Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-11-30

"d"uioctures as ~ must be by every other branch
of domestic industry. But as the power to regulate
commerce, conferred expressly tor its security-can.
NOT % iairiy exerted for its destruction, neither
can It he perverted to the purpose of building up
manufacturing establishments object entirely be-
yond the jurisdiction OF the Federal Government So
a!so the power to levy taxes, duties mposts and
c'ses expressly given Tor the purpose of raising
nue., cannot be used tor the of impor-
'atons tor the purpose of promoting manufaci ures
without gross and palpable violation of the plain
M aning and intent OF the federal compact. Acts
may be passed ON these Subjects falsely purpOftnu
on Their face to have been enacted for the purposes
of raising revenue and regulating commerce But if
In truth, they designed (as the Acts of 1924 1898
and 1857, conessedly and avowedly have been) Tor
an entirely different purpose, viz for the
inent and promotion of manuiactures-the violation
oil the Constitution is not less gross, deliberate and
Parable, because At assumes the most dangerous OF
all Forms, Uofaon by perrersion the use Of power
granted Tor one purpose, for another aud df.ren:
purpose, IN relation to which, Congress has no power
10 act ut all On the whole. from the very brief
aid imperfect view which we have here taken of this
subject we think we have demonstrated that the pro-
tectng system is gross and palpable violation of
me CONSTITUTIONS according to its true spirit, intent
anu meaning, as 1t IS unquestiOnaby unequal OPP
Pressve and unjust in its bearing upon the great in
terests OF the country and the several sections of the
Union.
fatal as 1t assuredy must be to the prosperity of
large portion Of the UDion and gross is the viola
ZION OF the letter and spirit of the Constitution which
1t perpetrates, the consequences which must nevita-
bly, result from the establishment of the pernicous
principles on which il is founded are evils of still
greater magnitude. An entire change the chatac-
Ter ut the Government is the natural and necessary
consequences of the application the Constitution of
those lattudnOus rules of construction from which
this system derives its existence, and which must
consolidate the States bv degrees into sovereign
ty; the obvious tendency and inevitable result of
which would he to transform the present
tive system of the United States into Monarchy
we tearessy appeal to all considerate men, whe-
Their he i'm the nature of things possible, hold to-
gether such Confederacy $ ours by any means
short of military despotsIn after it has
into Consolidated Governmen-thati is TO say, after
At shall come to be its established policy to exercise
general legislative conrOu the interests and pur-
suits of the whole American People
= Can any man be SO infatuated as tn believe that
Congress could regulate wisely the whole labor
and capital OF this vast Confederacy Would 1t
not be burden too erisvous to oe borne that
great central Government, necessarily ipno,nn mt Of
the condition Of the remote parts of he couuIry
and regardless perhaps of their prosperity should
undertake TO interfere with their domestic pursuits
to coLtrol their labor, to regulate their property,
and to treat them ~ oil respects as dependant col
ONES, governed not with reference to their own
IN crests, but the interests of others IF such a
stare of things must be admitted to- be altogether
lntolerable, we confidently appeal to the sober
Judgment aud patriotic feelings of every man
who values our Tree institutions and desires to
preserve them--whciher he progress IF the Gov
ernment towards this result has not Of late years
been raj Id and alarming; n: whether, if the
downward course of our alfirs cannot be at once
aTresied--tfe contamination OF this system g not
at hand? M sooner had Congress assumed tie
power of buudIug up manufactures, b. successive
turifts-- calculated and intended To drive men from
agriculture and commerce into more favored pur-
suls-than internal improvements sprung at ,.nce
into vigorous existence. Pensions have been en-
larged To an extent not only before unknown H.
any civilized country, but they have been esaD-
l'shed on such principles, manifest The settled
purpose OF bes,Owng the public treasure IN gratu-
:, les TO particular classes of persous aud par
ticuar sections of country. Roads and Ca
pals have been commenced and surveys made
in certain quarters of The Union ON n scale OF
magn 6cence, which evinces like determination
TO distribute the public wealth into new and
favored channels: and it is in entire scco, dance
both wIh the theory and practice If this
new system, that the General Government should
apseth all the authority Of the States, aud G,
ventualiy become the grand depository of the
powers, and the general guardian and distributor
oil the wealth otthe whole Union. 1t is known
to all who have marked the course of our uation-
al affairs that Congress has undertaken to create
Bank, and has already assumed jurisdiction over
science ana the arts over education and charities
ever roads and canals and almost every ether sub.
subject formerly consde red apptrtaining exclu-
slvely TO the States, and that they claim aud exer.
else an unlimited control over the appropriation Of
the public lands well as OF The pui he money
OH looking indeed to the legislation of the lasi
non that fatal change has taken place in the
whole policy and entire operation of the Fed
terat Government-tat in every of its de
rtnents ii is both in theory aud practice rap
B. j vergiDg towards ConsolidHtion. Assert
8 Z 5Hlicial supremacy over the sovereign Siares;
feEtendtng executive patronage aud influence
% tire remO,est ramificatiuus Of society, aud
assuming legislative control over every object
a jocni coDcerBmept, thereby reducing the
States 10 getty corporations, shorO Of their
1ere fgnty- mere parts Of one great whole stand
ing Hn The same relation To tie Union as
coiinty or parish does to the State of which IL ~
n euhordIDae part.
Such is the true character, and such the inevitable
tendencies OF the American System. And when the
thus plainly stated is brought home to the boz
of patriotic men, surely is possible void
the conclusion, that political system, founded on
such principles bear within the seeds of pre-
mature dlssolutionand that though it may for sea-
son be extended, enlarged and strengthened through
the corruPting influence of patronage and power I'M
tai 1T shall have embraced in its serpent folds all the
great interests of the State, still the time must come
when the people deprived of all other means of escape
pill rise up in their might and release themselves
prom this thraldom, by of those violent convul-
sions, by which society uprooted from its iounda-
tions,s and the edct of reform is written in blood
Against this system South Carolina has remonsra-
Sted IN the most earnest As early 1920 there
hardly district parish in the whole State from
twhch memorials not forwarded to Congress- the
general language of which that the protecting sys-
,m was utterly subversive or their rights and
fests Again, in 1898 and 1927, the people of ibis
State up almost man, and declared to Con.
ress and the world, 'thaf the protecting system was
unconstitutional oppressive and UNJUST But these
Deated circumstances answered only by re-
~ .,ted injuries and insults, by the enacng OF the Ia
ifs of 1924 and 1873. o give greater dignity and
possible to these aDppal<. he