Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-07-28
From the Augusta Constitutoralist.
COMMERCIAL RESTRICTIONS-THE GOVERN.
AID THE PRERlDEST.

Augusta
cONMKRCIAL RESTEICTIONs-THE GOVERN |
ORS AND THE PREsiDEsT.
On the Oh of February last, the Congress OF the
Confederate States, after careful celebration and ma
tured consider alton passed act impose regula
lions UPON the foreign commerce OF the Confederate
States" The necessity for such law was sorey felt
The tobacco and cotton in the hands of the Govern
ment was almost useless properly as it could not be
made available for war purposes from the fact that the
having no ships OF it's own, had to submit
to the unjust extortion of blockade runners and CON-
pete or cargo with the specustor at rates
The law regulating foreign grew out OF this
1t is good lava just law, under the clrcums'aI ces
Il is law based upon the principles at the very 1ouG-
da,ion OF all good communities and governments 10
time of peace all citizens Tor the advantages oerVeo
from the community called upon to. yied to the
general good certain rights which theirs, but only
epioyed by them to their full extent without society,
without government and in state OF dlsorganiz ftlon,
when only might makes right and when more are Sc
ia their persons or their property. &c make
Government Or society, each lndVldua co"poslts ~
must necessarily yield somewhat for the good OF the
whole 10 state of war these exactions for the CON-
good grow heavier, Ind fall especially severe upon
the capitalist the traders and property holders; re"
men, sovever tre these worrs may be- ever take time
consider them and only become enrsged, and call
that Government bad and unjust and attempt to write
it down infringing the reserved rights OF the citizen,
and acting the tyran when it was only set up as
general administrator and executor when 1t calls upon
tht III TO yield aud give way before law or laws, which
making money.
The law and regulations urder considerable can be
simply stated az follows
Every vessel owned by private persons is considered
CHARTERED by the Government for oneha of her cary
ing capacity edwards and inwards.
All private owners of cargo shipped from the Con-
federacy shall for the privilege of exportaton bring 10
return, supplies the Government, equal to onehalt
the nett value Of their exported cargo. The Govern
ment supplying the freight at foreign ports.
Every State shall remain at liberty to charter the
other onehaf Ct such private vessels and carry out
bring in cargo that hall, without being subject
to these regulations.
All vessels osned by the individual States, as State
property, and used exclusively fer the of the State
ale il no~se uoder this law or subject to its regula-
tons.
This law, as alk4avs, which calls upon the money
me kers to yield, met their almost UNANIMOUS and
nest opposition. And for time the tmid anticipated
that the blockade running had met serious OBJ
stacle than Federal on-cads, and that it al ceased
The Government firm in it's position, held them
strictly to the regulations which bad been deduced from
the law and bCckadegs gradually yielded AID the re-
cult hes teen Increase OF vessels the ability to sup
ply the Government has been most satisfactorily deve-
oped, and the credit OF the Confedtracy abroad much
improved
This is as lair statement of this law as be made.
We think all citizens will at the pressing
necessity for the act end only regret that it had not
been enacted al the commencement of the war;
At the last session of Congress, however, memorial
wei, up TO Richmond inspired by the Governor of this
State making serious obec'1 to the law, and asking
a sweeping amendment which was tantamount to its
repeal. 1t would have become dead letter upon tie
ute books with the amendments proposed by Gov
el nors Brown, Varce and Others. I be Government
under this amendment wond again have been brought
into competition, not will the spectators, but with
state officials aud not for one half only OF the tonnage
of the vessel mt for s whole carrying capacity. The
scope of the amendment and the construction liable to
be placed upon it, would b to turn to the indvid
ual States the regulation of foreign commerce, which
the Constitution of he land distinctly declares shall
be regulated only by the General Government.
This amendment however, passed by Congress,
but returned by the President, with his OBJECTIONS at
length. We publish to day this veto message. The
bjction ofthe President copsid red Valid and
so fair that upon the question, the House whether
the bill shall be passed. The veto OF the President to the
rary Dotwiths andpg, received only twety s1 yeas
against forty h'ee nays. This vote sustained the veto
of the President successfully as any ever taken IN
Congress.
TIE papers of this State, ond Of other States, no
the mouth pieces of the opposition to the present
? dmidstr ,tion unfairly and unj1stly assa the Presl
dent the subject OF this law, the author OF ali their
woe, forgetting that Congress is really the responsible
party aud that it could had it proper Passed the
amendment over the of the President; but seeing
and apprecang the usnrss OF the views presented by
the Piesidsn, maj ory of nearly two to one, the most
of whom had originally voted for the amendment, sus
tanned the veto and refused to pass the act.
If the States wish the privilege OF unrestricted and
unlimited foreign commerce, this time, let them pur
chase and vessels and trouble is at end but,
under the law, it stands the persistent importuui
ties OF Gov. Brown to the Secretary OF Treasury, to
impair the regulation in his case of chartered vessel is
to say the least of it, ridiculous AID represents more
thu silly talk of Old woman, who wants thing be-
cause she wants it, than anything ese.
Gov. Vance and the others who signed the memorial
to Congress upon the final action of that body 10
tanning, with handsome maorty, the veto Message
let the matter drop. We bear OF no teegraphlng by
Cows. Vance, Watts or Clark to the Secretary 90
this subjact-onIy Gov Brown, with the tenacity and
earnestness Of Ramsey Sn1as in his imaginary fight,
Governor keeps up the discussion to keep his hand
in, as he expects like Ramsey, to go to the quarter
races the next county election.
We esx of the readers OF the Oonsttutonast an at
tentive reading of the veto Message of President
Davs-it is ul, 1t is emphatic, it is convincing and
satisfactory.
The Pre,dsnl's Veto Message.
To the Eose Of Representatives OF the Confederate States
OF America
| herewith return TO your honorable body, with my
otjeclions bill which originated in the House, enti-
49,