Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-13


Continuously our venerable Contemporary is
perceive again III an ecstacy, shouting at the tri.
unPhant success and celebrating tho immortal la.
bors of the FREQ Trade and Anti-Tarif' Conven-
ton: Happy man, who can so easily be pleased
Thrice happy they, who may enjoy an rnmortality
so cheaplv earned
The address of that Convention to the people ol
the United States, he pronounccs ga mastery ref
utatlon OF every argument pretence of an arru.
ment, hitherto advanced by the Tariffitcs."
How differently the same thing may appear TO
different men! Now, have heard the opinion ad
yanccd, by men of at least able and discrimina.
ting minds, as your Cocmporary-and for my life
l cannot help concurring in it-that the said ad.
dress is total failure, In respect of every material
position assumed by its authors. 1t is by them,
considered a mere rciteration of sophistcal, com
mon-pace arguments, and threadbare cant, where
IN, not single new view of the subject is prcscn-
ted, nor any old argument brought forward in a
new light. In fine, it is thought to he so destitute
Of originality, TO contain but single suggestion
having any semblance of novelty.
The first ground assumed against the Tariff is,
the discontcnte and opposition which it is alleged
to have excited among the people; and these. we
are told great and formidable, that the Fee
ling thus Produced 'cannot he defcd. md NAV not
be disregardcd without putting to hazard the sa Ce-
ty OF the conicderacy." And the authors of the
address, appeal to the eonvocating of the Assem-.
ply they represent, illustration Of the dan
ger that is to he apprehendcd, should the Govern
mcnt adhere to the rcprobated policy.
This language, it must be confessed, is quite ON
nous and the demonstration too, might be very
S!uriuIng, were TO attach all the consequence TO
that body, which they have assumed 70 themselves.
H9t when its constitution is regarded and we re-
Hc'i how small portion of the citizens Of tho
l dsicd States represented in that Convention,
the Subject becomes divcated Of many Of It's ter
rore.
If The truth wcrc known, confidently believe il
would appear that in the States most disoiicctcd TO
The Tariff, only an inconsderahlc minority Of the
people united in choosing delegates to the Free
Trade Convention.
Virginia, for example, had Il large delegation, NJ
mistake not, upwards Of htiy,) but how, and by
whom, were they choscn7 An investigation of the
subject would exhibit results truly ludicrous.
Moreover, by recurring to the history of ,hc dis
Giants and opposition 10 the tariff IL W.T. hc found
tliat they did not originally cmanalc from The poo
pie; but on 'hc contrary TINT they wore CTctcd hy
ictiOus politicians, who not content with their
Crtions in Congress, when tbcir arguments were
fairly met aud confutcd, have Tcsortrd TO every
means publicly and privately ia stir up nd iujanC
fhc minds of the people by fourth July orations.
dinner speeches, pamphlets, handhiie and every
species o. misrepresentation and false statements
that cou}5 bc Invented and uttered through tic NC
diuB OF Tho newspapers. And notwithstanding
al! their efforts largo majority Of the people OF
the United States, has constantly been found "a
vora5lc 20, and disposed TO ,naint "a the tariff polI
cncy, drawn from the opposition Of a minority
thus created and brought into action, does not ap
pear TO be very conclusive.
Scarcely more succcssful is the attempt Tnadc
by the authors OF the address, 20 explain away the