The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-07-03
SPEECH or MR.. JAN AT PIE
UNION MEETING IN INV YORK.

- -
From the .Nese York. Comnsasl .qdDsr.iser.
Mr.. JAY rose TO address the meet
ing, aud spoke, in substance, as fol-
lows,
The object of this meeting is sufli-
oien,ly sxplaincd in the ISIice by which
we have been convened
We have not met ~ promote tie
views of any political ps.,y or Of any
candidate for office, az ~ interest of
tany particular porpon ol our counsry,
but simply and purely TO express our
opinion on the Importance ofthat Union
which protects all parties and all inter
ests.
have been requested 60 propose
some resolutions on this subject aud
viii, ifyou permit me, make sumo pre-
llninaiy observations.
Such Of you as are as old as I am,
mast remember, and all must be well
informed, of the history of our country
subsequent to the Revolution. And you
must recullect various occasions when
our republic has been agitaied, and our
Union endangered. On all these oc-
casions, the sound sense and good tom
per of our countrymen, hove been tie
means, under providence, of aycrting
the danger.
When the revolutionary war had
been terminated by glorious peace,
laEguor succeeded as usual To violent
exer,ion. The States became unable,
or unwilling, to comply with the requi-
sitIons Of Congress. The public debts
were unpaid the public engagements
were not periormed--ther was no pow
er TO foster or protect commerce. Man
uiacturos did not exist In the gloomy
situation of affairs, the coniederacy was
on the point of being dissolved. The
States were falling apart without any
external violence, like the slaves of a
cask, the hoops OF which were decaycd.
1t was then that the wisdom and pa
triotism OF the trainers of our constitu-
iion saved us by that instrument. No
sooner had our Union been made moro
intimate, aud as it has been thought in-
dissoluble, than credit revived, COM
mercn began toSwhiten the sea with
TStiis. Tie nusDnndInsu lOilvwed hts
plough with alaeriiy, because he WINS
sure that his labor would DEE rewarded.
We became prosperous mt home, and
respectable abroad But how was
these blessings obtaired Upon what
principles and by what means did the
authors of our constitu ion provide for
and reconcile the various and some
times opposite interests Of the different
sections of our widely extended country {?
They have themselves answered these
questions, and told us that it was by
the spirit of amity, and by natural de-
ferance and concession. And this is
the spirit, and these are the means, by
which all great and agitatlng questions,
affecting various!y different parts of the
nation, should always be settled, and by
which alone they can be satisfactorily
and safely adjusted.
Mr.. Jay then alluded to the discon-
tents which had been occasioned by the
embargo laws aud non.iGtercourse nets,
and by the measures of Government in
relation to the State militia during the
last war, an to the dangers to which
these discontents had exposed the I'M
ion. From all these we had been de-
liyered by the good sense and patriotism
of the people.
At present, (he coutinued) we arc
ngitated on the subject of the Tariff.
Congress have imposed heavy duties on
certain foreign commodities, with "a view
to encourage domestic manufactures.
The immediate consequence is, to en-
hance the the price of all commodities
of the same description.
The States in which manufactures
are established, consider this system as
advantageous To them. But the Sou
thcrn States, which have no manufac-
turos, and from the nature of tbeir popu-'
lation can have none, complain OF 1t ns
unequal and oppressive. They assert,
that 1t imposes upon them burden,
from which they derive no benefit. That
il compels them TO pay taxi the Eas-
tern manufacturer. They denounce II
as unconstitutional unjust and unwise.
repeat, without adopting these asser-
tions, believe that the Tarif'lnw is con-
stitutional; that Congress have, and
ought to have, power TO impose taxes,
with view to promote all the cardinal
interests Of the nation. Whether this
power has been wisely exercised, is n
question not to DO discussed. shall as-
sumo. on this occasion, that the wisdom
ofu law must often depend upon existing
circumstances. When the countryis in
danger, it may be wise to levy troops and
impose taxes and when the danger is
past, TO dismiss the troops and discon-
tinue the taxes. To argue, therefore, that
it Is now prudent TO modify the Tariff, is
no impeachment ofihe wisdom Of those
who passed it, nor of those who have