndor Hamilton. | f3arossly defy his poll
tca odNersarles TO point out single instance i'm the
whole history at his life, (thc greater part of which
was passed 10 tho active duties OF high political trus
OF deviation from the principles Of government
ana OF policy which he had once deliberately avowed.
sac instance To which aluson is here made is tho
quotation from the Fedcralst very recently made in
the Enquirer. IL Is true. Mr. Hamilton is not there
expressly charged with inconsistency b,t that QUO
tatIon be viewed IN the unjust rht in which the obi
Tor would have the public TO view it the ei1c; Will
inevitably be to prove an Inconsistency and rross
one upon the iustrous character from whose writings
that quotation taken. The doctrines OF Alexan-
der Hamittons report the subject of manufacturers
.
the subject. Ii IL clear, decided and uncQuivocal
HAS the author elsewhere conradcted the able ar,u
ments and the enlightened opinions which are there
IN uniolded. with the most surprising elouuence and
iorce! es. says the quotation in the Enquirer i.
matters not that the Federsst was written six years
before the report manufactures it matters not Tint
the fcdcrast only chances at the subject on manu-
iactures incidentally, and without the sliohtc,t ref
ence TO the subject OF encouraging inf.nt n,snufac
lures, and without the slightest reference 20 the
tion now Tar 1t may be necessary to conntervau the
commercial restrictions oi other nations by similar re-
strctlons on our part, for the sake Of preserving
Just footing Of equality trade and foreign inter
course; these are considerations of no moment since
Mr. Hamilton has said il the thirty fourth rber Of
inc federallst, that a erfreneS pencious IN va
rlous ways. EXorbitant duties on imported articles
serve to bcgct general spirit of smuggling; which is
always preudicia to the fair trader nd cvent,s %
the revenue itself. They tend to render other cas
ses of the community tributary, improper degree
10 the manufacturing classes, 10 whom they Give "A
premature monopoly OF the market. They sonr-fims,
orce industry out of ts natural channels into
others, IN which it Cows with Ices advantage Vic
tory IN argument casts srlendour the understand
ING, which achieves It, when won by dlnt of reason
and the power OF illustration. But how r6iculous s
ne attempt TO gain triumph By stratarerl. when
the stratagem detected and the deviser oft exposed
And what 10 the tribute due 10 the UNDERSTANDING
whose predicsment s that last described?
In order TO arrive ~ the real neaninr Mr. Usu;
ton IN the passage quoted above well az in The othc,
passages quoted from the Federalist b, the Encui-
SuNInct @ -,
those numbers of the Federast fron, whi,a the ono
taiions are taken. BY reference to them. We shall
md that Dir. Hamilton is investigating the ,ropr.tv
OF the ersent Of the power Of taxation conferred hy
tne constitution 90 ne government of:he r.. States.
In the particular numbers from which the quotation,
are drawn he is mainly ifnot entirely taken tn in com,
batIng the idea which had been much urged arsinst
the new constitution that the power ofdreC taxation
gwen tot was unnecessary, that the exclusive rcnt 10
lay duties on imports sufficient resource for cva-
ry cxigence ofthc general government & that By yes
ting 1t likewise with concurrent power Of direct ,ax
anon, the means ofrevenue left to the states cr TOO
ior as well as unnecessarily narrowed. To r,~-a-
bate and to confound this imperfect notion of III :,
tual and contingent wants Of government of tin r.
MON, Mr.. Hamilton proceeds to show very satiar D.
rly that the cxigencios Of such govs rnment d. not
IN the nature things admit of any precise calculation
ana that therefore it woud be the hcirht of folly In
put any limitation on it's means of revenue thot
snort OF the utmost resources of the country In the
particular passages which have been nbofiourlv hut
aWkwardly ard rudrly hewed from he solid fabric u
his argument 90 shew hIs hostility protecting de
venture to affirm TINT Mr.. Hamilton never drean,t
that any such Inference could be tortured ont Of tbo,
why dia never apprchenI or surnise fuch an in
lerence For tins excellent that he was roi
Us ne supposed IN the rcnO!es degree touchirr tho
question at the policy Of the means of cnco,rn,-,n
domestic manufacture; but a question whoUv vce
totally and essentially distinct 1t is true he mention
ed the effect which the confinement OF the rcncral
government TO duties on imports, for lis revenue
would have Mt particular conuncturcs on tho rnanuc
tureTs and the other classes Of tn. commnnyofthrt
effect his penetrating mind took Just ami uncxcop.
tona0e view, and be expressed himself with clear
ness that hod never till lately supposed il possible
misunderstsnd. The argument Of Mr.. Hamilton il
not 20 fully developed it might have been had In,
author confined himself this single TOPIC Rrt ho
had before him subject whose cornprrhnnsvcnes,
equaled It's importance, md it impossible Cor hin
70 expand every argument into its fullest development
The idea OF Mr. Hamilton in the quoted passares is
however obviously this: IF the general Government
s confined to duties imports for its revenue it will
under probable con]incturcs Of war ard an cmbar.
rassmen Of the finances be forced - carry dutoe or
imports to an extreme height, and this extremity o
imports IN which NIL the economical interests of The
community will and under such circumstances must
be dsregnrded will be pcrncious in varioua ways
WI bogct general spirit Of smuggling will be pre-
Judicial to the fair trader, and eUeni0Iy to Tho rove
nue. itself, will force industry from lis natural chan
ne5, finally viii render the other cassos IN an improp
crdegree tributary TO the manufacturing classes
Mr. Hamilton Ia here arguing against putting The &C.
neral government in n situation which would com
- arfic cri-o (,,I,e H.. .