Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1844-08-08
SPEECH OF MR.. RHETT,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
(CGnctdsded. J

have asked gentlemen TO show me sin
gle clause in. the constitution which, by the
remotest implication, justiiies the principle of
the protective p3l.cy, as have analyzed and
exposed it. Without looking into the constitu-
ton, it would be enough to know that it is the
constitution Of government for free people,
to be assured that it could contain no such
principle. It not only does not contain no such
a principle, but many of It's clauses directly re-
pudiate 1t. Wherever property is mentioned
in it, it is to aford guards for its protection,-
The person and effects of the citizen are pro-
tected from Unreasonable cezures'' The
trial by jury is guaranteed over twenty dollars,
for the trial of any right TO it, No state can
pass bills Of at;alnder &c post tscto laws; nor
can there be any forfeiture even for treason
except during the life Of the person attainted
The duties authorized to be levied by the gov
eminent must be ''uniform;" and :'priyate prop
erty" cannot be taken ''for public use witout
just compensation" Here the power to take
private property for public use is expressly for
hidden without just compensation. / have
shown that, BY the protective policy, private
property is taken for private use without com
pensation. But why dwell on particular pas
sages OF the constitution! Its whole history
Its whole scope-shows that it was ordained
by the States, SO far as its internal operation is
concerned, to establish free and untrarnmelled
intercourse, both as to persons and property.
between the people Of the United States To
this end ''cltzens in one Safe are entitled to
the privileges and inmunties of citizens in the
several States" M State can lay import or
export duties. The State lines are broken
down, in the free intercourse of individuals,
and the transmission Of property, from one end
of the Union TO the other. Sir, the constitu-
ton Of the United States is the graadest NON
ument Of free trade, and its mighty and happy
influences, the world has ever seen It is by
its free trade principles that our unparai-
lelled prosperity, our internal peace, our Union
itself, mas endured Before the constitution
was made, each State in the Union was erect
ing barriers against free trade, such as the ad-
vocates of protection would now build up a.
gainst foreign nations. The constitution le-
yelled them ali; and in this only, consists its
internal value and glory. When, therefore,
we near men denounce free trade, can they
understand or revere the constitution? Do
they design to destroy it, Put Us back to
where we were before the constitution was
made, with State custom-houses in every port,
and revenue officers on our State lines, and
tectiva policy is wise and just with foreign ma
tons, it must be equally 50 between the States;
for there is far more intercourse and aft lity of
interest between portions of the United States
and foreigl nations, than between different por-
tons of the Union Charleston and New Or
leans have more direct and extensive inter
course with Liverpool and Havre, than with
Boston and New York. Let US carry the pro-
hon, IL.
States, as well as with foreign nations. Re-
peal the free-trade features Of the constitution;
and let the South dam out, by prohibitory du-
ties, to encourage her own, the manufactures
of the North, as they propose to exclude from
from our ports the cheaper manufactures of for
eion nations. We would only be doing TO-
wards them, what they d. towards US, hy the
arm of the general government How would
these consistent and patriotic advocates for pro-
lection like their doctrine in this application
Jfthey now threaten disunion, because we pro-
nose 10 stop the tribute eXacted from us to sun
port their pampered, but corrupt prosperity.
tvbat would they say, when their doctrine is
,v;elded against them, and our markets are
,lasad to their manufactured Sir, value and
.s.verencs the constitution in all its provisions.
-, asnecially in its free trade features; and [
ohhor the pIotoOtafO. P14tCJ HuOtHcI applied
hetyeen the States Of the Union or foreign ma
tons. In my opinion, it has guaranteed free
trade trade excepting g far Is revenue duties may
In but with all the nations of the earth. 1t
1 abused to suppose that principle which
coastitutes the 1fs and v;g5r of the eonstitu-
ti,n in its internal relations, and which is e
anally applicable and beneficial in our foreign
iJ i.,;oos was not intended for both, by the
f-a,,ers Of the constitution. It is Absurd to sup
n ~ that govern aeat made by equals, can
Iegitimasely Be used 70 agg[aadlse portion Of
~ false to suppose that a government, made 70
vo 1 properly, can confse4e i, or distribute
omonrst its citizens, in the tyraanical effort
a,ls their condition aad f,rtune5 Such a
.iiaar1neat " nd Be FL only for one use--to
esdeztr,yed, and held up forever amongst the
D ~ # the earth, as moau aeat Of unpar,
s,lsled wiekedaess. wanton oppression, and
- 80. stnpeadous folly
NM NJ Chairman, we would be doing our fell