Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-01-16
SPEECH
OF MR.. a. STEWART,

TANIFFs
Delivered in the House of Representatives of the
United States, on Tuesday, the 9th Of Dec, lS45.
The House having under consideration the
resolutions to refer that portion Of the
Presidents Message in relation 10 the
Tariff 10 the Committee of Ways and
Means
Mr.. Stewart moved to amend tho resolu.
ton BY inserting thereafter Instructions to the
committee to report "as the sense of this
House that the tariff of 1S42 ought not to be
disturbed" In supporting this motion, Mr..
s. said, that he thought the House ought to
meet this question at once, and give an cx-
preston of its views and purposes. The
people had heard with alarm the language of
the Executive Message on the subject of the
tariff. Mr.. S. was in possession of letters
Just received from individuals who had com.
mcnced manufacturing establishments, and
who wished 10 know whether it would be
safe for them to proceed. Their inquiry Of
him was, what was going to be done p
Whether the entire system of protective pol
icy was to he overturned, as had been recon-
mended by The Executive! That inquiry
was coming up from all parts of the country /;
he could not answer them; and he thought
il the duty Of this House to reply to these
inquiries, and to let the people know at once
whether the policy Of protecting American
industry was to be subveried or established.
Surely il was their obvious duty to come up
to the question fairly and openly, and at once.
and give distinct expression Oftheir views.
1t had been intimated by a gentleman from
Alabama, over the way, (Mr. Payne,) that
the report from the Secretary Of the Treas
ury was a most extraordinary document
Extraordinary it certainly was, and many
new and very extraordinary doctrines did il
contain. Mr.. S. concurred very heartily
with the gentleman in thus mnch Of what he
had said. The report was a document set
ting forth doctrines in political economy
such as never before had been promulgated
by any authorized officer of Government,
and the positions there assumed were such as
had startled the country. 1t was therefore
manifes,ly proper and highly obligatory on
this body that IT should give as prompt an
expression as possible of its views and inten-
tion in the premises. Mr.. S. proposed to
draw for,, TO view, ard to public examina-
si0n. in as brief u manner as he could, some
OF tnpSe Opinions anu uOCIlIUPS.
The first doctrine winch he should notice,
and whicI, was most distinctly avowed in the
SecretarY's report, was that the protective
policy was unconstitutional. and If so, there
must be an end of it. The Secretary said
expressly that the tariff Of 1912 was "too
unequal and unjust, too exornilant and OPP
pressive, and too clearly in conflict with the
fundamental principles of the Constitution
These we're his express words, that. the
tariff of 1912 was clearly in conflict with the
fundamental principles Of the Constitution
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 protection was not in this Govern
ment. HIS report says:
IA martial and total prohibition are alike in rio
iation of the true object of the taring po,rer. The
only differ in degree, and not in principle. Ii III
revenue limit may he exceeded one per cent, it ma
be exceeded one hundred. If il may he exceeded NJ
on any one article, II may be exceeded on a. an
there is no escape from this conclusion but In cor
tending that Congress may lay duties on all article
so high as 10 collect no revenue and operate as tot;
prohibition.
"The Constitution declares that 'al bills for raisln
revenue shall originate in the House of Represents
tives. tariff Till, it is conceded, can only orglna
in the House, because II is bill for raising rerenu
That is the only proper object of such bill. tart
is a bill 10 LAY and colec taxes II is bill for raj
ing revenue /; and whenever it departs from that oil
ject tchoie or in part either by total or partial pre-
hibon, il riolates the purpose ofMs granted poicer
Mr.. S. here referred to the message
Washington, Jefferson, Madison and Nor
roe, all Of whom over and over again. in ii
strongest and most emphatic language, urge
upon Congress the propriety of protectiu
domestic manufactures. He then came
the message of Gen. Jackson--a name wIic
he should suppose, would still have SON
small measure Of authority, AT least with lhos
who once protested themselves pre- eminen
iy his friends. Mr. S. would place in dlslin,
and open contradiction the opinions held b
the present Executive and his Secretary
the Treasury, as contained in the message
tho one and the report Of the other, and Il
opinions of Andrew Jackson as contained
his Executive message to Congress. He ha
already presented the doctrines of the exis
ing Administration as they were embodied
the report Of the Secretary Of the Treasur
He would now proceed to read par
graph from the message of President Jac
son. by way of refreshing gen,lemen's recc
lection as to what had been the opinions
this subject avowed by that distinguish
man. Mr. S. considered the passage he W
about to quote as containing one of the clea
est and s,ronges, vindicaiions of the cons
iu,ional power to lay duties, for the purpo
Of protection. that had ever been pu, forth
the world. Here il is:
"The power ~ impose duties upon imports origna
belonged TO the several STATES. The right 10 adj
these duties, with view to the encouragement of {
nestle industry, i 20 completely lndenllcal with Il
power, thai il is difficult to suppo,e the existence of
one without the other. The States have delega
their whole authority over imports to the Gene
Government, without llmrnon or restriction saw
the very nconsidernble reservation relating TO the
spection laws This authority having thus entf
passed from the States the right 10 exercise il for
purpose of protection does exist in them; III
cOnseq emily, il II be not possessed by the Gene
Government, il must be exiinc. Our political syst
would thus present the anomaly of people strip
of the right to foster their industry, and to COZ
teract the most selfish and destructive policy VIII
might he adopted by foreign nauons. This sur
cannot he The case this indispensable power Il
surrounded by the States, must be within the scop,
authority on the subject expressly delegated 10 q
eress In this conclusion ] am confirmed, us well
the opnions of Presidents Washington, LETTERS
Madison, and Monroe, who have each repeaie
yecommen led this right under The Consii ul'n. ms
the uniform practice OF Congress the continued nc,
sscence Ct the States. and the general understand
OF The people, .Jacksons second annual Messag
Yet now Congress was to learn, for
first time, by Executive instruction, that d
possessed no constitutional poTer 10 prot