The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1858-10-19
THE PRINCIPLE OF PROTECTING DO
MESTIC INDUSTRY
by Lcrying TrohiLitory or O"erO"s D"t'eS-Hs
Overwhelmingly and ITS hp0ltcy-
From the Delaware Gazette.

From the Delaware Uazetue.
Ever since the adoption of the Constitution OF
the United States there has existed party on the
one side whose aim and efforts have been exerted
to break down its barriers, while the other side
there has been party whose efforts have been ex-
crted to preserve intact It's wise PROVISIONS Inc
former party have at various periods assumed
names of v.rious hucs, while the latter have always
been known and recognized as the Democratic
party.
The Constitution has always presented i'll its wise
provisions such limits TO aspiring domination,
naughty ambition anC; vcnal lust to excite all the
ingenuity of sophistry and enlist some OF the
brightest intellccs battle against it, sometimes
successfully but eventually they have sank beneath
its force aud power
The rights of individuals and the rights of States
arc questions which, as the breadth OF our borders
widen, become more interesting and of grave I'M
portance Individual rights declared to be all
those with which the Great Creator has endowed
man. and which he has not surrendered to the
State State rights all these rights which the
IleOple, by written Constitution, invests the
the State except such as have been surrendered
by Convention of the States of the United States,
Nv a written contract or constitutions. These con-
sttutions or contracts. which OH the part of indi-
riduals to the State surrender of certain
rights for equivalent good in the protection
which the State yields to person, property and rep
utation in pro- iding for the arrest and punishment
those who assault persons, Of who rob or
damage our property, who bear false witness, &c,
so that each may pursue happiness in such manner
as to be secure from the IMMUNITY Of violence and
wrong.
Although some individual rights are yielded to
the State, yet there are many and imported rights
which are not. 1t is highly important to guard
with jealousy such rights lest legislators, in their
lust for power may trench upon them, and in evil
hour their liberties and rights violated. The
relation which the individual States hold to the
United States is in some measure parallel with
that which individuals hold to the State, except
that the rights surrendered by the States to the
United States ale very limited, and particularly
specified and set forth in the Constitution of the
United States; and 50 plainly and perSpcuOusly
they written i'll unambiguous words that, is said
in and of the Sacred Scriptures, "a wayfaring
man, although a fool, may not therein;" yet
looking down the few years of its existence, how
many violent assaults have been made upon it,
how much labored thought and ingenuity has been
in rcQuisiton to raise doubtful questions and
sophistcate plain English words.
When it was contemplated by the Federal party
10 institute sturendous system of turnpike roads,
under clause of The Constitution which provides
that Congress should have power to establish post
routes, the late John Randolph, in a powerful
speech, elucidatcd the palpabe distinction between
Il power to establish post routes and that to make
land, and saved the country from of the hidden
rocks upon which it might have been wrecked
Another sophistry was ingeniousl y started, that
the Constitution of the United States, in giving to
Congress the right to regulate the currency,
fcrrcd the right to charter bank, because bank
necessary to regulate the currency. The
plain reading would be that Congress shall deter
mine and regulate the weight, value and quality
Of the metallic coin
Another spacious proposition was that the Gov
crmcnt should commence and carry system of
internal Improvements by canals, rivers, &c-
These and many other schemes to involve the gov
crnmcnt in systems OF action which would have led
it into labyrinth fatal to its existence have been
met and after contests successfully resented
by the Democratic party. The proposition now
started to protect certain interests, under the spa
couS idea Of protecting domestic industry, is ony
old exploded doctrine started afrcsh upon which
to rally the fragments Of several parties of discOr
dant principles ON other topics, to overthrow the
sentinel or democratic party, who have and will
stand by the Constitution in its literal, not in a
sOphistcal sense. The Democratic party has al
ready fought and successfully resented the propo-
Stion made They are now called upon to re-
sist it again. And the first defence is that it is
unconstitutional, and therefore wrong.
The powers yielded by the States to the Con
gress of the United States are specifically detailed
in the Constitution Among them is the power to
lay and collect taxes duties, imposts and excuses
70 pay the debts and provide for the common de-
fence and general welfare of the United States"
&c The object of this power is plainly expressed,
and It would require no little degree of ingenuity
TO torture the language into power to levy taxes
duties, lmposts and excuses to protect and cncour-
age domestic industry, for if such construction
intended by this article of the Constitution, it
would have been clearly expressed, and the partic-
ular branch of domestic industry specified, whether
manufactures, mechanic mercantile, agricultural
or literature. In the absence of any expressed
power in the Constitution which instrument is the
only authority from which the Government derives
its power, 1t is clearly unconstitutional to exercise
it, for there is none but it may be said that the
clause which expresses one of the objects of
taxation, Duties to be the general welfare of
the United States" comprchends the principle
commended for. 1t is admitted that this is phrase
Of considerable latitude, and the various necessary
expenditures of the Government required such a
phrase to comprehend such expenditures as are
essential 10 its existence in carrying other pow
ors granted to it. 80 pay the debts," then ex-
listing, special power is given to tax, &c. "7o pro-
eide fir the common dctcnce" is another object for
which tax, &c, may be levied-this includes the
army, navy, Notifications, &c. LASTLY, sand gene
raj ace!fare Of The United States" The inter
probation give this clause, and We think the
natural one, is the support of the Legislative Ex
l,r.tsa