Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1843-07-08

Ut dry. TO amend and alter them at pleaHur
d. On such 4 subjeet Il can hardly be nsees#a
n 10 turn tho intelligent reader TO m author
]. on Constitutional Law. Mr.. Story In
I'd Commentaries On tho t.vnatitul ion, (voI.
chap. 81, 1909 speaking In reference to Il
subject, says:
10 "The power TO make treaties,' In. by 1
n Constitution, general i and Of course II 81
braces oil sorla Of treaties for pence or wa
n for commerce or tarritory for alliance Or 81
h cours /; for indemnity for injuries or payne
Of debts for the recognition and enforc
ment Of principles Of public law and r
II any other purposes which the policy OF iniere
Of independent sovereigps may dictate In thu
. intercourse with each other. But thong
the power IL thus general and unr,
: stricted, II IN not 10 be 30 col stried aa
destroy tho fundamental laws OF the Stat
I A power given by the Constitution cannot b
. construed 70 authorize a destruction Oh olhe
/, powers given IN the aame instrument.
tnuHt BIO construed, therefore. in suhurdinatio
TO Il |; and cannot Hupersedo or interfere wit
any other Of its fundamental provisions. Enc
IL equally obligatory, and Of paramount al
thority within 10 scope and no one embrace
0 right TO annihilato any other. A treaty /
change the form II the government, or ami
hiiato Ito sovereignty, 10 ovarturn liz rcpubli
car, form, Or 10 deprive IL Of Ito constitutions
powers, would BIO void ; because IL woul,
destroy what Il was designed merely 10 fu!hl
the will Of tho people"
do not understand, from the latest YER
sion of Mr.. Webster's Baltimore Speech
which ] have acen, that he deHires TO DO con,
sidered 40 coutroverting this doctrine, Or
the contrary, ! understand him expressly
to admit, thai, without the assent and actna
evaporation of Congress, by some Legislative
act modifying the Tariff and reducing The
dutioa TO alit the atipulations in The proposed
commercial arrangement, the latter would
not be- obligatory, no n constitutional n,odiG.
cation Of tho Tariff. In eurb a case, the mr..
rangement modifying the Tariff. would owe
al Ito efficacy, 10 far aa II might 10, TO eatab-
Iish new duties, or to repeal old onea, 10 tho
aci Of Congress. TO be passed IN pursuance
OF u. Does any man believe that the House
@: Representatives could possibly be induced
to pasa an act confirming the arrangement,
under the impression that such an act would
never DO repealed by the Representatives of
the People, without n breach OF national faith,
unless England assented to this change2
Mr.. Webster, in his speech, every where
prosents as his leading idea, that one of tho
principal benefits IL be anticipated from The
proposed commercial arrangement with En-
gland. would no the psrnsansncy Of the Tariff
thus to be established. He holds out to the
manufacturers, that, by THE means, and this
means alone, they can he quoted in their
Chains to protection, and exempted In future
from all fear Of change in the rates Of duties.
He paints strongly, ard not without a due re-
gard for truth too, tho apprehensions of the
manufacturers and mechanics on account Of
changes, whether fell or feared. He shows
the eyils resulting from political agitation Of
the subject OF protection, and the vacillating
policy Of government in this respect for many
years past. And he does all this, while he
IL himself doing more TO agitate, to unseitle
and to alarm every aensible manufacturer
and operative in the country. than anv !, an
has done before him, ainee the last Tariff
Act was passed. Before that Art has been
in operation one year, no himself, while
protesting TO be a friend Of the manufacturer
and the protection Of Home Labor, announ-
ces 10 the world that the law ii To be- assailed,
and is in danger from it's enemies /; and un-
der the p~retence OF friendship for the inte-
res, it secures, tells the people il IN best 10
It, and make anoti or Tariff. the de-
tails of which he does not even dare 10 give
us. Thus he agitates most while he most de-
nounces agitation. Every manufacturer who
has read his speech, and believed that his
for agitation will be adopted, has, as
4 matter OF course, set about preparing him.
self for the anticipated change, and has re-
solved TO stop in hia career.-Thus to some
extent, undoubtedly, the impetus given TO
he industry of the country by the law Of
1912, has been arrested by an agitators pro-
to consider agitation 40 one Of the
worst of evils TO the interests which he at.
'ecis TO espouse.
But now lef us Inquire a little further into
he efficacy of Mr.. Webster's remedy for agi-
atIon.-The permanency OF his tariff under
commercial arrangement, even supposing
he same could .e ratified by the Congress of
he United States, az he admits that it must
,e, IL to depend no, only oRAie primary ac-
ion Of the House of Representatives and
Tor it's adoption and force az a consii-
ional measure, but alao upon the steady sup
,ort and approval Of Congress in all time to
ONE. For it will not be denied, that, if the
ssent of Congress- be necessary, in the first
Instance, to give validity to the arrangement,
his, like every other legislative a which
Gan adopt, may by Congress be re.
oked or repealed. If this he a sound infer
nee. how can such a Tariff be more perma.
ent, or less liable to fuctuation and change.
a Legislative act of the same class
assed in the ordinary mode On the other
and. if the Ey-Secretary derives his idea of
ne superior permanency of such a comner-
ial arrangement over that ola common Tariff
wv, from any supposition or belief of his own,
rat Congress would consider such an ar
lngement more sacred, and that it would
be less liable TO be disturbed by )
ongress than a common law imposing duties
, foreign imports, what foundation has he
r such an opinion! Congress, when im- {
elled by a sense of duty to this country. vii
,odify and alter their Tariff avs, as long as
lie country shall endure. Every attempt to 4
liter them in the exercise of this power, so
ecessary to the welfare of their constituents,
be viewed by every sensible man among d,
lem with jealousy and alarm. And as surely :.
> the day arrives when any successful at '
shall be made by the President and Sem !
e to curb or restrict the legislative power I
Congress over this great subject, in refer
nee to which the Representatives ofthe Peo- h
are more sensitive than they are on any I
her that can be named. every man of spirit =
Id patriotism in the popular branch, no mat !,
II what political party he may be attached I,
!, will rush to the rescue and preservation 4
his power. when thus endangered. say, v
en- OF both political parties will make COM q
on cause in this matter. The Wing will
nd sufficient motive for his MOST vigorous .
lpport of the rights of the House of which
, is a member, in defence of the principle
protection. independently of all other con- I,
The Democrat must either aban- n
IN his name, and all the professions OF his ;.
.r'y since 1t had an e~xisIenees or he will be =