Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-08-06

show wla ca Ia and 10 What sea the power ~ reg
Other nations and 10 he STATES before the sSsrSs
he present Constitution. as We shan have ocesscni
ainiaht raion of this very Constitution, regulations
traie have been made in almost onumeraeie nstsnee
wIh no Wow 10 reveauc. but with sole and exclusive
az our UNDERSTANDING Of the Constitution he not aeeor
ns 70 hs tue mSaninx that lnsrument has been gross
violated from the very beginning What are ALT Il
many avowod Efforts protect American industry y,
ger The p9wer Of resasins usde on MA ,.n
The American ship builder and chip owner has en-
joyed, from the hrs,, aud think properly, not onl
out all foreign com petition he does so the groun
As sss so GS &. Il ss csas
eut hight in granting It, Yet tes u not nee trade
lure usdef the psSer 70 regulate rsdc The laws Ssin
this protect 10 the manufacture ard the OF ship
be yswise but the o. & cannot be eonsiiIutobs ana M
constitutional II there b. power for one.
both operate by the general and both
ne same oSlss, the pToesen namely. Of hpeIiear
that the navigation act Is founded in national policy anS
pcndence We admit IT, But We answer. in the afs: Place
that Sonsress could not e1eTeisc power not granted
the second place. say that tho renark is true
the policy OF projecting; manufactures That roey also
colhins soldiers less Indispensable
to national defence than ships aud scamen Not only in
nS duties and regulating Gle extend TO the protection
ny inc use OF sseh means OF dome &c msn1iaetrres but
1--WE think indeed that when general power Is given
TO Congress by the Constitution OF the United states In
plain and unamb -uous words, the constitution
and valid they w,hIn the scope OF the granted pow
er and tha,, considering the validity OF the law the
motives OF the legislature never be Investigated
Having grantcdthe power, With such limits expressed
thought proper its exercise within those limits Is e
20 the discretion OF Congress.
Is that the eonsttuonaty " law depends not on It's
provisions ami ensctmenis but the motives OF those
ascertain TIC motives OF legislature BY private enquiry
by public examination; by cooieeturcl The Law may be
passed on mixed motives some members voting for
venue some for protection or one House may &C, With
one view nj the oihsr House with another. What will
he the character OF such law
According TO this new theory u the motives be eons
tut ona then the Is II the motives be
then the is uneonsiiuonals 1t follows therefore.
that law passed by ore ConeIets may be constitution
would be unconstitutional DeF tcs, this theory law
may be unconstitutional for It's omss well It's
ted well articles inserted from des IN
nuacurcs."
Here We have q view of the question which
seems to me 20 be unanswerable.
But, MIR Chairman, beg the attention of the
committee whilst proceed TO examine into the
origin and history of this doctrine of protection Of
American labor and industry. Is il i novel as
sumption OF power by Congressl Is it new sys-
tenn of policy, which is nov sought TO be establish
cd, in opposition to the ancient practice Of the Go
vernmenp So far from such being the fact, i al.
arm that the doctrine is coeval with the Consiiu-
ton itsolf, and that the policy is sanctioned and
sustained by the direct opinions and practice OF
every President tf the United States and Of all the
leading statesmen OF the country. from the days Of
George Washington 10 the present time.
II my time permitted, | might prove to you, by
the most authentic histories of our Government,
that the necessity of protecting our home industry
irom foreign aggression contributed more than any
other cause to The formation and adopt on of the
Constitution OF the United States. The considern
ton OF that topic would, however, Iced ne into too
wide field Of discussion, and must therefore con
tent myself with barely adverling TO il, and pass on
to the history Of the action Of the Government
under the Constitution.
The first Congress assembled in Philadelpha on
the 4h OF March, 1883, but in conseq uence Of the
failure o. many members to attend no business
was done for some weeks. Very shortly sf,er
the organization Of the two Houses, petitions be
gan 10 pour in from all quarters, suggesting that
our national independence was but hall obtained,
whilst We remained dependent on Great Britain
for our supplies Of the necesseTies of life, and
praying that Congress would take the proper steps
TO render the people independent in fac, as well
as IN name, by adopting measures for the en-
courasement and protection Of American manufic
tures-" These petitions referred TO the COM
mltee OF the whole ofthe House of Represents tives
and the result Of their deliberations was a bill for
the imposition Of duties on foreign merchant re.
TINS bill was promptly passed through 10th Houses
OF Congress. and was approved by President WASH
ington, on the All day Of July, 1889 day be
ing thus q second time consecrated, by the decara
ton OF commercial Independence, as il hsd previ.
ously been 10y a similar declaration of political in
dependence. The true character and objects Of that
act will be sufficiently nantes, when We over: 10
It's preamble, which recites that "whereas It is ne
cessary for the support Of government and the en-
couragement OF domestic manufactures, that duties
DO laid on foreign merchandise" sc. This pream-
Die distinctly connects the subjects of revenue nd
pot ction, and shews that in the judgment OF the
first Congress, it was compe,ent for the National
Legislature 10 look TO protection es well 10 reve.
nue. IN sys'onn Of inPos,. And here let us pause
for moment 10 consider how much we ght shall be
given 10 the opinion OF that Congress We mus,
recoilect that 1t was composed OF The mos, illus
trious sases and patriots Of the revolution We
must remember that probably one half Of its mem
bers had been members OF the Federal Convention
which framed the constitution, Of the State Con
Venuons which adopted u They were fully ac.
quainted with its provisions and deeply imbued
with its spirit! And that body, within year after
the adoption OF the constitution, passed, without
even division, and without the suggestion OF a
doubt Of tie constitutional power TO DO so, law
o'sinetiy recognizing the principle Of protection,
and George Washington, who had presided over
the de lberatiors OF the convention, and who was
then acting under the solemn sanctions Of his Pre-.
sdenilal oath TO support the constitution, approved
~ And yet We are now modestly told that the
authors Of the constitution 6id not understand lis
meaning, and that the power to protee. American
labor IS an assumption not warranted by it's provi-
SONS! must confess, sir, thatI hardly know how
10 meet such an assertion, or where to fnd terms,
consistent with parliamentary deeorum, 10 charae-
terize IL.
But le, US trace the action Of tie Government. on
this subject still farther.
On the 9Th Of January, 1890 President Washing.
ton, 10 his address 10 Congress uses ills emphatic
language:
The safety and interest Of the people require l, they
should promote such manufactures tend 10 render
Independent o. others FOR essential "a uiarly for mill
On the 18th Of January, 1890, Congress respond
e1 10 TINS suggestion Of the President, by adopting
The following resolution:
roasury, TO propose and report 10 this House proper
plan or Plans cOnioruaby ~ The IccOme uaon Of The
res1eut IN bs speech 10 both Houses % Congress for
We aud promotion Of such ciocs
S tend 10 render the UnhcJ States independent OF OH
nations for essential, particularly ios military suppeI"
In conformity with this resolution, the Secretary
OF the Treasury (Mr Hanilton) made his eolebrat.
cd report in favor Of proceeding American Industry.
should be glad, sir, II this Invaluable document
was IN The hands Of every citizen Of this republic
The grounds upon which no rested the policy are
very briefly summed up in the following paragtaph
which commend 10 the consideration Of the com.
mllce;
The cmbf sBtncnts which have obs'fucieitbe pro
Ress Of our external trli0 have lei 10 ser1nE rsector
o. tle necessity Of cnlirgng tic sphere Of our domestic
markets aDfdse The vent for the surplus OF Oh
a+rcuura prodgee, serve 10 bezet desire tia
more eHcn We demand for tat surplus may he create
Al home: fnd the complete success which has rewaTde,
manuieiuTng enterprise in ono valuable bfsnehc con
snH WIN lhe promising iyinptona Which attend roin
p mature essays ~ others Justify hope that tho obua
clcs ~ the growth o ills gpccc II Industry arc less Tor
nidabic ban They were tppfehended 10 he and that s
Identification for aly external dsadyanig which are
ny - experienced a. we'll as accession OF re5outoe
favorable TO national indo. endence and safety"