Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-11-10

tory duties be without constitutional warrant n is
Ssurpa'ion OF power TO which considerations of
Pohcy or OF patriotism may induce peaceful sub
MISSION, but which cannot well admit OF nm . sol, lad
compromise wherein all raight acouie.ce s J'horo
mus, then be long and ceaseless lie 90 ,vcr
untit the system be prostratcd-a war ccrt,;,,lr
WIN no prospect OF speedy perhaps little Of ulti
mate SUCCESS 10 the uSsailants still like n n ,,,rs
VIII be one IN which the stro ger party nt,st
suiier severely. The system, as a whole. ma Z a,,d
uhsnaken; but as long every point of it iasa,,
iuaiiy i''acAeu by p united and strong, minority
possessing what man eau DENY 10 tho So,,i,,
-talcnt, eioquence and. conrage-a min or;,,.-
watchiul TO take advantage of. every mutation oS
party politics naturally disposed, like all 1ninori
VS. 70 easue i'seif to any local partial inter
est winch may suffer, think it suffers under any,
specific provision of the existing laws ,,re .,,,s
DC no single part OF that system which will not
III constant uahgcr oil overthrow. If any of our
hlahuiactuf'hg capitalists reposc in confident secu-
rity, trusting to the combined strength OF the sew
erai protected interests leagued in mutual defence
and on that ground scorn. all such assaults auno,i
the tariff they are not wise. Let them rccollect
sne Ied9c'ion OF The suit duties by the last Con-
gress. nsupport of the impost there were com
bined the general policy of the system local
private interests every whore, and an Immense pab
Tic one oi.tho state of New York. That con Q ress
was ,ariil nooy. Inc House of Representatives had
refused to consider a bill for moderate reductiou
oil duties towards the standard of 1924 rcported
by one OF their most important business comm. y
tees, VINO, on all subjects o. Finance and expend,
t"iS' inc Iull confidence OF the house hey
haa refused to consider this very question of redu
eng the salt duties; and yet, such is tn
perseverance, backed by public opinion that before
tney adjourned the duty foreign salt was lowered
one half a smilur fate may befal any single
obnoxious article of the tariff, obs,inateIv and
unwiseiy adhered to, whilst majority of congress-
may still avow their allegiance to the protecting
system itself As long us it is doubtful what that
single obnoxious article may be- all suffer like from,
the doubt alone. Our comnercn cities ha We loarpt
by bitter experience how fatal to all regular and
profitable business is the uncertainty of egslation:
ana what wide. spread ruin may be caused by the
constant agitation OF any question ofreduclion of
duties, even when they bear on single and insula
ted branch of trade. Of this our own ea-tradei
affords a recent and signal instance The 20
Sernnent lost million of revenue; several great
commercial fortunes We're wholly wrecked and
others seriously impaired; our nonied institutions
were deeply injured; the profits of hundreds of re
tailers and small dealers were cut off aud their
credit shaken, whilst very many seamen, ship
builders and mechanics were thrown out of employ,
ana all tins was causedby six years delay in pass
ing bill introduced congress after congress- for
the reduction of the duties the single article of
teas. How portentous an evil then must be that
insecurity which can extend itself over every single
point OF vast system, affecting directly indirect
ly the whole capital; and land, and labor of the
country. 1t must render every investment of cap
ital whether In the plantations of the south, or
the commerce and manufactures of the north,
comparatively insecure; aud it exposes the seaman,
The operative manufacturer, the mechanics, 81 even
a.
the common laborer, to those sudden vicissitudes
and suspensions of employment which have gra-
dual!y crushed down the working classes of Europe
into hopeless misery.
In addition to these general evils and equal
TO any of them in magnitude, is that exaccr-
baton of feeling which must be kept UP in S. Ca
iollna by protracted controversy, and may spread
INTO contiguous States. Thus new power will be
given 10 those who look to notification or separa
tion, as their only remedy, and greater dangers
Will menace the Union.
but as yet have too much faith in the des-,
times of my scountry-I have as vet too. rnucb
trust in the good and integrity of the repre-
sentatives OF the people and those Of the States
to believe in such n result Much lam sure, very.
much may be done for the public good and the pub.
Tic peace, and for the private wclfare of every citi
zen, If there can be found in the next CONGRESS
sufhcent body of those who thinking that the con-
stituton has vested in their hands the whole con-
troll OF regulating commerce i'll all its bearings up
on other interests, will calmly and firmly assert
and MAINTAIN tie supremacy of their. own consti-
tutIonal legislation but, who still, whether from
general disapprobation of the principle of the re-
strlctIve system, from the immediate observation
OF the evil and unequal effects of the existing tariff
laws upon their constituents, are convinced
That the whole code should be Moderated, adjust
ed and reduced 1t is necessary too, that they
should approach this notification and adjustment
IN the spirit of liberation and peace and adopting
the advice of Oh. great teacher of the philosophy
OF common sense, Benjamin franklin in his
speech upon the final vote in our great federatve
convention, she willing to doubt little of their
ownlnfaibility." Evidence must be collected and
c"llatcd and the late conventions both sides of
lhe question, will furnish much materials each
Slde 10 our hands-opinions must be compared
private and vested interests regarded and even pre-
JUDGES respected. Situated things are we must
not seek to square the details of our revenue and
commercial system by the precise rules of any the
DRY OF political economy, clear It's abstract truth
may appear to These must be adjusted by look
ing 10 what is practical in the actual of pub
lie opinion, and of the wishes feelings, and per
sonal interests of various large classes of the com
munity-to what is just. alike in regard to the
large interests vested under the existing laws, and
to those which have anetiished suffered under
their opcration-and more especially to what is
prudent and erpedieut towards establishing a per-
inanent plan of impost under which the capital and
enterprise of the nation may be enabled to give
secure and uninterrupted direction TO their hourly
augmentng energies. Wherever there is a grie-
vous and pressing burden, doubt not that it can
be relieved; and above all, trust that pledge
Will be given, if not in FORM at least substantially,
that Congress will cease from incessant Legislative
interference whenever accidental over-prodrfc-
ton or instruction of capital may cmbody 4 party
to demand that the price of their commodities on
hand should be raised by the aid of prohibtory law
an aid surely destined again to tempt ovcr-pro.
duction and wild investments Of capital, and 10 be
turers, and renewed clamors for additional protec-
ton.
In attaining this great and Useful end no man
can be more oonsPcuously Efficient than YOURSELF
adding you do TO tacnt information and expe-
riencc the high moral power of nobly earned
public confidence.
And let me add-that as 10 myself If in tho