The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1845-12-23

the fundamental principles oil the Consll-
tuition; and he had made an argument to
prove this. He quoted the Constitution,
and then argued, by way of inference,
that the power to lay duty for protec-
ton was not in this government. His
report says:
"a PARTIAL and TOTAL PROHIBITION
are ALIKE IN VIOLATION OF THE TRUE OBJ
JECT OF THE TAXING POWER. They only
differ in degree and not in principle. Ii
the revenue limit may be exceeded ONE
PER CENT. 1t may be exceeded one hun
dred. If it may be exceeded on any one
article, it may be exceeded on all; and
there is no escape from this conclusion
but in contending that Congress may lay
duties on all articles so high as to collect
no revenue, and operate as total prohi-
bition.
1.-The Constitution declares that 'all
bills for raising revenue shall originate in
the House of Representatives. A tariff
bill, it is conceded, can only originate in
the House, because it is bill for raising
REVENUE. This is the only proper object
of such bill. A TARIFF is A BILL to 'lay
and collect taxes 1t is bill for raising
revenue;' and whenever it departs from
that object, in WHOLE or in PART, either
by TOTAL or PARTIAL prohibition, 1T vIo-
LATE THE PURPos EoF THE GRANTED pow
Err"
Thus he held explicitly that duty
which went but one per cent beyond the
revenue standard was unconstitutional,
and that if Congress might add but one
per cent. to the amount Of duty necessary
for revenue, it might add hundred per
cent; and that if it might impose such
duty on one article, it might with equal
right impose it upon all other articles
whatever. The whole proceeding, whe-
ther in smaller or greater degree, the
Secretary maintained to be directly a
gainst the Constitution, and an act which
transcribed the power Of Congress TO
perform. That was the doctrine of the
report. Was it a doctrine which this
House meant to sustain! Would the
House express its concurrence in such
sentiments He trusted not The doc
trine was extraordinary, indeed. What,
the protective policy unconstitutional =
Then all those statesmen who had gone
before us had been open violators of the
Constitution Of their country. Had not
this very policy of protective tariff been
recommended to Congress by every sue
cessive Executive, from George Wash
ington down to and including Andrew
Jackson! If gentlemen would refer TO
the first and to the last communications
Of President Washington, they could per-
ceive that he had distinctly recommended
the adoption of such policy as among
the duties of Congress. Here are his
words
"The advancement of agriculture, COM
merce, and MANUFACTURES, BY ALL PRO-
PER MEANS, will not, trust, need recon-
mendation; but cannot forbear intimating
to you the cxpediency Of giving effectual
encouragement, as well as the introduc-
ton Of new and useful inventions from a.
broad as TO the exertions of skill and ge-
MUS in producing them at home. =
Washington's Annual Address.
"Congress has REPEATEDLY, and not
without success, directed their attention
to the ENCOURAGEMENT OF MANUFAC-
TUREs. The object is Of too much con-
sequence not to ensure continuance oil
their efforts in every way which shall ap-
pear eligible. wv Washington's last Annual
Address.
He was President Of the Convention
which had formed tho Constitution, and
must be presumed to have known some
thing about its meaning and intention.-
So, if they would examine the Execu-
tive Messages of President Jefferson
and Mr. S. presumed that gentleman, es-
pecially those of the Jefferson school,
would admit that he, too, knew something
Of the Constitution-they would find there
three successive recommendations Of this
same policy as among the highest duties
Of Government. Here are the opinions
of Jefferson. lie went to the extent of
absolute PROHIBITION
''To cultivate peace, and maintain COM
merce and navigation, in all their lawful
enterprises; to foster our fisheries, as nur-
series Of navigation and for the nurture of
man; and 10 project the manufactures
adapted 10 our circumstances; these, fel-
low-citizens, are the landmarks by which
we are to guide ourselves in all our pro-
ceedings. ."-Jefferson's second Annual
Message.
"The situation into which we have been
forced has impelled us to apply portion
of our industry and capital to national
manufactures and Improvements. The
extent of conversion is daily increasing,
and little doubt remains that the establish
ment formed and forming will, under the
auspices of cheaper materials and subsis-
tence, the freedom of labor from taxation
with us, and of protecting duties and