Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-08-20
TEE TARIFF.
MEMBER II.

MEMBER II.
Brother Farmers and You that Labor
No system can be an American system bu
one founded on equal rights
| The calling yoke of privileged classes drove
the first colonlsts from England to America
that they might throw it off and start fair, and
fresh, and free. Englshmen were taxed 1o
supporta church in which they did not believe;
exclusive rights and incorporate powers were
granted by The crown to prosecute certain
trades, to the injury of all not thus privileged
patents even covered the high seas, and direc-
ted shipsi in the course which they should take;
bounties were granted to some branches of in
dustry, which were paid by others perhaps
more needy; the minons of royalty had their
hands in every mans pocket, and were pilfer-
ing him of the wages Of his daily toll, under
the speclous gulse Of protection to some object
Of public usefulness and importance.
1t was to avoid this. that our ancestoss bra
we'd the tempests Of unknown seas, and endured
the prlvatlons of tho wilderness-that each
might enjoy his religious opinion-that each
might pursue that species of industry for which
God had given him an aptitude and circum-
dus'ry might no longer be prey to govern
ment oppression.
This was the condition Of the colonists-the
same was the condition Of the colonies-and
such the states. when they formed the federal
compact. supposed their condition to continue
to be. Equal rights to sll; exclusive privileges
to none, is the great fundamental principle Of
the Constitution. Let Massachusetts spin and
weave-let Virginia plant her corn and tobac-
co-let Carolina grow cotton and Louisan su
gar--let Ohio invest her capital in one species
of property and Georgia in another;-who dare
prevent them ?-wko dare question their right
to do 500 Let each state follow the bent Of
her own genius and that species of industry
which God has made it her interest to pursue !;
as would not interfere with her industry. so
ask that she would not interfere with mine
the great basis of our government and of Chris
tian ethics is the same-the doing unto others
as we would that they should do unto us. If
the cultivation of tobacco or the raising of
wheat should become improbable in Virginia,
as in fact it has, should we call upon Massa-
chusetts to tax her citizens to enable lis to pro-
secute its improbable production? Should we
not in vain knock at her door and ask her to ex
ciude foreign tobacco and foreign flour, if our
cultivation were rendered Improbable by COM
potion with foreign cultivation2 Would she
not answer, and justly answer, then get at
something else. if you cannot raise tobacco and
wheat at the same price that other people do,
and don't expect US to Cypress ourselves to sns-
tain vou-it is as much as we can do to sustain
ourselves:-f the direction of your induetry is
burdensome and oppressive TO you, we cannot
make it burdensome and oppressive to US, and
the less you are assisted, the sooner you will
change it, and the sooner it is changed, the
better it is for all:-there is a nation over the
sea that buys our goods and gives US twice as
much tobacco and wheat for the same amount
that you can give, and it is our interest to trade
with il, and not with you. Should we, then.
go TO the halls Of Congress, and complain that
the industry Of Massachusetts had refused to
make itself tributary to the industry of Virgin
ia, and ask that she might be compelled to do
500 Would she not Immediately lay her hand
upon the Constitution, say she was sovereign
state, and ask for the warrant by which her
citizens were TO be oppressed for the benefit Of
the citizens of Virginia? And is not a protec-
tive tariff, so far as these two states are con-
cerned precisely this, with their situations re
versed Massachusetts, has called upon Con
gress--aye, and succeeded in getting Virginia
taxed to support her Virginia
tells her that she can get twice the amount Of
cottons from England for the same amount of
tobacco and -four, if permitted to trade with
her-Virginia lays her hand upon the Constitu-
ton and asks for the warrant Of her oppression
she asks when, as a sovereign state, she
made the compact to stand by Massachusetts,
if Massachusetts could stand by her. whether
lit was understood that Massachusetts was to
be pensoner on Virginia s bounty. and whe
ther Virginia gave to Massachusetts the ex-
elusive right to manufacture, and bound herself
10 buy from Massachusetts, and no one else, at
whatsoever price she may ask for her goods.
If Virginia never made such an agreement,
what right has Congress to compel her to do 50
against her will ?-aye, even against her will,
much less to her injury. But they tell you that
this compulsion to trade with them is to your
advantage--they tell you that you are fools and
don't know your own interests;-as nurse
conceals nauseous dose in. sweets, and in a
most insinuating, wheedlng voice lisps .suca
honey, snca deary,' to distempered child, SO
these tariffiles try to cheat you with 'home
MARKET And If they did give you home
market, (Which. when they say they do, they
know is false,) what right have they to COM
/ pei you to trade in it? What wonld yon say
of law Of your state which would compel you
to sell your produce to certain amount in Q
certain town, even if you get good price for
its Would you not say it was ANYTHING but
Americana What would you say If yor were
compelled 10 sell certain part Of yonr produce
in particular town, take pay in trade, and