Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-01-27

price OF raw materials, manufactured articles,
provisions, and lands, arises from cause
''deeper and more psryadlng than the tarift
of the United States" lie supposes sit uisy,
in a measure, be attributable 10 the Increased
oaiue 0fihe precious metals"
The Committee are unable 10 say, how far
this remark may apply 70 oiter countries. As
applied to this country II is clearly erroneous.
Appreciation in any commodity, gold, silver,
corn, or lumber, depends, 10 great degree,
on abundance or scarcity IfcUrrcncy, wbeih
er composed Of silver, gold, or bank notes, IS
plenty, the nominal price u all articles re
guired fSr general consumption VIII rise, be-
cause the owners Of currency must use Il for
profit. The greater the plenty, the more 1t
viii be used la such case, less profit viii sa
tsfy. This cause enhances the price oi eve
nv Thug that currency purchases, for II must
and viii be employed The precious metals
are the base OF our national currency. Our
commercial emPoriulss are filed with them.
Exchange On foreign nations was never lower;
and if il seenls TO be against u, II IS only be-
cause we have, By Ia,o, established relative
value between silver and gold, which the rest
OF the world will not adopt,
Itcannot thercf~ be supposed that the
''reduced price" vi domestic productions IS
caused by the increased value" Of the pre-
cious metals 1t is TO be attributed to domes-
tic competition, aud 10 an addition to the
great supply of the world; and that the adj
vance Of tas price Of cotton, and the steady
support OF "other agricultural products" is
owing 10 the diversified employments en-
courged by the protecting system Had the
precious metals "increaseS IN ralue," the
benefits of the Tariff would have been far
more conspicuous. Prices woald have been
lower still. The tendency Of such opinions
of the President rs TO tbs cause OF the low
prices of domestic manufactures, IL to excite
prejudice against the protecting SYSTEM to
render it. in the estimation Of our fellow ci-
tIzens, an object of little importance. The
error of such opinions the Committee conSd
er It their d1ty to expose.
The President has Informed aE, that "thc
best, as well as the f4irest mode Of deternain
ing whether, from any just considerations, a
particularinteres. ought to receive protection,
would he to submit the question singIy for
consideration If, after due examination Of
its merits, unconnected with extrancous con
sdcrations-sish ds q desire to sustain ge-
neral system. or to pu'chass support for dy-
Jeyent aiteTest-it should enlist in its favor a
ma orlty Of The representatives oil the people,
there can be but little danger Of wrong or in
jury in adjusting tho Tariff with reference
TO its protective effect" The Committee
pass over the caution against "aXtraneous
considerations" That will bc duly apprc-
ciated by tho representatives. Of the PEG
ple. The suggestions of the President winch
relate to the maaflcr in which protecting
Tariff should be formed, the Committee be-
iievc cannot DO adopted. II such views had
prevailed since the adoption of the Consttu-
ton, no Tariff for the protection of Domes
tle Industry would have existed Ii they
nov prevail, in all the branches of the Go
yernment. the Tariff has no escape from TO-
tai destruction.
The trainers of our Constitution were e.
qualy distinguished for profound intelligence
and the purest patriotism la their great de
sign TO provide Government Tor this Repub.
he, which should promote and secure the va
rlous interests OF every portion, did they a.
dept sIHele provision, but with open and
avowcd desire to make general system?
Did not every State present in bold relief
Its separate claims and interests? Was not
each separate and distinct claim and interest
presented by tho different members Of the
Convention, and well considered by the
wholeP 1t was by uniting interests. great &
small, scattered far and wide, that our system
OF Governmentwas adopted. Had ga partc-
ular interest been submitted "singly," from
some portion of the country, and that, alone
must have been regarded, the Convention
must have dissolved without giving it a glance
OF notice. But the members of that angus
assembly did make mutual concessions and
compromises, in order to establish a genera
system.
The President has advised Congress. thai
the power Of protecting domestic industry
by the aid Of duties on imports, belongs to the
General Government. This, all know, is Sc
cured by Constitution, founded on liberal
concession and compromise. The Commit
tee believe that the protecting power may be
exercised, without exposure to impeachment
Tor motives. on the same principles as govern
Ell the Convention which framed and recon
mended our Constitution, and the people whC
ratified 1t. The application Of this protecting
power must be made by the representative,
oil the people. There is no other way b,
winch 1t can be exercised. Then, how car
this be done? How can it be brought down
home, to business and bosom? II black
smith asks the Government Of the Union &c
protect the manufacture of an axe, must this
question be submitted ''singly" for delihera
tlon' Must separate bin be introduced
and vote OF Congress taken? Shall abstrac
theory place the seal Of silence on the lips O
The blacksmith, and forbid him to say tina
ne wishes the forge. the loom, the suga
plantation, also, TO he protected? The con
sequences arc too plain for extensive com
Tentary. The great interests Of the nation
hst