Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-12-09

10 De as well UNDERSTOOD as any OlneT III
the English language from which it was
taken. From the time of the Tudors and
Stuarts down, the protection of home pro-
ducts was sought to be established by reg
uidtions of trade: and in the controversies
that preceded the Revolution the leading
men of those days OTIs and ADAMS, and
other great patriots of their day, while
they denied the right of England to lay
duties upon American importaiions, to fill
her treasury at home and support her own
government, fully recognized her right to
regulate trade ard thus to protect manu-
| features.
Gentlemen, need not dwell on this part
Of the case, because, gentlemen, son of
Essex-a distinguished native of your
county-now member of the Senate of
the United States-I mean Mr.. Choate,
in speech which he delivered in the Sen
ate in 1912, has placed this subject on an
unmovable foundation: (Cheers.) History
also instructs us on this point clearly. |
have already said that before the adoption
of the present constitution, the States
could lay duties of import. But every
State only for itself, and therefore lie sys-
tenn became very inconvenient, States
which had manufacturers to encourage, in
laying duties for that purpose, exposed
themselves to the successful competition of
other States who had not manufacturers,
and whose ports were therefore open to all
sorts of importations. Why, if any one
will 60 back to the history of these times,
he will see the impossbility of any State
encouraging its own products of any kind
whilst other States acted for their interest
on an entirely different system. / might,
without invidousness, aude to the rela-
tons that then existed between the large
State of Massachusetts and the State of
Rhode Island. Suppose Massachusetts had
at that time domestic industry to protect
I put a hypothetical case only--and that
Rhode Island had none. Well, then, if
Massachusetts imposed duties for the pur-
pose of shutting out articles which she her.
self produced at home, for the purpose of
encouraging her laborers; the port of New
port was open TO the taxed articles of for
eign produce--nothing could accomplish
the purposes of Massachusetts but a
GORDON of custom house officers all round
the State. 1t was then found quite impos-
sible by separate State taxation to accom-
plish the great end: thus in Massac huse,ts-
address an assembly in Massachusetts
and can appeal to old Massachusetts prnci-
ples-and thus in Massachusetts say that
this very consideration produced with
Massachusetts men as much disposition as
any other cause whatever, to come with
the other States into a general constitution
and TO confer on the Congress that should
be created under that Constitution, pow
err of laying duties, uniformly, throughout
the whole country.
Now, gentlemen. that is one of the mos,
instructive periods of our history-that
which elapsed between the year SO and
the adoption of our present constitution
because it shows how impossible the States
found it to take care of themselves indi-
vidually in matters of Commerce. Mr.
, Webster here made some remarks on a
letter written by DIR. Franklin on this sub
ject whilst Governor of Pennsylvania, ad
dressed to the Convention assembled in
Philadelphia in May, 1887, for the pur.
pose of framing the constitution. lie
showed that Dr. F. held the same view:
which he (Mr. W. advocated. Mr.. w
also entered into lengthe ned detail of the
proceedings of the conventions of the mer
chants and ship builders, and of the me
chanics and tradesmen of Boston, who as
sembled at the same period, for the purpose
of petitioning the old Congress for protec.
, ton. These movements, he commended, ex
ercised very important influence on the
: ratification of the Constitution. He then
proceeded Now, gentlemen, if we look
10 the debates in all those Conventions
to the expositions Of all the leading men o
: that period--we will find that every where
it was held out as great reason for adopt
T ing the Constitution, that it would give
reasonable and fair favor and encourage
J. ment to all the home industry of the coun
s try. The power then is in the Constitution
r The question is as to the expediency of il
d fair exercise. Allow me to say, again,
Y am for nothing excessive. l wish, in III,
exercise of this and all other powers abou
which persons differ, much moderation. II
q laying tariff for the encouragement Of
e our manufactures we must remember tina
J there is a shipping and mercantile interest
] and both the one and the other must be
. looked TO with care and impartiaty.
r desire for the importing class fair, just
I equal law. / desire nothing excessive.
wish all the laws regulating imports to bt
= framed with great care and impartiality-
4 that there should be no raps-nothng un
. expected--nothing springing up agains
men engaged in the importing business o
d the country. But then think that in il
: moderate exercise this power of laying du
j. ties is expedient and calculated to secur,
the good of The whole country. In the
: first place let me remark upon the extreme