Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1842-01-21

population might gTowsup upon our soil
yet those extra hands never could be-
come manufacturers unless under the
safeguard Of legal protection. And why
Because The moment they should com
mence any branch Of domestic nanuiac
lures, the foreign capitalist, whose capi
tai was invested in that manufacture
and who had heretofore supplied our
own market, would put forth his whole
strength to crush the infant rival, and
crushed it must be unless the arm oI
Government in!erVened 10 shield it -
The natural resources Of the United
States were almost boundess; they had,
indeed, just begun to he explored. Ex.
tending through range Of every cli-
mate, our country presented every va
riety Of soil and situation; our mountains
were richly stored with the most vaIua,
BILE minerals; our valleys and our plains
were covered with every plant pleasant
TO the eye or good for food; staple pro.
ducts Of the highest commercial impor.
lance abounded on every side; yet,
strange to tell, with a land like this in
our possession, and a population in
creasing beyond all example, foreigners
could come to our shores, take from US
the raw material, carry it across the
ocean, manufacture it into a thousand
useful forms, derive all the profit Of
such manufacture, and return it TO US
without taking scarcely any thing Of
ours 10 return.
Mr.. NJ. wanted to see an end put 10
such state OF things; he wanted to see
the dav when, under the protecting
arms ofthe Government, extending over
every branch Of our own domestic in
dustry, (and here he knew the danger
Of running his head against the ICON,
promise ect,") all that could be produced
to meet the wants Of this nation should
be produced he'e-upon her own soil.
The home market was the best Of all
markets. When we bartered with for.
eigners, portion Of the profit, perhaps
the larger portion, went into the pocket
Of the foreigner But if we traded with
our own people, the profit was American,
all round. If we traded with an En-
glishman, half the profit went to Eng
land; but when a man OF the South trad.
ed with his brother in New England,
America got the whoIe-doubIe the
amount was made and saved 10 The ma
ton.
Ay, but how would all this interfere
with the compromise acl2 And what
was the compromise act? 1t WAS a
law passed in 1888, fixing a uniform
duty Of twenty per cent, on all imports
after certain day, but very generously
leaving it in the power Of Congress to
fix the rate higher or lower, if the ne
of the Government should re-
quire or permit, according to the excess
or the depletion OF the Treasury. Why
so much sensibility was exhibited in
connexion with this law, Mr.. NJ. had
never been able to understand. For
his own part, even if the law had con-
tanned no such saving clause, no such
reserve Of power TO the Government 10
vary the rate Of duty, he should deny
its authority in toto as rule to bind
the Legislation ofCongress. He denied
the power Of any one Congress to cothe
u law Of its enactment with constltu-
tional sanction and sacredness for all
future time. As temporary expedlent
AS a means Of soothing and alIaylng
political and sectional evaporation, it
might bO all very well; it might even
have been wise for the time then pre-
sent South Carolina held toward the
General Government an attitude almost
of open hostility; and the Executive Of
that day-than whom, in popularity and
power, there never had lived greater
upon earth-had put his hand upon his
sword, and threatened 10 turn lis edge
upon the South. Great men, on either
side, were identified with the controver,
sy, and its progress had involved the
whole country in a state OF high and
alarming evaporation. 1t was feared
by good and wise men that the peace OF
the Union might be endangered; and un'
der such an ominous juncture of circum'
stances this compromise bill became a
law. Asa measure Of policy, as a pre-
ventive OF evil, it was wise, considering
the times. But, TO meet us at this day,
in 1S42, and tell US that law passed in
! 1888 has power TO bind this Government
to all eternity, as compact-as an or
ganic, fundamental law was to advance
a proposition to which he would never
Weld his assent. lie never would rec
ogniso the power Of that act so TO bind
! he Congress Of the United States. Ac.
cording TO fluctuations of circumstances,
Of poIcy-yes, even of public opinion
alone-that law was rePeaabIe: the
power Of Congress to repeal it was In
dispulube.
Mr.. M. did not say that he was in ia
vor or loyino duties beynnd the amount