The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-27
MIR. SHADES SPEECH
OF THE TARIFF BILL, IN COMMITTEE OF
rHR WHOLE on THE STATE op THE
UNION, JULY, IL, 1912.

UNION, JULY, IL, 1912.
Mr.. SLADE said it was not his intention
10 obtrude himself long upon the attention
ofthe committee He had had the honor at
nm early part Of the session, 10 address the
House at considerable length on the subject
Of protecting tariff, and did not deem it
necessary 10 60 again into the general sub
ipct. He rose mainly for the purpose OF
Ealing the attention ofthe committee to the
subject of wool and woollens, and Of urging
II 10 such action as should give efficient
protection to these great interests. Before
proceeding TO this, however, he would take
The liberty TO dwell for few moments, up
On one or two points having more general
connexion with the subject under discus
sion.
have been surprised, said Mr.. S. 10 OBJ
serve how harshly The word p election CRATES
upon the ears of many gentlemen here. Sir.
what is this protection, about which SO much
&c said, and the bare mention of which so
much excltes the sensbilities of gentlemen
Ii is such an exercise of the power Of this
government ''to lay and collect duties and
lmposts," as shall interpose a check to the
importation of the productions of foreign
skill. capital, labor and machinery, to the
end that the skill, capital, labor and ma
chinerv of our own citizens NAV be shielded
from ruinous foreign competition, and have
fill and profitable employment in supplying
or own wants. This is protection. The
fathers so understood it more than forty
years ago, and talked of it and legislated
upon it with as little doubt of it. con.titu-
uonallty, as they had of the constitutionality
declaring war and making peace.
The necessity for this kind of protection
VAS. "a every body acquainted with the his
tory of that period knows, one of the lea
ding motives for the Formation of the Con-
>tution; and the moment the government
me INTO existence, the people turned to it
ios le fuilment of this great purpose, with
- ln,inct as strong ana unerring as that
winch draws the infant TO its mothers arms
fr naurishment and protection. Their
''s'-ossrs under the exhausting process of
free trade" with Great Britain, and their
--nse Of the Constitutional power of this
government to afford relief, and of the in
rspensable necessity of its InterpOSItlon,
ere full, and clearly expressed in petitions
o numerous 'tradesmen. mechanics and
manufacturers" of Baltimore, New York
and Boston, which | read to the house on
The occasion of addressing it on this subject
IN the early part of the present session.
The speech in which embodied the sub
stance of these petitions was published in
the Globe Of the l4th and 9Th of March
and beg to refer all who may desire TO see
PLAIN, convincing. common sense argu-
ment for the existence of the power of ''Pro-
lection" in this government, and the abso-
ute necessity for It's exercise, to those petit
tF-17, as there presented. To my mind,
they carry with them more fore, than all
the labored reasonings have ever heard or
read upon the subject.
| need not saw that these petitions met
With cordial reception by the first Con-
gress. Its ear was open to their prayer,
and its legislation came promptly to the re-
lief of the petitioners in an act TO which IT
iffi1ed the true, and honest, and constltu
honal name of an act for ''the encourage
Hent end protection Of manufactures"
lspeak of protection" as being clearly
constitutional; not because there is in the
constitution any express grant OF such
| power, but because it forms. of necessity, an
essential element of the government. The
power granted in the constitution ''to lay
ahd collect taxes duties, !mposts and ex-
Uses TO pay the debts. and provide for the
common defence and general welfare of the
United States" necessarily implies the pow
CT to do 1t for this purpose, because such is
'4e purpose for which it is universally exer-
clseo, by every authority which can be call
ri government; and because the only
means OF doing 1.-THE imposition of duties
on ImPorts-has been wholly transferred
nom Inc states TO the government of the
Union. The inference from this. of the
power of protection is irresistible. Notb;no
tut an express prohibition to exercise the
'svenue power for this purpose could nepa
I'VE the inference; d every one who should.
iof Inc irst time, come to look at this sub.
!sc' and hear the right of protection denied
eould instInctvely ask-where is the 6mita.
sTn where IN the constitution is the pro.
.pHOa to exercise power SO plainly infer.
t . from the expressly granted power of
i!lng and collecting duties, to provide for
NJ ~ common defence and general welfare,
~. l al the same time, SO indispensable to
discharge of the appropriate functions of
, government?
nat Is government worth unless il has
: power OF protection1 And what case can
,.; imagined, in which its exercise is more
5s stgi than in this What A PEG
MI ected TO commercial intercourse
ee, 'gn nations exhausting theirresour-
I'll" PaFalyzlng their industry as GER