Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-03-23


great, it is, as Mr. Huskisson has declared
mot in consequence of, but in spite of her
restrictions" The silk manufacture, pro-
tcCted by enormous bounties was found TO
be in such declining condition, that the
government was obliged 10 do something 10
save il from total ruin. And what did they
do? They considerably reduced the duties
on foreign silk, both on tho raw material
and the manufactured article The conse-
quence was, the Immediate revival of the silk
manufacture, which has since been nearly
doubled
Sir, the experience of France is equally
decisive. Bonaparte's effort 10 introduce
cotton and Sugar has cost that country mill
ions and, but the other day, foolish at
tempt to protect the iron mines spread devas-
tation through half of France, and nearly ru-
inedstho wine trade, on which one fifth of
her citizens depend fer subsistence. AS 10
Spain, unhappy Spain, "fenced round with
restrictions, her experience, one would sup
pose, would convince US, ifany thing could,
that the protecting system in politics, like
bigotry in religion, was utterly at war with
sound principles and liberal and enlight-
ened policy. Sir, say, in the words oil The
philosophical statesman of England, "ieave
q generous nature free to seek her own road
to perfection" Thank God, the night is
passing away, and we have lived to see the
dawn of righteous day. The cause of free
trade must and will prosper, and finally tri-
umph. The political economist is abroad;
light has come into the world and in this
instance at least, men will not "prefer dark
ness rather than light" Sir, let it not
be said in after times, that the statesmen of
America were behind the age in which they
iived-that they initiated this young and Wig
orous country into the enervating and cor
rupting practices of European nations and
that, at the moment when the whole world
were looking to us for an example, we array
ed ourselves in the cast off toiies and explo-
ded errors of the old world, and by the in
PRODUCTION Oft vile system of artificial slim
ulants and political gambling, impaired the
healthful vigor of the body polite, and
brought on decrepitude and premature disso-
luton.
had intended, Mr. President, 10 have
said something Of the constitutional question
but have already taken up so much of your
time, that I shall not now enter into it, L
must be permitted, however, to remark that
the gentleman is mistaken in supposing that
this protecting system, is of recent origin
up to 1924, the question had not been
much considered, simply because the pro-
lection which manufactures had derived was
merely incidental to duties imposed for rev.
enue. The act of 1890 was surely of that
character and even the act of 1916 provid-
ed for diminution, and not an increase of
duties. But when, in 1924, the true char
actsr of this system was developed, the con-
stitutional objection was plainly and strong
ly insisted upon. Here is the language, Sir,
that myself, held on that occasion, on this
floor.
"Will gentlemen point out to me, if they
can, the power which this government pos
sesses to adopt system for the avowed pur-
pose OF encouraging particular branch
'es ofindustry. Ii is my sober and delibe
& rate opinion, that the Congress of the United
States have no more power TO pass laws for
the purpose of directly or indirectly indu-
cling any portion of the people to engage in
manufactures, than they have to abolish tri-
al by jury, or establish the inqnisition."
Since that period, the Legislatures of eve
ry Southern State have denounced this sys-
TEN as a violation of their constitutional
rights. 1t was butthe last year, that South
Carolina recorded on the journals Of the Sen
ate, her solemn protest against it Gas utterly
unconstitutional, grossly unequal and OPP
presSiye, and such an abuse of power as is
Incompatible with the principles of free
government and the great ends of civil soci-
ETY." do not know, sir, where the consti-
tutional objections to this system are better
SUMMED up, than in the very address of the
Free Trade Convention of philadelphia, TO
which the gentleman has referred for anoth-
er purpose. The gentleman is certainly
mistaken, when he relics on that exposition
as an authority In his favor Sir, as | under
stand the argument, it is only admitted that
incidental protection may be afforded by du-
ties imposed merely for revenue, but that the
right is expressly denied Of 'imposing any
additional duty for the purpose of affording
that protectiorf2' / dismiss this branch of
the subject, with the remark, that whether
we be right or wrong in our views on this
question, the opinion is conscientiously and
almost universally entertained throughout
the whole south, that the protecting system
involves gross violation of the solemn COM
pact which is the bond of our Union.
ITO be Concluded merit toeek.)