The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-07-26

tied goods in equal ty and free goods and articles
clearly necessary, II any, for or in national defence
An time Of war, because thus concerns all in the inte-
grail strength OF the Republic and how far it might
wise to keep the duties jewery below he
Juggling standard, so 9 OF which could be carried
shore IN the mouth, has been the case, might be
worth consideration But look at the situation Con-
gress is placed in by tins partial, dstracting rival
discrimination project memorials and petitions from
manufacturing companies Of every description, pres
sing for high protection and discriminating duties.
Can we crafty all Can we discriminate for all to
the extent they would wish If we give one hun
dred per cent, another eighty, another sixty another
forty, and so on, will your variety of determinations
and dherentials, and projections, satisfy alli Will
some oil them not accuse you of injuslce, of partial
uy oi ignorance of the completely OF int ess you
temp, TO regulate and build up2 How can Co"gress
egislate for the changing notifications necessarily
belonging 10 industry, through supply and demand,
,nd the other numerous circumstances that operate
upon it? You cannot give 10 some without taking
from others, ii and twist IL, and plan and sophIs
ucatc IL as you may. Large manufacturing establish
meats will be subjecs, like banking, to fuctua
ton, expansion, and contraction depending on sup
ply and demand the former unlimi ed within The cap
ha and credit and the latter uncertain to the extreme
uence The sad in condition among those
pioyed and dependent on them in England an indeed
IN our own country. You should not, by legislative
attachments, disturb the equil brum of equal right in
Industrial rsuii for by doing you misead distract,
and Cypress the free, natural impulses of the Poop
in conserving their efforts towards getting liv-
ing and their pursuit of prosperity and happiness each
in his own way. Man is ever endeavorlng to assist
his happiness by promoting whatever he may believe
to be his interest and it is natural the impulse
evinces and itself through all he ramicatons
Of association for Government, in the individual the
family, the industrial class, the local community.
Tn the general action of the People In the busi-
of life, ana their Government should not inter-
fcre with it under the idea of regulating and improv
ing what IT cannot possibly understand, from Its coun-
less variety of and effect and diversified result.
And believe me, Mr.. Chairman, this discrimination
process with all Difference for the judgments OF the
gentlemen who concocted it, evinces very imperfect
knowledge of human nature and of the spirit OF the
Federal Constitution for the former certainly thrives
best when it is left free to manage its own concerns
in its own way and the latter never intended that
equality of right among the People should be inter-
ercd with by legislation. If these proposed Indirect
duties, to the amount Of the Government expens-
es, will be protection and encouragement to indus
try as is represented let the benefits extend to ALL
do not render the operation partial and nvidous by
discrimination for the People cannot be made believe
that inequality in taxation is an indscrlmnate bene-
fit tax their honest, unsuspclous credulity as you
may.
And more do n It talk SO much about assisting the
poor man by the ar polite taxing his labor through
The medium of his consumption OF necessaries, after
having contributed to his poverty by unwse egisla-
ion IN promoting and aggrandiZing monopoly and
privilege in all its phases We need not talk about
making this that and tn. other, cheap for the work.
ing man let us simply do him justice and he will
help himself do him no overweenlng charity, for ne
Is a freeman and wants none and will have none let
him stand upright with his ellow-ciZen in the eco
nomy of his country, which is his right, and all that
he demands pass no laws to place HIM at disadvan
Ia e, that's all: there will be sufhcency of nequal
ty of condition, which, IN Its extreme, IS the bane OF
freedom, without passing laws to promote IT. as all
part A ones do. My constituents did not send me
mere to assist forming tariff of revenue imposts
that will be medium Of dispensing bounties, and pa
tr mage, and special privilege, and peculiar advan-
tage, either to PERSONS or classes, or particular
branches of industry, but to vote for equal laws,
which is all that freemen want. Thy elected me to
egsate for the great whole, not for sect on, Glass;
company, or interest and particularly where it con-
hics with the veal Of all that am to construe the
Constitution it literally 49, as far words have
plain meaning, not to strain IT out Of truth merely to
make out a case )" that am to bear in mind
that the Union demands this impartial exercise OF the
action of the Representative, for that Union is fed
Grafton of States, giving up portion oil their powers
as defined in the Constitution, for the better preser-
walton OF the whole, compact that must be rgidly
adhered to, the integrity OF the Union depending
upon It.
II will be perceived, Mr.. Chairman, that neither
speak nor think in sectional spirit; nor in isoIa
lated iron, coal, cotton, or woolen, or tobacco
discriminating tariff spirit; nor in mere agricuitu-
raj or mechanical, or manufacturing, or commercial
Interested Western spirit-in what believe, by way
of general propositlon essentially, alluti itaran
live and let live Ohio spirit speak as think and
feel spirit that embraces all sections, all classes,
all industrial pursuits and interests; spirit that
comprises in its expansion all past, present. and to
come of the independence and happy prospects of
this broad land-this glorious Union. In word, l
speak m an american SPIRIT.
III G Constitution never could have intended this
discriminating policy in duties imports, because
| e IL Il
il could be pretended to be so construed, we would
have to go behind the instrument itself TO the equal
rights of the People and the States that formed it,
a standard of redress-a test too plain and Just for
the pretenson to stand. know it has been argued
that policy and expediency demand discrimination,
and il is expected that the Constitution, heretofore,
must bend to both No such thing. We will none
of it, Policy we are always talking Of policy-a
word in great demand do not much like it; it
might be called an indefnsfn of vague, crooked
features but hnesse prominent one; 1t has an air OF
roguery about il at times it should not be at home
in Republics wish would think less about such
a hackneyed, perverted available of wiseacre legis-
lation. Let have the unpublished, untainted, I'M
twisted policy Of plain, direct truth. The word, to
my mind conveys the idea OF hoch-potch, tortuous,
scheming or hatlng between wisdom and cunning
Honesty is the best policy" the old adage says,
and Why because honesty is no policy at all Pol
ICY petition, and privilege have given the good Peo-
pie Of this Union no little trouble during their day,
and are not satisfied yet Thej are curious trio,
having engendered each other, and amalgamate into
and re-ens gender each other all the time policy and
petition producing privilege, and privilege and Pc
uton reproducing policy, and policy and privilege
producing petition; and so they go on producing and
reproducing constantly to the serious annoyance Of
the peace and well-being Of the People. And what
is still more curious these worthless have produced
the discriminating protection tariff bills now under
discussion presenting to vision the very striking,
and if they go into effect the very touching, features
of the privilege famlly--a family that seem deter
mined to barrack the labor of the country long
as they are permitted to nAic the imposition which
will be, it may be supposed, until the People distl
into Congress- through the alembic of the baot-box,
as much wisdom will oblge this ioahng family TO
go to work and maintain themselves or starve.
have always been surprised, Mr. Chairman, that