Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-03-15


enemies at the North they do not my belief recognize
the whole people of the North enemies and viii
ling TO act towards them in spirit of ndscrimnate hos
tity-and if public sentiment should be that way, the
law would not be executed and is itself serious evil TO
have law which cannot be executed But il the general
public sentiment be with the law then would the weight of
it fall exactly those who should feel it least the honest
part of the community For the dishonest would find the
means to evade it and then smuggling, with all its aten-
dan demoraizng influences would be once introduced
among u.s. think the disposition is general Mr. Speak
er, almost universal to buy at home in preference to
buying elsewhere-to buy less OF the North-to dis
pense with much heretofore bought from thcrenOL to
visit there as freely and cordially beforehand pur-
chasing there to buy of friends and not of enemies Our
people know better than do how best to deal with the
present of thngs-how discriminate and where
strike. | think they doing well, spontaneously.
Let not risk the effects of trying TO cOerce them
Our people do not like coercion. 1t would rob what
they doing of its merit and might result preiudi-
cialy to the object in view. think their course is pro-
ducng good effects both at home and abroad-but be-
eveit will be found stronger and more eicacous II lett
to ITSELF than if attempted to be coerced
1t is said the people demand these do not
think So They do expect and desire foster direct
trade and aid home manufactures But this measure
puts new burdens trade and brushes it still
to the EARTH Even il the penalties Of the bill, the
free will of people insure to merchants
the whole consumption of Virgina-yet would we lose,
inevitably all that valuable and increasing trade of North
Carolina and Tennessee for which have long, and
great expense been striving against powerful
rivals at the North Baltimore would swallow up
the whole external trade of Norfolk Petersburg and Rich
mond. | know that sales to merchants of other States
are exempted from the ax-but merchant could have
one price for Virginia merchants and another for Ten
nessee and North Carolina. Business could be carried
on and would hardly be attempted in that way. The
chant from Bristol and Goodson from Milton and Dam
ville on sides Of an imaginary line between two
States could rot buy on different terms The whole
thing would be mpracticable
If this bill pass its immediate effect home will be-
am satisfied drive away, with their business means
number we can lily spare Of best and largest mer
chants who will in States find their business free
from these extraordinary burdens On borders
pecially-Dauve Wheeling, Alexandria-how can the
merchants maintain themselves against lower prices for
the same goods across imaginary line? know many
of them are looking to this measure with the utmost
alarm and socitude. They hang with anxiety on.the
issue of it, as il pass destructive TO their business and
exiting them from their homes. Among these is
in PARTICULAR whose enterprise intelligence, and public
shirt has done az much for the trade and mercantile
credit and mercantile honor of the State any one
within its limits.
Yet sir it is true the people generally demand and
expect us to do something aid direct trade and build
| up home manufactures But not think on the plan
proposed Why it that this trade and these manuac
lures do flourish amongst US? The sea open TO us.
Why do our ships still hug the Northern shore instead of
launching directly the broad Atlantic? Why
runs orr vast water power waste aud unarrested by
doors Why lie dormant in their beds the vast latent
steam powers you possess in your coal measures,
enough to supply manufactures for the whole world =?
In part the fault yours II IS the fault OF false and vicious
legislation aud the corrective is in your hands.
Your inspection laws drive all your -four, destined for
European ports first into the harbor Of New York, to
free from the absurd stigma you have branded It with,
and enable il to enter fair and equal terms on its
merits into the markets of the world Il sweet and
good and sound but because the best possible you
damn it with a bad name and send it degraded into the
marts of commerce. the loss of your trade and the
caueless suffering of your citizens. This Hour, with
YOUR tobacco is absolutely indispensable the
Of your direct trade it, indeed you succeed in
establishing il, and get yst drive it from your own
cities TO swell still more the aabsorbng trade OF New
York, by false legislation
Your Pilot laws have been also most oppressive, and
tended to turn away the prows Of inward bound ships
from our own ports into those OF other cities.
Your tax laws impose upon mercantile capital from
five to teuold the burden that is paid the mass of
other property compelling million employed in mer
chlndize to pay much from five to millions
poyed in other occupations Four millions of capital in
this CITY, employed in merchandise pays the same
amount of tax rs 500 900 900 employed in agriculture
Is this fair? is equal? is it nsty is right? Can you
| b, surprised that trade langlishes?
You deny 10 merchants the privilege OF negotiating
their promssory notes. is the elsewhere, in all
commercial cities the great relief and extension Of
their business aud the result of this bunder OF your L.
gsation is the crampDg and lettering the business Of
YOUR own merchants aud the necessity you frequent
iy zee imposed on them OF winding up their affairs by
reason OF the large amount held by them of unavailable
paper.
Above all capital mean mOney-the handspring Of
commercial aud manufacturing success, the subtest OF
all things eude restraint and the last towards which
It should be attempted YOU would subject TO burdens
which IL will nc. bear on may strive in vain 20 hitch
II TO Your car OF industry by chains that gall The et
tiers must be soft silk and light eos-amcr, that
shall bind j, your service il Is no more 10 be held
by force than the impipable air. 1t lilies at word to
the uterm0st end OF the earth Attempt TO impose it
unjust rcstriconsdcuy TO the advantages extended
20 il elsewherc-and goes where 1t is most favored
Il Is well asccrtaned that not less than sO0 900 of
accumulated Virginia capital enough to support legt
innate bushes, OF 10 or $4,000 O0J has gone from this
part of Virginia alone seek the higher profits that the
| wiser policy of O,her States offer TO it.
II is 70 these points you should direct your attention
No longer compel your flour to reach Europe through
! Nex York 80 longer head of inward bound ships by
onerou, pilot duties. No longer cripple your merchants
by faxes and burdens that drive alike people
and those of other States to States where their rivals
are more Justly and literally dealt by. Take restrictions
of money and gyeit the advantages enjoys elsewhere
! These are among the easements required to revive
and recover the trade aud extend the manufactures
of Virginia which false and vicious legislation has
tended to build up, instead in New ork, Philadelphia
and Bllimore Add these the purchase, by the State
and all the corporations it Is Interested in exclusively
rs practicable OF home Southern products aud invite
and encourage similar policy by the people-nish your
principal lines of improyement-and you will have
struck a blow, alike Legitimate and eicacods that Will
both positively and relatively, and without hostile
aggressive action lessen the commercial superiority OF
the North now augmented by your own course of i'm
policy and will build up Virginia to that imperial power
and opuleuce and Importance to which her natural adj
ylnages justly entitle her have now, sir, said all
deem necessary the Special License bill.
Mr. r. here gave way 4 motion to adjourn the de-
bate He resumed the following day, and after return
ing his acknowledgements the House, continued as fol-
lows:
find. Nr Speaker, that | omitted much on yesterday
that might have urged against the bill under conside
ration But will advert and but briefly, to or two
points onlv which would not entirely pretermt One
of these the question offs cOnsuuonaly. The gen
tleman who introduced it Affirmed, very confidently that
il was constitutional but waived the discussion of the
point Had he discussed it, he might perhaps have sat
,fed nv doubts and saved the necessity OF present
ing them Sir more than doubt its constitutionaity.
can but indicate briefly the grounds OF my opinion. 1t
would require hours present the subject fully What
is the bill?
It's bill imposing license tax on the sale of hume
rous descriptions of goods produced by other States
| purchased from them.
Il is BILL therefore imposing restrictions on our trade
with other States.
1t il bill 'rcgRa,ing commerce with other States.
Such is its charcterthe necessary consequences OF
1.-THE avowed object ofit.
Now, the Constitution of the United States coniers
Congress the power 20 regulate with foreign
nations and among the several States and nerentiay,
would seem to deny it to the States.
And this to an unprofessiona mind, would appear to
end the question But | am bound in candor to admit
that by the decisions OF the Supreme Court such
clusion might well admit of questOn-wOud be hasty to
saw the least of it, In Brown State of Maryland the
leading case on the subject Judge Marshall in of the