Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-03-05

or profits were made. have heard or
your successor in tho House Of Representatives
Mr. President, this anecdote; that he joined in the
adoption OF those resolutions, but when, about Y
Christmas he applied TO one Of his South C,rol;n, 7
ncghbos to purchase tho regular supply of pork for
the ensuing year. ho found that he had to give two
prices for it, and he declared if that were tho ~,
triotsm on which the resolutions were based, he
would not conform to them, and, in point of fact
laid in his annual stock ofPork by purchase from
The first passing Kentucky drovor. That trade, now
partially resumed was maintained by the sale of
Western productions, on the ono side, and Carroll.
ma money on the other. From that condition of
it, the gentleman from South Carolina might have
drawn this conclusion, that an advanta gcous trade
may exist, although of the pc rites TO it paws
in specie for the productions which he purchases
from the other; and consequently, that il does not
follow, If we did not purchase British fabrics that
II might not be the interest of England to purchase
our raw material of cotton. The Kentucky drover
received the South Carolina specie, or, taking bills
or the evidences of depostc i'm the banks carried
these homo, and disposng of them to the merchant,
he brought out goods of foreign or domestic ma.
nutacture, IN return. Such is tho crcuitous ma
turo OF trade and remittance, which no nation nm
dcrsands better than Great Britain
Nor has the system, which has been the parent
source of SO much benefit to other parts of tho
Union, proved injurious to the cotton GROWING
country. L cannot speak of South Carolina it.
self, where have never been, with so much GER
tanty; bnt OF other portions of the Union in
which cotton is grown, especially those bordcrnu
on the Mississippi, 1 can confidently speak.
1t cotton planting is less profitable than il
was, that is tho result of increased
production; but believe it to be still the most pro-
htable investment of capital of any branch of bu
| sness in the United States. And if a comm,ttee-
were raised with power TO send for persons and
papers, take upon myselfto say, that such would,
be the result OF the inquiry. In kentucky I know
many individuals who have their cotton plantations
below and retain their residence in that State
where they remain during the sickly season; and
they are all, L believe, without exception doiup
we'll Others, tempted by their success are con-
s'anty engaging in the business, whilst scarcely
any come from the cotton region to engage in
western agriculture. A friend, now in my eve, a
member of this body, upon a capital of less than
seventy thousand dollars, invested in a plantation
and slaves made, the year before last sixteen tbou
SAND dollars. "A member of the other House, /
understand, who, without removing himself sent
some OF his slaves to Mississ pi, made, last year,
about twenty per cent. Two friends of miye in
the latter State, whose annual income is from
thirty to sixty thousand dollars being DESTROYS TO
curta their business, have Offered estates for sale
which they are willing to show, by regular vouch
ers of receipt and disbursement yield eighteen pcr
cent. per annum One of my most opulent oc
qualntances, In a county adjoining to that in
which reside, having married in Georgia. has
derived large portion of his wealth from n cot
ton estate there situated
The loss of the tonnage of Charleston which
has been dwell on, does not proceed from the ia
rift; 1t never had Il very large amount and il has
not been able to retain what it had i'm conseouence
OF The operation of the principle of free trade on
It's navigation Its tonnage has gone TO the moro
en'erprsing and adventurous tars of the N rthern
States, with whom those of the city of Charleston
could not maintain successful competition in
the freedom OF the coasting trade existing he.
tween the different parts of the Union. That this
must be the true case, is demonstrated by the fact
that' however 1t may be with the port of Charles
tou, our coasting tonnage generally, is constant
ly increasing. AS to the foreign tonnage about
one half of that which is engaged in the direct
1rade between Charleston and Great Britain. is
English; proving that the tonnage OF South Caro-
lima cannot maintain itself in a competitions under
the free and equal navigation secured by our trea-
ty with that Power.
When gentlemen have succeeded in their design
OF an Immediate or gradual destruction of
the American System, what is their substi
tute? Free trade! Free trade. The call for free
trade' Is as unavailing the cry of a spoiled
enid IN its nurses arms, for the or the stars
that glitter in the armament of heaven Ii never
mas existed; IT never will exist. Trade implies at
least, two parties. To be free, it should be fair
equal and reel procal. But if we throw our ports
vide open to the admission of foreign productions,
Tree OF all duty, what ports, of any other foreign
nation, shall we find open to the free admis-
SION OF our surplus produce? We may break down
all barriers to the free trade on our part but the
WORK Will not be complete until foreign Powers
shall have removed theirs There would be free
dom on one side, and restrictions, prohibitions, and
exclusions on the other. The bolts and the bars
ana the chains of all other nations, will remain
undlsturbed. 1t is, indeed, possible, that our in
selves to this unequal and unjust state of things;
ior' such is the fiexibiliy OF our nature, that it
oends itself to all circum stances. The wretched
prisoner, lncarcerated in goal, after long time
becomes reconciled to his solitude and regularly
notches down the passing days of his confinement
Gentlemen deceive themselves. 1t is not free
trade that they are recommending to our accept
ance. 1t is, in effect the British colonial system that
we are invited to adopt and, if their policy prevail
1t Will lead, substantially, to the olonizaton of
these States under the commercial dominion of
/ Great Britain. And whom do we find some of the
principal supporters, out of Congress- of this for
eIgn system? Mr. President, there are some for
eIgners who always remain exotics, and never be-
come naturallzed In our country: whilst, happily,
there are many others who readily attach them
selves to our principles and institutions. The
honest, patient, and industrious German readily
unites with our people, establishes himself upon
some OF our fat land, fills his capacious barn. and
ENJOYS, In tranquility, the abundant fruits which
his diligence gathers around him. always ready to
! ny to the standard of his adopted country or Of
ITS laws, when called by tile duties of patri-
otlsIn The gay, the versatile, the philosophic
frenchmaD, accommodating himself cheerfuyto
an vcissitudes OF life, incorporateshnself, without
dIfhculty, In our society. But, of all foreigners,
none amagamate themselves quickly with our
people as the natives of the Emerald Isle In
some OF the visions which have passed through nv
imagination, have supposed that Ireland was, ORR
ginally, part and parcel of this continent and that
by some extraordinary convulsion of nature it was
torn from America and, drifting across the ocean
was placed in the unfortunate vicinity of Great
Britain. The same openheartedncss; the same gen.
erous hospitality; the careless and uncacula-
| ing indifference about human life characterize
the inhabitants of both countries. Kentucky has
been sometimes called the Ireland of America
Ana have no doubt that, if the current of en-