Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1831-11-15

York, In l765, drawn up report on the sub.st Of A.
nerean rights In relation 10 those very point, Of taxa
ion and Of trade in which vtry report this
distinction was suoogiy marked.
Now ruy mind |, ssems plain. thai such men mus,
OF course have intended 10 use these in III.
very sense, (nei her wider rower) which
Eileen years Of discussion had given them 10 Eaglsud
and Ameriss. They were familiar with the wel.sst
lied cisncion in principle between the power OF tax
alton for revenue, wi ich they denied to tee neither
country, nl tina, Of Lying duue. for commercial re-
gaia lon, watch they Flowed whilst they eonplan ned Of
/ oppressive use. Al ihe same time, knowing from
experience that il pree iealy difficult com. time, TO
draw the IT cise lice he duties oil regulation
du'i for revenue, they meant TO confer both powers
upon the new government Of their formation iu ,be
hroad.s la itute, and thus 10 cut all douS.This
.heS eore, they 6ssgred to DO, not by iu peson or
construction, but by words to which common had
then atIix ed the elsarest Q, nse.
They gave TO Congress the aub ori,y TO cguiae
meree TO the full extent OF ha power, then Under
stood, limi ed only by he accompany ny words, wi
foreign nations, smopg the several state and with
the Indian tribes, tIa, mig no., like some the
H.nsive British regulaion be diresy exercised uP-
on what might b, sirisiy Internal within he several
Sta'el
They gave al.o The power Of ".sying end soliciting
axes duties, and in po' 10 psY The debts aud provide
Tor the sou mi defense AMI general wei!ars Of the
United aies." N disciple OF the s,ristest h,ol
repub ;anism 70 beyond myself n opposing The
uniounded aud dangerous noop ',he p3wer OF prov-
dug Tor 'he genera, wtlfarb b&vicg been grNn-
gu as separate aud swss?ng an h1ri'y OF general ie
gha''on But these wo' de uu. have ben inter de d
Tor .ome purpcse; aud the history OF discussions
WIN u eat B;isin feems 10 20 indicate c'ealy thai
they meant lbst taxation might b. imposed not mere
W Tor rsvenu~, but 20 provide fsr The good 10
relation to the several specific pswsrs p:sial satrust
cd 20 Congros, hat OF coUmei cisl equation being
one oil them Thus, it nigh have hsen expected ihs,
mere woni be no room lett ter any Of these doubts
which had occasionally bsen II ed under The Bri i,h
Fads laws, WHISTLER any per icullr duty VS. imposed
as tax, CT mercy rel ua,ion tf trade. Yet the
sense OF these phrases, so familiar al his Tine ba, at
ready been clOudsd ~ The lapse of forty yeers. So
vain are ths pretau ions OF human wisdom
an co'emporary authority confirms the conclusion
which have drawn from historical and documentary
testimony Mr. Madison has told us, in his letter TO
Mr. Cabel, that the objects of our present tariff laws
were the objects TO which this power generally
understood to he applicable, when the words in
serted in the Constitution" Mr.. Gaaiin, one OF the
earliest and certainly Of the consistent and
able champions OF free trade in this country has stated
IN the conferences OF the free trade committee,
told, and repeatedly in conversation with myself that
such he found upon his first entrance into political life
IN i'o9 10 be the universal opinion Of the statesmen
VINO formed, and those who opposed the constitution.
In the debates OF the first Congress under il whilst the
Po'icy OF laying projecting duties warmly sup
ported by some members, all, so far as can gather
rom Inc reports, seemed 10 take the power for granted
Petitions Tor duties 10 foster manufactures present.
ed, meetings held, and societies formed for effectDg
that object, and after diligent enquiry, find no
trace oil opposition or censure from the press from
the public on constitutional grounds or any doubt any
where n,imated TO this power of Congress he pre-
amoe OF the first act imposing duties reciting that they
are iai amongst other purposes, "lor the encourage
ment oil manufacturer, has often been quoted. Mere
y as expression of the opinion of the first Congress
on ms head' II is doubtless tiled TO great weight
bu' .lfcuD'irnce which have rev r seen or head
remarked upon, stk's me wi h much greater force
mere Is no evidence Of any oppoJiion or proposed
10 his as" rion OF power. II mo-, there,
io'c' s,Gpy the expression Il tbs federal majority OF
thai Congress, who might this a, on other poin.s
DO supposed TO slalm liberal aud e'i udGGsian con-
srucl3n 81 he Constitution, bu, shows strepgly the
senera opinion o! leg'sl ture aoiemporary W. h the
adop len oil tbs instrument sef and canaiLipg bold
vlsh.n'' aud en- eloquent minority jealous Of ,te
cous .u't Us ana oPP9'ipg every exsnsion OF he
teoti'y OF sDy o: its branehss Tn opposed he Bank
OF me 1ted stes as uDconaiiu iona they tppossd
ne Prss!d-ns power Of removing his Off er5 whou
the consent Of the s nate, as rnconsi:uiionRL la
succeeding CJDg'es', tie msn opposed the earri
age tax as uncons'u'icnal.--0I Ihis preamble they
were ellen H. besides, able, tina, in the very
next year, when the hsi tariff asj OF he Ua,ted es
was repealed, ard hig her saae q dui,s subau,ed
,hls preamble was rscilt d and reianed.
The Other evidence OF co empo7aneous understanding
mas been frequently collected and urged. Ia is think
strong IN Itself bu' when coupled with the his,oriesi
proof Ct tue ior sning Of tie language OF the coz
'h'uncr' and ho'h Of them with the nierenc.s Lave
from lis words alone in heir sommon uss without 70.
ference TO poll ieal history, tho whole has cumulative
force n hich 1 sarDo, resi,l.
esrre'y cali your attention to the serious eonsids.
"a Ion OF 'bi' argument, OF he proof of whish have
p'esented you an outline. IL know my own heart,
ave tad no objec; in its Interrogation but the lows OF
run, ana me desire Of Ms Iuhi: welfare, and o.
i've or In eiest ,hat could warp my Judgement, in Is,
confessions; IL can be shown 10 be in srror sbalI
willingly and fsnkly acknowledge il on ths floor OF
Congress, or through the pfen, as publicly as have
now slated my present Of nons.
"Ths iS Irepsaii il, llnger speculative quet-
lion, even amor g those who fully agree in their vie WIS
oil The present COL mereia policy Of tho United Slaes
Ii The whsls plan OF p.0hibofy duties be whou, ron
'iiiu'ionai warrant, IL ia u'urpaon OF power 10 which
con iiderons OF policy patro iJrn may induce pslet
iui submission, bui which well admit OF envy se
tied conpromi'o wherein all might a.quiesse There
must then be long and ceaSeess gis alive war unit,
ihe system bs prct!aeda war certainly with 10 pros.
psci OF spe. dy, p rhaPs e Of u innate success 10 me
a saanis; still ike ali wars IL will be one in whish
he stronger party must aso Tr severely. The sys-
tT, asa ole, may stand uusbken but a. 1rg &c We
ry 81 OF IL IL annually attacked by the Lned and
strong minority ponessiog what man deny to
the Souih-ialeD', eOquencs, and eoursse-a ninoti.
y, wacb'ul to take advantage of syety mutation Of
party poics-na.uray di posed, k1 ali II, ires 10
league eii TO any lccsl partial interest which may
'uhr' or think u suffers, under any spes6s provision
oil the existing laws there saa be single part of al
sysss IN which will 10, be in constant denger Of over.
ibiow. III any CT JD5nuae uTnK capitalists yepcse
IN eoDhden' security, iruag 10 tao combined sre 9Th
oil the several projected IN eTesiS esgued in mutual de-
fente, and on that ground all such assaults upop
tue tariff, 'hty sgo net wise. Lat them rscOliex
he rejusion q 'he salt duties by ,he iaS, congress
In support OF d at mFost tn re were 3mbined with
the general p'licy Of ths system mary local pri
valo interests every where and an mms ne pubs one
OF the ilAis OF New York. That Congress wa5a uri6
oooy' Inc Houie Of representatives. had refused 40
son'der bill for moderate rsdusion Of du,is, TO-
wirI' the standard OF 1924 repaired by ore e III -r os
I'D o'fau business committees, who. ali sui jscs OF
hnaIcs and sSpendi ure, had the fu col Ines Of h.
house. They hal re!used 10 consider lis vary ones
ton olfedusipg she salt duiies; ard ye such H. The
effect OF perseverance, baked by public opinion thai
b fore they adjourned ,hs duty on foreign sail was
covered ons hall. Dilas isi- NAV b. IN aov in
gle obnoxious ar cle Of The lafH ob5,inaely and an
wisely adhered TO, whsi Insj1riiy OF CoTgte,s NAV
sill avow their allegiance 10 he p1ossing syssm i,ef
tcls mBy BE, all suffer alks from he donb, sioss
Our commercial ciiss h6vs learn by biz err expstjs ca