Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1831-11-24
WHOLE NO. SO


term familiar to their apprehension and
! impressed upon their understandings, By
The strongest comments that the history
of oppression could furnish The war OF
! the revolution, that had just closed,
! sprang out of the conflicts in which this
subject had been presented in the count
less forms which an engrOssing topic of
complaint may be supposed to assume in
the disc ussions of an excited and rebel
ling people. The same subject had been
canvassed in the British Parliament un
til argument and defamation we're ex-
hausted. The mother country had reg
ulatcd the commerce Of the colonies,
through a series of odious and unfeeling
restric ,ons, for more than a century, un-
til the phrase had acquired the notOriety
of Il hateful grievance. She had ietter-
ed their trade by cruel prohibitions, and
controlled their labor by systems Of deni-
al that reduced them to the lowest state
of suffering; yet It Is remarkable, that,
deeming this oppressive policy lawful
exercise of the prerOgative Of regulating
commerce, the colonists submitted to
these evils with signation that indica-
ted their sense OF the duty of obedience
to an acknowledged though misused pow
er. All manufactures calculated to bring
wealth into the country, were strictly for
biddcn; the erection of forges, for exam
pie, was denounced as nuisance, and
these establishments were liable to be a
ba;ed by that name; it was declared un-
lawful to export the simplest fabrics, even
of shoes or hats, from one province to a
mother. Still the people did not deny
the legality Of these attempts to regulate
commerce But when the right was as
snmed to collect revenue in the colonies
for the benefit of the mother country, the
first asse ertion of such principle was met
by open rebellion The distinction was
papable enough, to every man, between
these two pretensions Of authority. 1t ID
worthy of remark, that Lord Chatham,
in 1866, in the British House Of Com
mons, distinctly defined the two branches
Of power in terms that literally apply to
the subject We have been discussing, and
which show how clearly they were bro't.
to the notice Of the country; there is a
plain diStinction,' in his language, "be-
tween taxes levied Tor the purpose Of
raising revenue and duties imposed for
the regulation Of trade, for the accommo-
dation OF the subject; although in the con-
sequences, some revenue might 'ncidental-
ly arise from the latter" Indeed, the
whole tenor Of the public discussion on
those subjects, so rife at that period
throughout England and America, fur
nishes the most conclusive evidence that
hnd IN nj
incorporated into our constitution, and
that its scope was to include the idea OF
levying duties in such Il form as to en-
courage and protect, or, Mt least, to con-
trol and direct the growth Of domestic in-
dustry.
/ The complaints against the articles OF
confederation, for which the constitution
was substituted, embraced, amongst 9TH
er things an objection to the forms 6y
which tho Legislation in reference to tho
regulation of commerce was impeded, q
it was prominent design of the new con-
s.itution to remedy this defect. The
right to lay even prohbitory duties was
freely admitted in the disc ussion upon the
constitutions; and we may safely affirm
that the whole nation, at that day, regard
cd such power as one of the necessary
conc lusinus from the grant that had been
J made. The subsequent action of the
xoy ernment corroborates this idea. Inc
iinst approaches Of the people to their
new rulers were made in behalf OF the
exercise Of a protecting power IN favor OK
their Industry. They spoke OF the inJu'
ry they had sustained under the former
r h., IL
tion to win ch the policy of the mother
country had exposed them; and demand.
ed the estab, ,ishmcnt Of system OF
measures that 81. ,uld accomplish their fa-
y,ri,e purpose of ere eating a vigorous do
nestic Manufacture. The unrestrained d
admission of British goods had reduced
our manufacturers ant, aTtizans to abso-
lutte want; the free entry Of British ship
ping had expelled our vessels IRON tne
ocean. From Charleston to Boston this
condition OF things was the subject OF one
loud and continued remonstrance; ano
! the remedy for it was prominent ooJee,
in the establishment Of a new genera
government. The shipbuilders and the
shipowners complained that foreign bot
toms brought TO the country all that was
imported, to their ruin; and tliS,y besough
their fellow citizens to join them IN meas
|, ures Of protection. The manufacturer :
mechanics declared that it was of hf't,s
importance TO them in what bottoms an,
5 cles were imported, ,since this unrestr'c'es
{ importation, in whatever bottoms, threat
D ened TO reduce them to starva''oh. DON
: had applied to their own state govern govern,
ments for redress, but these governments
e., ,,,.n, orconcert. could give no effec'