The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-09-09
THE TARIFF
MR.. wRIGHT's SPEECH,
Reported Jor Inc Daily Albany Argus
AT wArERrows.

popular institutions And when be had undertaken
10 tell them that with Us the people were not mere
subjects 10 be governed but part of the govern
meat itseliay, that all the government we had rest
I'd them as It's basis and received IFS direction from
their Wilt was statement which they seldom
failed to receive with Incredibly The proudest mo-
ment oi his life would be this, # he could have
intelligent citizen OF a the governments Of the
old world standing by his side, and could point him
10 this vast asemolasc, and AK him whether he dad
not think the American people felt that they were
part of the government of the country. Look (contn-
ued Mr. w., as # IN this imaginary position, and speak
ing TO foreign subject by his side look al this sky
which was still owerlDgl and at this assembled mul-
l,ude and tell me- according to your notions of gov
eminent, what has brough, this great here Z
Would he not believe that II is because in your
breasts rests the deep, abiding consciousness that
crisis has come IN the affairs Of government de-
manding your earnest, p.trotic attention, without
reference TO the character Of the weather The com
fort OF your position' Ay, II would be demonstra-
ton to such man, beyond the power of argument /;
and, fellow -eitzens, would that you had one more
competent than am to aid you in the discharge OF
your duty as ireemen Of this country Yet called on
as have been, with the utmost cheerfulness, as but
speck IN the debt OF gratitude oAe the Democracy
OF e State, and most especially TO The Democracy
of Jefferson, and Lewis, and Oswego, and st. Law
renee, will devote the strength Of my voice and the
best exertons OF my feeble mind.
Every election Mr. Wright went on) brings with
1t to issues of vast Importance, dividing the two
parties OF our country This election has brought
al ing with II, with many others much discussed be
fore you four years ago, one OF pervading and uni
versal int rest. | refer TO the question Of Tariff
1t is vast question question Of great compllca-
ton but believe with little of your calm dispas-
sioDate reflection, and a fair draft candor,
can arrive at conclusions clear and unqueslioned
even upon this intricate subject. What Continued
he) is the difference between the two parties this
subjects Our opponents tell us they in favor OF
"A Drot five lar "A tarlN hey
understand 1t, is source of almost every blessing,
individual ly aud collectively to every portion of the
whole country. That may understand each 9th
perfectly let us first ascertain, if we can what
we should properly understand by protective tariff
For believe brief examination will satisfy that
a confusion and misappcation of terms has produced
much difficulty on This great question as any other
cause But first, to remove from our way as Demo-
Gratis a stumbling block which our ingenious oppo-
nents place there-let US look at what they mean,
and how we should understand them when they tell
you that we the Free rade party OF the coun,
try, and refer you TO portion of our brethren at
the South who assume that name Ii is msappli-
cation Of terms to US. We know and feel it, We
are not in favor Of free trade, the proper, fair
and legitimate sense of hese terms Are our South
ern brethren so' Do they desire repeal of all du
ties, and that the necessary revenue shall be raised
by DIR, ct tax on property? l cannot answer any
farther than | am iniormed, but will give you IN
candor and frank less the Information have. | adj
ed politically with me the South, IT startled and
alarmed me. could not conceive that men of sense
of information Of extensive practical experience,
should have adopted notions of that stamp practical
BILE under enforcement On repairing TO ashington
at the commencement Of the last session, finding that
this subject must be pressed us for discussion and
action, went TO some of these Southern members
of Congress whom had known many years, men Of
truth and candor, and whom had thought men OF
sound views, and SAID, beg you to tell me- if you
have satis yourself that system is all
wrong-that should no longer tax foreign imports
to raise revenue to support Government, but have
direct Ia upon the property Of the country No.
said the Erst man asked, emit rain no such OPT
nion-never have, and know of none who do =
: Well, then, will you be good enough TO tell me
what you mean. You call yourself free trade man
do so, and mean this: am friendly TO having
the trade Of the country kept free it be kept
and raise the revenue necessary for the support of
Government and when il is SO, call il free Il ade
because IT IS as Tree institutions will permit
Then, sir, in fsvo of a tariff for revenue
and OF so much duty as may be necessary support
the Government TO be sure-as much SO as
YOURSELF And here was the explanation. Though
he called himself free trade anu anti tariff man he
was in favor of tariff for revenue, and opposed on
y 10 tariff laid for the purpose of protec ton
alone. This was the explanation gwen by all these
gentlemen of their positions as free trade men. IL
they were candd-f they told me the truth, they are
not free trade men, though they call themselves so.
For free trade necessarily implies entire absence
OF duties, and | have not yet met the first man ia
public life IN this Union, who will admit in converse
ton that he Is In favor OF such principle.
Mr.. w. went on 10 advert to another misappli.
cation Of terms He said TO these gentlemen thai he
was In favor OF a protective tariff and the reply
was, "you are IN favor OF a heresy, oppression an
Inequality ~ the administration oil the Government"
But what wa. protective tariff, IN the proper sense
of that term Ii tariff, IN his Judgment i'm.
~ eat al SIN nj tl.
ment with revenue, and SO arranged 10 protect as
far as they may be protected all the great interests
OF the countfy-the main and principal object Of
which should be revenue for he public Treasury 90
Even his Southern friend would tell him that he found
no fsu with lhat-but what he understood by a pro-
tective tariff would be tariff Of duties imposed not
to raise revenue for the Treasury but purely and
simply 10 protect certain iavorte aud particular IN
lerests t. the ejudce Of others. Neither was Mr.
w IN layorlo such tariff Here then was an caps
nation Of What Mr.. w meant by protective tariff
aud Of what his Southern ire6d meant by free trade
Where then was the d Inference between u.s.
Mr.. w stated what his rule would be in arranging
revenue tsrh. He would by no means Law the
same rate VI duty on every article Of importation
The thing was impracucable IN itself; because one
article would not bear ten per cent, until you pro-
hibrted 1t, d destroyed revenue Another would
bear fifty per cent, and yet the trade hold up
from the nature of the article II was absurd
in a revenue sense, TO say put a uniform duty
on both " Because, do that, and you either fail TO
get the revenue you want, you prohibit the impor
taton altogether. MIR w would then discriminate
according TO the nature Of the article. That would
be one ground Of discrimination. Another around
Every community con .umcd Of foreign imported ar
ucles, portion which really necessares Of
life, or have become so among all classes An
other portion we're omphaucally luXuries They
were purchased and consumed to crafty taste
the pride of dress, the pride Of living the STYLE of
our houses, equIpages, &c. Would he tar these two
classes alike to raise rovenue' Would he tax the No.
oessaries of lite which every man, woman AMI child
must consume, and the luxuries Of the rich equally
No. lie would tax the n,cessanes as lightly as he
could, and secure ltbe necessary revenue; end he
would tax the luxurIes as heavily as they could be
without destroying revenue by cutting up the trade