Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-09-22


"Mr. Clymer though, the encouragement OF
The western country was suicide on the part OF
the Old States. Itae Siatcs hare such different IN
tereas That they cannot be left 10 regulate their opn
manufactures without encounterns The interests
OF other States, il isproof they are not fiji 10 COM
pose one nation.
"Mr King was afraid that the regulation moved
by Mr.. Sherman would too much interfere irith The
poliey Of The States rcspScting their manufactures
Which may be necessary. REVENUE, He REMINDED
THE House, WAS THE osJEcT OF THE GENERAL LE-
olsLATUKE."
Here we find that The motion 10 make the pro-
hibi,on upon the States 10 lay imposls, OF duties
on imports, absolute, was resisted upon the
ground that particular States might desire 10 lay
them for the encouragement OF certain manulac-
lures, for which they enjoyed natural advana-
ges. Well, what was the reply? Was il thai
power was already conferred upon The Genera
Government TO levy imposts Tor that purPose!-
that when levied by Congress they would be
much more efficacious, and therefore there was
no occasion 10 reserve the power 10 the Saes!-
This unquesonaby would have been the con-
elusive reply il the facts would have justified il.
A like reply was always lavorile one IN The
Convention in similar cases. Very many exam
pies might be given Of this; the debates are iull
Of them. In The proceeding which took place
Immediately before the one 10 which am refer
ring, this reply was given.
Mr. Madison moved 10 insert after the word
"reprisal," in The 10Th section Of the Isl article OF
the Constitution as it now stands, the words nor
lay embargoes" "He insisted that such acts by
The States would be unnecessary, impolilic and
unju.'." S,,.. ,,r,, ;.
tain this power in order TO prevent suffering ana
injury 10 their poor"
nMr. Gouverneur Morris considered The pro-
vision as unnecessary; the power OF regulating
trade between Stale and State, already vested in
the general legislature being sufficient"
And in The case We are considering il the men,
bers OF The Convention had supposed that the Ge-
neral Government possessed The power 10 levy I'M
posts Tor The purposes OF protection, The reply to
Colonel Mason would have been not only that The
power already conferred upon The general lessIa.
lure was sufficient for tina, purpose but that, be-
ing vested there, il could be much more efficient
ly exercised by il than The SlaleS-so much more
so, that even if reserved 10 The States il would mol
bs exerrd. But SO far from This being The answer,
one is given which shows in The clearest manner
the inexpediency of comforting upon the General
Government any such power; and thai The power
actually conferred was for revenue purposes, and
for revenue purposes only.
Mr.. Madison knew that the several States were
suited for manufactures, and prepared 10 engage
in them in different degrees. And he saw that
such OF them as enjoy great natural advantages,
and were in other respects better fitted 10 com.
mence manufacturing, would &c, the start Of those
who were not so much favored; after which, any
protection TO the latter BY imposts would be I'M
availins, which did not secure them as we'll
against The competition OF The former As OF 10,
reign nations. Our subsequent experience has
demonstrated the soundness Of these views. Let
me put il 10 any member whose constituents have
no, yet entered upon manufacturing II they de-
sire 10 do it, against whom will They most require
professionalism States Of this Union, or foreign
nations? If Ohio desired to-day TO engage in
manufactures, whose competition would she have
most cause to fear-that of Old England, or New
England7 As 10 my own Stale, and more parti-
cularly as 10 my own district, can speak with
confidence. We manufactured 10 a much greater
ex,ent-including household manufacture-be
lore The era OF Protective Tariffs than we do now;
and the trades and mechanic arts were much
more fourshins. As young man as am,
can recoect when The poor women in The country
made good living 10y spinning and wearing
The only way almost in which they can be suitably
and comfortably mployed, as long IS they remain
in the country, where they ought 10 be permitted
10 reman ana ri,sro -car,riy Ia ally -L;-I
was not 10 great extent, clolhed-and most neat
" and WELL clothed-in linens and woollens OF
household manufacture; whereas now scarcely
ever see roll OF homemade linens or woollens,
and none in The stores Tor sale, where formerly
they were constantly found. And as TO the me-
chanics their business is almost entirely broken
upby Yankee competition. can recollecl when
eyery neiehborhood had lis shoemaker, It's laiior,
;is saddler its halter; but now our shoes, our
clothes our hats, our saddles, our axes, hoes-a'-
most everything made in a blacksmhs shop; IN
tact, almost everything made by the mechanics
brought from the North.
Mr. Madison and The trainers OF The Consltu-
ton lo.esaw that protection by The General Co.
vernmenl would no! operate equally throughout
The Union, and that TO make il etfectua in many
OF the States, il would be necessary to levy du-
ties not only upon impor,alions from foreign ma
tons but from The sister States. This latter he
was unwilling 10 do for the reasons assigned.
From these proceedings, il appears that Mr..
Madison desired 10 make the prohibition on the
States for laying imposs absolute. But 1t was
objected that some of the States might desire 10
impose them for The purpose OF en- .ouraSins their
manufactures To this il was not repled-as II
would have been il it could have been with truth
that the power 10 do that was vested in The &C.
neral Government, where il would be much more
ehecua On the contrary Mr.. King, who was
friendly 10 retaining The power for the States, said
expressly that revenue was The object Of The pow
er in the General Government. The convention
refused 10 make the prohibition absolute But 10
obyiate the objection that some OF the States, IN
der the prelext Of encouraging their manu- actures,
would lax their neishbors who imported through
their ports-as New Jersey, for instance, through
| Philadelphia and North Carolina through Nor
| tok-lhev were required no, only Ia get the con-
sent of Congress, but 10 carry The proceeds ol the
duties into The common treasury. And this was
done in the teeth OF the argument OF Mr.. Cymer
already quoted, and the objection of Mr.. King,
that il "would too much interfere with the policy
of the States respecting their manufactures"
Colonel Mason, who was one OF the greatest
men in that age OF great men, and v no was as
remarkable for his republican simplicity as Tor
his great political sagaciy and wisdom, agreed
with Mr. King He knew that The power 10 levy
mposts, delegated to the General Government,
was only for revenue purposes; and he thought
tina, the restrictions proposed would so trammel
the States as in fact 10 exlnguish the power 10
levy duties on imports for the encouragement OF
manufactures. He had shown himself through
out the convention 10 be friendly 10 that object;
and after he had found, as he thought, that all
other modes had failed, he proposed, as will here
after appear, a voluntary association OF members
of the convention for the purpose. From all
this, il is clear that The power 10 levy imposls for
the purpose Of protection is not vested in The Ge-
neral Government, but that il was reserved 10 The
States 10 enable them 10 encourage their manu-
faclUreSi ana the IeStIlCiiuuS IoHlaiheo III Ue
Constitution were designed 10 prevent the perver-
sion of the power. Now, il the proeclioniss in
this House are willing 10 confne themselves TO
this only constitutional mode, am sure that we,
on this side will inierpose no obstacle We will
give them at once the consent Of Congress Ia le-
Wv, under the restrictions of the Constitution, as
high duties in their own ports as they please
And as il is for the encouragement OF their ma
nufaclures, and not ours, they ought TO regard
this proposition as reasonable. II is true, the du-
ties collected will go into the Federal Treasury;
but as these gentlemen have assured us through
out this debate that these duties come out OF the
foreigner, and not the home consumer, they will
not object to Ibis. orc mol, il they believe IN
the truth Of their argument.
But they will object 10 it. It will moi answer
their purpose 10 tax solely their own people 10 en-
courage their own manufacturers. No; what
hey desire is, to TAX our people for their benefit
They want, compel US to purchase Their fabrics
al higher price than we can gel them elsewhere;
and # they can do that, it is matter Of ndfier-
ence to them il they destroy our commerce, I'M