Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1844-07-09
COMMUNICATIONS.
To the Editors If tic Enquirer; o..
Mrcyr rHnrRG CO. Jnnc % ISL

On our Inst Court dav il was announced that IN
Wing Ele',;or (Mr. lrvins) was on the ground
and would address tho people on The political topics
OF the dsy.
Accordingly, in The afternoon, upon the adjourn
meni of Court, he commenced his speech in sup
pott OF some OF the principles when en- er INTO the
election OF the Wing candidate for the Presiden-
cy. He commenced by stating, as ground o.
complaint, that when the Wings came into pow
er they received no support from the opposite par
IT, in their endeavorng TO rinsaie The credit OF
the Government: but, on the contrary were Ge-
nounced for all their efforts in rees!abli>hing The
financial condition Of The country. They found
the Government in debt. with no money on
hand, and the Only alternative LETT, was al IL
crease OF The tariff to raise revenue or The sup
port of the Government. Ia doing This, he boldly
maintained the constiulionality and expediency
OF the whole protective system. And among the
new arguments ofthe day upon this subject, which
AZ least deserves the character OF originality. he
commended, that the power was derived from thai
system oil the Government which had always
been observed in the protect N suen To American
seamen in the navigating laws OF the country
that every other trade and description oi persons
were equally entitled proieciicnthataSricul
received its protection in the duty on sugar: cot
ton, wheat hemp, &c.
lie labored 10 prove, that the consumer did mol
pay The duty on the articles bonghi, and that high
duties made low prices; that as the duty ascend
ed the price reduced. and that it was frequently
nominal This part OF his argument seemed 10
he contrary 10 the common sense doctrine Of The
plain planners who composed part Of his audi
tory-who always believed, when they bought al
arliclcof the merchant with the duty on, they &C.
morally had 10 pay the cost Of it with the duty
charged.
He next took up the subject OF Texas, to the
annexation of which 10 the L. S. he seemed to be
opposed altogether. He assumed the grounds &C.
Morally taken by the opponents. thatit would be
breach of faith, and consequently war with Mex
leo: that there was an annisice (ot this he spoke
} which acknowledged state OF hos
tilic> bciweca the parties; that if desired on the
part of the South, with the view Of strengthening
her representation, it would have the contrary cl-
feet that Of reducing il, by Withdrawing OIL the
population OF the old States: that he wished The
terms inserted in the treaty; that the North had
the power, and would not adlni, her, but upon her
own terms.
He prolessed 10 know but little of Mr.. Polk
considered him much inferior 10 Mr. Clay III
point OF abilities; that nc was remarkable for his
serviily TO Gen. Jackson, and voted Tor the force
bill.
Mr. NJ Alexander rose 10 reply, and exposed 10
the satisfaction of his hearers generally, il is be-
lieved, the fallacy of the doctrines which Mr.. !.
had advanced He followed him through each
STEP showing that the Wings when
they came into power, deserved not the support OF
the country. having faisifcd all their pledges to
the public, OF economy, reform and rctrenchment
which led 10 the election Of General HARRISON
that their leader Immediately sci about to force
upon the people, measures highly obnoxious 10
them in opposition 10 which the claims OF Gen.
Harrison 10 the South were chiefly urged. lie
Mr. A. held the Bank and the distribution OF The
public lands to be unconstitutional measures, ana
lraught with most dangerous consequences. lie
the Tariff act Of 1872 passed more
with the view 10 protect domestic manufactures,
Than 10 raise revenue to pay of the debt contracted
By the preceding Administration. which had been
much increased since b.; the Whgs-that they
had violated their plighted faith in departing from
the principles of the Compromise Act, which, II
il had been permitted TO remain in operation, with
proper economy would have hecn sufficient for
all necessary purposes; and, if Dot, they were
bound bv lis principles TO have laid the duties
upon the unprotected class OF articles, exempted
chiefly Tor the benefit of the manufacturers.
The argument drawn from the protection gwen
TO the navigating n.cres, of the country, IN favor
of the cons,iluliona!ity Of the system, was no
less strange than new, when Congress was cX-
pr.sslv authorized BY the Constitution 10 regulate
commerce with foreign nations. and among Inc
several States" and had acted solely with mat
view in all their laws upon the snblcct. Ills own
views Of the constiInionaliiy OF the system haa
been expressed many years since III Inc congress
of the United States, 10 winch ne would refer,
having seen no reason TO change them since
After the reueated declarations OF the Legislature
of Virginia upon the subject. and the Southern
States generally he did not expect at ms day 10
have heard in This region, from Republican, an
open ayowal of the right OF protection advocated
As 10 agriculture receiving protection nom
the duty on sugar wheat. cotton &c., he coula
inform the gentleman how they came to he DONE
not that the Wing or Tariff party were deslrouS
for it. but 10 give color on their part OF protecting
equally every interest, and to bride certain States
in favor of the system, where the articles were
grown. The Southern party opposed the sys-
tenn. protested at the time against the duty, as al
foniino no protection TO the wheat or cotton grow
ixg country, and that in fact they did not ask II al
their hands Their principle was, TO lay moderate
duties upon all articles for the support OF The Co
vernmcnl, which gave necessarily incidental pro-
lection to manufactures, 10 which they never OF
jecied.
low nr;ccs il scarcely deserved consideration
If so. why ask theme The fact they knew TO be
otherwise. The common sense OF every merchant
and trader taught them better aud although II
sometimes happened, that articles were soid al
cost, or less than cost it was not owing al all 10
the duty In general the price Of all goods de-
pend, like every thing else, upon the supply ana
The demand When the market is Jul, prices
will 90 down with loss ofproft 10 the manuiactu-
rer. 1t is a common custom with the FOREIGN
after their orders are filled up a,
regular prices having surplus on hand, 10 send
them abroad into the markets, and sell them ior
what they will bring. paying the duty, &c-these
coming in competition with the domestic article
reduces them in price, BY taxing OH
some OF the large profits, and hence Is claii
the benefit of low goods by high prices nc idli
is also produced by improvement in macnihery,
low wages, abundance of capital in producing
and when these articles are repre-
scented in general as being lower, while the duty
i hirbcr it will he found 10 he chiefly low-prccd
cotions, caicoes and the like, which pay no duty,
because not imported, being prohiDi'ea py 'he
high duty upon them.
Mr.. A. here took up the Texas question, and
went into thorough examination OF it, and MADE
complete exposition OF the false grounds taken
by the opponents. He maintained, that II never
was party question till made so by mr.. Gay
and his friends, who, since his letter, had general
" acted together, and voted, as party, helI
former declarations and opinions 10 the contrary
Notwithstanding The friends of Mr., Van Buren
did not Stop 10 enquire what were his opinions
upon the subject, nor did they, when known. fal
hack and take sides with him. They met it as
became them. as a question of high concern &c
the whole Union, and important TO the South a:
one of selfpreservation and security.
Mr.. Clay, by his position, had arrayed The
North against the South, and thereby preclude
The possibility of anncxation-lhat he had adde9
10 the fame of Aboltion-and when he stated
that he was not in favor Of it, so long as il wa
opposed by respectable portion Of The eonfeder0
ton. he could have meant only the opposition airs
inc out of the abolition feeling 10 the North: Thi
was more manifest, when We saw J. q. Adam
telling Lewis Tappan to say to the British Minis
ter al the Worlds Convention, that it was tn
duiv of England to see that slavery was abolishe
in Texas: il abolished there, il would speedily lal
in the United States, and throughout the world.
Mr.. Webster comes 10 his aid. and says he i
against Texas. because Of The admission OF NOR
Slave States into the Union; and Mr. Clay IS see
putting the same arguments in their mouths, |!
Show the impolicy of the annexation from thi
10 thop sunk IN IN