Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-02-17
COMMUNICATIONS.
csasiis~.iSas'iiy Of Pretseiirs TssiG.
No. l.

That tariff. lud'eiously laid, would promote the
prosperity of the whole country hardly admits Of a
doubt But we are told by the opposers ct the
protective system, that this doctrine is uneonsti,u
uonaL IL is rather humiliaing, I confess. To be
called upon at this late day, show that protecting
our own indastry. and thereby inereasin our ma
uona prosperity, is consistent with the great char
ter OF our rights. For what purpose did our fathers
establish tho Constitution under which we live.
| They tell u,. in the preamble of that instrument,
that they ordained and established il, ''to provide
for the the common defence and TO promote the ge-
neral welfare"
This. then, is the object Of the Constilulion-thc
end which its trainers had in view. The Govern
mcnt is not only authorized but required to pro-
vide for the common defence for the defence Of
soil and its products, oil citizens and their indus
try. Government is bound by the sacred iniunc-
tons oil the Constitution ITSELF to promote the ge-
neral welfare. "ro provide for the general welfare"
isone OF the first enumerated powers which are OK
pressiy given TO Congress. The phrase, geasrcI
Welfare, includes oil the blessings OF free people,
| and whatever tends TO national wealth and pros
parity, is among these blessings. But in what
does national wealth consist Principally in the
productive labor OF lis citizens. When the Govern.
men', therefore, protects our tobacco it takes the
most oHectdal steps 10 promote our prosperity. IL
our industry is psrolysed Ivy foreign competition,
the resources and wealth OF our country can never
be fully developed. Our prosperity 10 peace, and
our success IN wat-our general welfare and CON
mon defence require that the active energies Of our
people should be brought into exercise. And this
-
ing industry nsains; the restrictive laws and
pauper labor o, Europe. Instead, therefore, OF a
protective tariff being Unconstitutional, it is one of
the principal means Of securing the great end which
| our Constitution has in view.
In this chit the ubi,ei was viewed by the fsamers
Of the Constitution themselves. In their FIRST pub
lie act after the adoption of the Constitution they
| recognise tbs principle. General Washington, who
| presided over the Convention which framed The
Constitution. in his f., Message to Congress says:
| "Thc Advancement OF agriculture, commerce ana
manufactures, OF eli proper mans Will no:, trust
need Recommendation" This suggestion, from
Washington, was not lost upo, that band of pat.
riots. Or, rather, Mr. Madison, the writer OF the
| Constitution, was in advance Of the Prcsidan' in
calling up this subject On the S,h Of April 1889
| thu very day on which the oath OF Office was ad.
minisiered TO the members OF the House and rs the
very FIRST business after the administration OF the
| oath 10 supper, the Constitution, Mr. Madison nitro.
dueed the subject OF protective tarif-'i take the
liberty, NJ this carly stage OF the business" sad Mr.
Madison. ''to introduce TO the Committee q subject
which appears TO me 10 be OF the creates, masri-
;ude; suhlec, SIR that requires f.s attention,
and our united eNertons."
The subject being thus introduced, MIR Fi-
simons of Pennsylvania. one of the Delegates
from hat State, in the Convention which formed
tie Constitution, said, IL earnestly wish for
such n system as will be some way ADEQUATE
10 our present situation, as IL respects our asr-
| culture, our manufactures, and our commerce
have prepared an additional number OF articles.
productions Of our own country, and protect our
infant manufactures"
MIR Tucker of ). c. said-"I consider the sub.
Jeei which engages our present deliberations as OF
very great importance, Us IL relates TO our asti.ul.
tuae, manufactures and commerce"
Mr. Hartley OF Penn. said, "No argument can
operate TO discourage the committee from taking
such measures as will tend TO Protect and promote
our domestic manufactures. Ii we consult the his.
tory of the ancien, world, We shall see that they
have thought proper, FOR long time past, to give
encouragement 10 the Establishment OF manufac-
lures, by laying such partial duties on importation
Of fore On goods, as TO give the home Manufactures
considerable advantage in price when BROUGHT
mo market From this view OF the subject think
Il both polite and just, that the fostering hand of
the general government should extend TO all those
manufactures, which will tend 10 national utility
take Il 10 be the policy OF every enlightened nation
to give their manufactures that degree OF encour-
asemen', necessary TO peTfec; them, without op- !
pressing the other parts OF the community; and I'M
DER this encouragement, the Industry Of the manu-
iaeiurer vii be employed to add 10 the wealth OF
the ration"
Mr. Madison sad. "l presume tina, however much =
We may be disposed 10 promote domestic manu- /
features, We ought 10 pay some regard TO the pre-
sent policy OF Obtaining revenue. The states
that arc most advanced IN population and ripe for /
manufactures, ought to have their particular in .
teres;s attended 70 N somc desree"
Mr. BoudinCi Of New York, said "Let Us take .
ths resolution as presented by the gentleman fnom
Virginia, (Nr Madison,l aud max: it the basis of
our system, AIDING only such projecting duties as 7
are necessary 10 support The manufactures establish
et by the Leg sailres o! the manufacturing states
Thus far we can 90 with safety, ii we do not de.
scend in'o minute enumera son; such articles as are
readily admitted 10 deserve legislative encourase-
m.nr, We may take into the list"
Mr. Madison said, 81 would lay such duty on
moasses as IS proPortioned 10 what we have af
liked upon rum. making an allowance in favor OF
our own manufacture. The proportion between
a eig
India rum al twelve cents, is sufficient 10 answer
the purpose OF protecting the manufacturer
Mir FHzsimons said, Gle thou hi the manur,c-
tu'e oil peer and ale highly deserving Of encourage
meni The small protecting duties laid in Penn
sylv1nia had great effect towards establishing
breweries."
Mr. onckson, OF New Yo,i, declared himself
irieno 70 ih's manufacture, and thought If the duty
vas l1!d hish enough 10 effect 4 prohibition the
manuflctare would Increase, and OF consequences
the price would be lessenet"
Mr. Madison moved TO lay an impos, of eight
cents on a.. beer imported. He did not think this
sum would give monopoly, but hoped it would
be such an encouragement, as to induce the manu-.
taeture 10 take deep root in every state in this
union.
MIR Ciymer, of Penn, who was member o. tbs
Convention which framed the Constitution, said,
that the manufacture of steel in America was "a
iheE in lis infancy; but as all the rna,erials
necessary 10 make IL were the produce Of almost
every state ~ the Union, and as the manufacture
was alreaJY estao ishcd, and attended with consj- |
derablesueeess, he deemed j, prudent to emanc pate
our country from the nansc!es in which she was
held BY foreign manufactures He hoped seatle. |
men would &c disposed 70 extend a degree of "a.
tronage TO manufacture which. a moments reaec.
ton would convince them, was highly deserving of
protection"
Mr. Moore, OF Virginia, though, il was good poli.
cy 10 encourage the manufacture Of cordare bu,
was not convinced tia: it was bad policy 20 encou-
rage likewise the grox,h Of the raw material in
America; 50 that we might become independent Of
al the world for this article.
MIR Goodhue. Of Mass. informed the gentlemen
who we're onposed TO duty on nails, that gtelt
quantities OF them were manufactured for exooria-
ton IN Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, and he
believed m some other States
MIR Carroll, Of Md, who ives q member Of N.
Convention, moved 10 insert window ana o,ber
e.Ass. a manufacture Of tbs article was beeun in
hstyIand, and atisndsd with considerable success.
81 the legislature were 70 grant small encourage !
msni, = would Re Permanently established.
Mr. Ctyrrer informed the House Of tho state OF
Fapsr Mills 70 Pe.Insy lvnns; they were 90 numer-
o9s a. n supply ny eI1nsvs demanI IN tb,,
and ias n- gbbouunz MI Tbi, rnanular,u,e - .
Certainly sn nportssl \ ard bsv,no rro,.n ~
continue o.
Mf A-n.'. of AasskAnuodoe,s Wool
Cnfda Urn ossers .nZ tIs Ie manufactured
% ins s'f, ward, - .Do1 a . as the i'm.
p0r.s5 ores. '
MIR BanJ, n Virgins. mi - The Coro,oi,..
Aa- thsfs "cf. Wines u Coll~psned IN Vrginis