Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-11-10
E'Eae EgGrE2za2ceE2a1 YVRaigs
rlem a. Nasioaal Inl.Mg.n.sr.

No V
Whatever may 10 said with regard so tho con,ti-
tutiOnn power OF Congress 10 protect domestic
industry, lch will mol nov: be discussed il
be doubted that tho frnors of the constitutions
INTENDED TO gave the power, and dci,cged ttoy had
conferred il; that it the chef OBJECT of the
Union; that the power was expressly exercised hy
Congress, and was never doubted denied tot
thirty years; ana MAJ GRITTY Sll believe 1t con.ti-
tntional.
1t is OF less consequences in this investigation,
since, ii tho tariff * unjust, Il csnds against a
higher law evan than the constitution.
y tax may DO oppressive without being uni Just;
the case of England ,liustratssit The amount OF
duties levied by Congress may be a heavy buIthen
upon tho country; hut the amount regulated by
the necessities of tho country. If We had levied
only five miiiiens less, the public debt would still
exist, hearing AN interest OF five millions. The
capital and thc interest must have been paid.
Lei re dice il has been paid-that tho country
is relieved from burthcn Of interest eousl TO half
the expenses OF the government. 1t believed
net TO have been felt oqPrcssivcly, and
has hcCn drawn from the People than ndlspon-
sable to the wants OF the country.
1t is said tho system is uncquL. This is trdc to
certain extent of all syste!as: perfect equality
impossible. Statesmen only choose those that
are most equal III their operation upon all tho indi-
Tiduals classes, and interests oisocoty. This is
Of the great difficulties OF all governments. 1t de-
mands the most profound consideration. 1t
upOn fall view OF al tho rights OF government,
and ali the interests of society, that system OF
impost. adopted. Tie Government demands
ten or twenty millions. How rhall i, be dstribu-
ted7
Shall every man contriSuto equally according TO
the natural equality of meHi That would tie i'm
Possihlc and it is absurd yet that Isl in sense,
equality.
Shall men contribute according TO their propertv7
That may he very Umclntl, It may all pro-
porty alike, without reference TO ls profit. What
then will all The Professions capitalists, and gene.
rally the whole uHgroductivc clssas paw II This
amount is TO ne divided among the St.tes, by what
ratio? According :" the aluc of the Property, or
he "unlbcr OF Tie People in State? Ii accord
ing to p:operty-FroForiy of the value may
eve very uEcqua returns in different States, and
stsn IN tNn same State II according to People
Icy are in very unequal conditions in the several
Sates it is liable to all the objections an equal
t- cation upon ever: individual Shall slaves bs
assessed equally or uncGually, persons or pro
perty, compounded of both? Shall taxes be . n
portonco among the States according TO political
power! The i:npoat system which has bacn adopt
ed IS to certain extent unequal. All men and ali
class do not contribute il the exact ratio OF their
protection Of persons and property which they rs-
coive from the Government.
Some states thu. Il operates un lastly, from the
different Vows thoy tale Of the principles upon
which they consider The superintendent ought to
be made.
The poor my ;hni. the naccssarias lfa taxed
too .I.gh a2: That an unequal potion OF the bur
then falls or ia. class. Professional mon arc
taxed IS nigh 40 those VINO have the same income
from property tiat they have by their labor
Men o! the same fortune and income spend DIFF
Men who 1--we BY stocks and y interest OF mo-
ney contrib ute only to a certain oxtont upon the
capital and not in the proportion Of It's anognt as
upon property.
The system besides is sniI to operate favorablv
upon some States and upon parts ular interests
and untavoraLle TO other States and intorsss-but
perhaps 1t operates as equally and justly any
other system thai has been devised.
All human institutions arc imPcrcct-no human
wisdom can raG"!a'c tbs syatom with perfect
squal:ty. Wisa and patriotic men must look to
what is Practc-bo' ;!i"y will lie guided by what is
lnst-thcy VIII aPpr0.l MAZE equality. Government
itself is an cvtaxas evils; hat both arc ESSEN
tial to our con&ton. The modes of government
and the system Of taxation are various. They
admit Of nucn speculation in tho abstract but
what 10 best and what is attanabIc is only to be
ascertaIAed b. the S.ili OF the people, expressed
~ the voice Of the greater number. The minority
mag think the Government defective md vicous
In its principles the taxes unjust and EnoGual they
nay .cbel, and break down the Govornmont.-
What then! (Fj!i ,hey MAKO a hottcr7 vii it
better secure their liberty ard Hropcrty7 Will it
be more equal in its cPoraIjon2 Wi it Bear lighter
upon the people? And arc they s;lre, when hsy
have succeeded, ti-t the minority will not rise UP
again 10 destroy this work7
As TO abstract right and thcorofc equality they
are unattainab!c, and they lead ito rlst-phvsical
iScussiens that only to confound the under
ding-aUd vh-ro arc those first prin eiplcs and
those rnIincnanis 10 end' They go at oscs to the
foundations Of society, and undermine all the
power Of government.
The government is wisc one; IL has attained the
great ends Cf all political institutions. ook at
the instability and tire evils Of the monsrches o 4
Europe Look at tie establishments there--tba
wars and rcYolu'ions-thc expense and taxation
the oppression OF the pcoplc--the condition of the
poor Lco, TO the moro wretchod condition OF
Their colonies. Look to the disorder and anarchy
ef tie Republics Of this Continent
Ii we evils in country lot calmly dis.
euss them. Lot us remedy tHcm-not destroy tho
Government, dissolve The Union, or engage in
civil war
let MS sst tic ezIopio Ct good government, ola
wis and happy people. Let enjoy our peace,
liberty, oar union, property, religion,
Laws, and all The good thr = od, in his wisdom
md mercy, mas provided for 4
no. VI.
Let uz now enquire, whether this Tariff has o.
perdtcd i1lly upon t.s South: if it has, it is to
that c1tcnl uniisi. and ought TO he eqaszed
South Carolina has one twenty fourth par: q
the House Of Reprossnta,iycs-do superintendent,
therefore, Of the . % millions, which the C;e-
vcrnment has oEoctnd, is about a million unless
she contributes more thau that amount it is not IN
equal 4 a. is pot unjust, except so flr MS it cxccrds
shat sun. This question, involving The highest
considerations 10 our country, demands the most
grave and candid enquiry. The Goyernmont re-
q1'rcs - uons-,.ie quota Of 8. Carolina is u
million. sire believes, doubt, what sllo asserts
that She pays, either directly foreign articles OF
i-Irccty upon domestic productions, more than
"cr proportion. L@. U.s. examine il.
g.. = =. ga'iaG has an export Of eight millions;
be, ao,1 IL therefore ~ per cent. upon her pro-
auction. ut etarT ain estimate his expenses set
sd o. IL