Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-03-19

No man denied the power-no man doubted u;
the only questions were, in regard 10 the seVera'
articles proposed to be taxed, whether fhey were
fit subjects for protection. and what the amount
of that protection ought to be. VIII gentlemen
SIR, now answer the argument drawn from these
proceedings Of the first Congresss, Wal mey
undertake to deny that that CDngress did act
on the avowed principle Of protect'ons or' u
they admit it, will they tell Us how those VINO
framed the constitution fell. thus early, into THIS
great mistake about its meaning! VIII they tell
US how it should happen that they had so soon
forgotten their own sentiments, ana tneir o""
purposesf | confess have seen no answer ia
this argument, nor any respectable attempt 10
answer it. Add. sir. how did this debate terml'
mater What law was passed. There 1t stands,
sir, among the statutes. the second law IN the
book. 1t has preamble. and that preamble ex'
pressly recites, that the duties which u imposes
are laid "Ior the support of Government, Tor
the discharge of the debts of the United States,
and the encouragement and protection o. manu-
factures" Until. sir.>this eady legislation, thus
coeyal with the constitution itself, thus full and
explicit, can be explained away, no man can
doubt of the meaning Of that Instrument.
Mr.. President, this power of discrimination,
thus admitted, avowed, and practised upon, IN
the first revenue act, has never been denied OF
doubted until within a few years past. Ii was
not at all doubted, in 1916, when 1t became me-
cessary to adjust the revenue t" state OF peace
On the contrary, the power was then exercised
not without opposition as to its expediency, but
as far as remember, or have understood, With
out the slightest opposition founded on any sup
posed want of constitutional authority. Ger.
tainly. S. Carolina did not doubt it. The tariff
of 1916 was introduced, carried through, and
established. under the lead of South Carolina
Even the minimum policy is OF South Carolina
origin. The honorable gentleman himself sup
ported, and ably supported, the tariff OF 1916
He has informed Us, sir, thai his speech on that
occasion was sudden and off hand, he s"ing cat
led up by the request Of friend: am sure
the gentleman so remembers 1t, and that 1t was
so; but there is, nevertheless, much method. ar
rangement. and clear exposition, in that extern,
pore speech. 1t is very able, very, very much
to the point, and very decisive. And in another
speech, delivered two months earlier, on the pro-
position to repeal the internal taxes, the honora-
ble gentleman had touched the same subject and
had declared. "fhat certain encouragement
ought TO be erfendeL al least, TO our TooAen and
COTTON manufactures l do not quote these
speeches. sir, for the purpose OF showing that the
honorable gentleman has changed his opinion;
my object is other. and higher. do it for the
sake OF saying, that that cannot be so plainly aud
palpabIy Unconstitutional, as to warrant resist.
ance TO law, notification, aud revolution, which
the honorable gentleman and his friends have
heretofore agreed to, and acted upon, without
doubt and without hesitation. Sir, 1t IS no an
swer to say, that the tariff of 1916 was reve-
nue. bill. So are they all revenue bills. The
point is. and rhe truth is. that the tariff o 1870
like the rest, did discriminate; II did distinguish
one article from another; II did lay duties Tor
protection. Luok to the CASE OF course cottons.
under the minimum calculations; the duty on
these was sixty 10 eighty per cent S"methlng
besides revenue certainly was intended IN this;
and. in fact. the law cut up our whole commerce
with India in tina, article II Is, sir, only WITHIN
few years that Carolina has denied the cbnsIi-
tutionallty of these protective laws. The gen
tlernan himself has narrated to Us the true hleto
nv of her proceedings on this point. lie saws
that, after the passing ut the law OF 1898, des'
pairing then Of be,ug able to abolish tine system
of protection, political men went forth among the
people, and set up the ductrine that the system
was unconstitutional. ".4nd The Peoples says
the honorable gentleman. "reCeiUed me doctrine -
This, | believe, is true, str. Inc people dia
then receive the doctrine; they had never enter
tanned il before Down to that period, The con-
stitutinnaiity of these laws had been no more
doubted in South Carolina than elsewhere. And
suspect it is true, >ir and deem it great mis-
fortune. that, to the present moment. great
portion of the people of that State have never yet
seen more than one side of the argument. be.
lieve that thousands of honest men are involved
in scenes now passing, led away by one tided
views of the question, aud following their lead
ers by the impulse Of an unlimited confidence.
Depend upon 1t, sir, il we can avoid the shock
of arms, day for re consideration and reflection
will come; truth and reason will act with their
accustomed force, and the public opinion Of South
Carolina will be restored to its usual constitution
al and patriotic tone.
But, sir, hold South Carolina to her ancient,
her cool. her uninHuenced. her deliberate opn.
ions. hold her to her own admissions, nay, to
her own claims and pretensions. IN l7s9. IN the
first Congress, and to her Acknowledgements and
avowed sentiments through long series OF sue
ceeding years. / hold her TO the principles on
which she led Congress to act in 1916; or 1t she